•GOOD sanitation and hygiene are cardinal health needs for every community worldover.

By MICHELO HIMAAMBO –

SEEING women, young children and men alike walk with buckets and containers in search of a liquid of life from the nearest stream was a common sight in Kapiri Mposhi.
Issues of child labour in this case would not apply as there would be no any other apart from engaging these under aged children into labour of fetching the most important commodity.
Despite the long distance from homes to the source, this water is not even safe leaving questions as to how people have managed to live for years with it.
Approximately 70kilometres away from Kapiri Mposhi District is a disheartening reality of life from diverse villages that could be believed to be false if not a victim.
People in the community have relaxed themselves to a life that see no meaning of clean water, as their only source of water is used as bath area for animals and humans.
Mpunde Likutulu Village, Chipanasa, Chikwangala, Luanchele, and Chapusha Primary schools are the fatalities of this reality.
This would coil one’s awareness on how grubby this source of water could be for the people in the area.
Water and sanitation is a huge hazard as women are seen washing dishes, children’s nappies, other cloths and especially bodies at some water points.
The other unthinkable fact is that human wastes are found in these streams, one’s imagination could be gyrate as this unimaginable reality true.
Andrew Mpumba, a resident of Likutulu area illustrates how challenging it has been for the community to survive in such position be for the boreholes were bequeathed.
He says that the water in the stream is unsafe in the rainy season because the water would mix with other wastes, and the stream would join with the rain settled water.
“The problem here does not only concern diseases caused by unsafe water, because other issues are marital, people have lost their marriages due to spending more time at the streams because they would stay there to wash, bath and then draw water to walk kilometres back home”, Mr Mpumba said.
He says there has been an issue of child labour for children who also given a bucket of container to fetch water.
Marble Ntembeni said fetching water from distant areas made her family life difficult because she needed to attend several household chores.
However, the story is now different after World Vision sunk five boreholes in the district under the Water and Sanitation (Wash) project.
In expedition to improve water supply and sanitation, world Vision Zambia with its objectives Wash project that aims at increasing access to sustainable and safe water supply for the poor and vulnerable donates five boreholes in five aforementioned villages.
World Vision Zambia in collaboration with the rural water and sanitation unit under the Kapiri Mposhi District council has had the opportunity to reach out to more than 100 households that have been sensitised on the importance of sustainable sanitation and hygiene practices within the villages due to these water points.
World Vision aims at ensuring that the life of a child is tremendously improved for them to be protected from various diseases that affect if not well taken care of.
Kapiri Mposhi World Vision Manager under Musosolokwe Area of Development, Mwangana Amukena says it is because of the five boreholes that more than 1750 people will have access to clean and safe water all the time.
“World vision in this financial year has been  able to adequately implement sustainable water and, sanitation and hygiene activities in the community of Musosolokwe… among these activities has been the five  boreholes equipped in different areas,” he says.
Mr Amukena said during the handle over the boreholes last week that World Vision with the help of other donor organisations was able to drill these boreholes at a cost of K90,000.00 costing K18,000 for each.
“World Vision is delighted be a partner of value in the district of Kapiri Mposhi as it makes consistent progress towards improving the lives of its citizens, especially for the children,” Mr Amukena said.
Mr Amukena assured that since the project has been undertaken by the model of the community lead total sanitation, community members around these villages will practise sanitation and hygiene.
Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Beatrice Sikazwe says Government was determined to attend to all the discrepancy in safe water and sanitary facilities for all the communities and institutions around the district.
“Good sanitation and hygiene are cardinal health needs for each and every community world over… today Kapiri Mposhi in particular Luanchele ward under chief Chipepo’s area has benefitted from the five boreholes drilled in different locations,” she says.
She says the district is experiencing very good stakeholder relations with World Vision Zambia consequently Government will continue to provide an enabling environment that will capitulate good works.
She urges all the community members to adhere to all the positive practices that promote good health such as good sanitation and hygiene.
Mpunde Health centre sister-in-charge, St Theresa M’hango says the community will surely cooperate with taking care of their sanitation because meetings are held every week to sensitise the mothers on good health.
Phebby Shakabosha, who is seven months pregnant, expresses how joyful it was for her, to have the borehole 10 metres away from her house.
“Since the borehole is near am not even worried about my pregnancy, I can get water whatever time I want… and my children do not have to go far to get water”, she narrates.
She says the borehole will reduce malaria and diarrhea cases because the problems were where high due to lack of clean water
Headman Mwanakabwata of Chief Chipepo says the boreholes drilled are the most important things they have received this year and will make sure that they are guarded.
The headman has discussed with Chief Chipepo to punish anyone found vandalising or misusing the water facilities.
For sure, water is now life in Kapiri Mposhi.