Balaka to be ‘open defecation-free’ by 2016
Balaka District plans to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by December next year with over 80 000 households expected to have basic pit latrines.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) district coordinator Akuzike Banda said this last Friday when journalists toured Traditional Authority (T/A) Sawali’s area where communities have embraced basic hygiene practices by constructing basic pit latrines at every household. The media tour was organised by Training Support for Partners (TSP).
She said: “We would like to ensure that all households have pit latrines so that the district is declared open defecation free. So far, at least 64 707 households have basic pit latrines.”
TSP has been implementing a five-year Sanitation and Hygiene Project in T/As Sawali, Chanthunya and Nkaya in the district to increase access to equitable and sustainable sanitation and hygiene services. The project was funded by Plan Malawi to the tune of $ 330 000 (about K187 million).
TSP community facilitator Vincent Kafakoma expressed satisfaction that their objectives have been achieved.
T/A Sawali said almost all the 3 500 households in her area have basic pit latrines.
She said: “All chiefs in my area welcomed the initiative and encouraged their subjects to construct pit latrines. We no longer have cases of cholera outbreak in the area.” n
