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Juliet and Anthony Waterkeyn, Zimbabwe

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WHILST MANY SANITATION projects have struggledto interest their beneficiaries in the positive advantages oflatrines, Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D. projects are battling tokeep up with the demand for latrines from the communi-ties.

This paper explores a methodology that works to de-velop a “Culture of Cleanliness” through the establishmentof Community Health Clubs. Rather than starting imme-diately with the implementation of a water and sanitationprogramme, health education is used as the first point ofentry into the project area. By the end of six months ofhealth promotion, the move to improve home hygienecomes naturally to Health Club Members, who readilycontribute towards upgrading their own sanitation.

In Matebeleland North Province of Zimbabwe, the tech-nical problems of constructing latrines in collapsing Kala-hari sands have made latrines expensive to construct andconsequently sanitation coverage is often below 10%. Tosolve this problem, a technology has been devised thatenables women to make interlocking bricks and line theirown pits. Whilst the main cost is below ground, thesuperstructure is constructed cheaply with local materials,resulting in culturally appropriate and therefore sustain-able structures.

Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D is promoting upgradeable sani-tation which sees hygiene consciousness as the most impor-tant prerequisite for safe sanitation.

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Since Independence in 1980 the standard model of latrineapproved by Ministry of Health has been the well knowVentilated and Improved Pit Latrine (VIP) which wasinitially developed in Zimbabwe and is know locally as theBlair Latrine. The country has been relatively successful inintroducing this technology into the rural areas and it isnow culturally acceptable to a large proportion of thepopulation. However in recent years the rate of latrineconstruction has dramatically declined, and questions arenow being asked if, under the present economic conditions,the only model approved by the Government is the mostfeasible solution.

The design in Zimbabwe currently recommended, is the‘3 bag model’ where about 70% of the total costs are borneby the householder who undertakes to dig the hole, makebricks, and pay for a builder to line the pit, which usuallytakes one bag of cement. When the householder has

completed the project to ground level they qualify for a 3bag subsidy to complete the superstructure. The end resultis a brick structure which is an incongruous addition to ahomestead otherwise constructed with mud, pole andthatch. At present with cement at US$ 5 per bag, a BlairLatrine costs US$20 in materials as well as an estimatedUS$80 in labour. This is well out of reach for most of therural population in Zimbabwe struggling to make endsmeet in an economy with a 60% rate of inflation.

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The conventional argument for subsidizing the superstruc-ture is that if it is not properly built, the latrine will collapsewithin a season and never be replaced. However, this willonly happen if a latrine is not perceived to be a necessity,and is merely a status symbol introduced by the project. Ifthe family is convinced of the need for a latrine thenlogically, it will be maintained like any other locally builtstructure. A superstructure of mud and pole, with a thatchroof, will be maintained by the family, in the same way thatthey traditionally maintain their own home on an annualbasis. However, the cynics will reply that it is difficult, if notimpossible, to achieve this type of commitment to sanita-tion. If this is the case then even the concrete structure is awaste of resources unless it has been constructed for theright reasons and is well used.

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Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D. Organisation has been able tocreate sanitation consciousness within communities, bystarting the project with a Health Education phase ratherthan implementing sanitation immediately. Althoughhardware enthusiasts may become impatient with spendinga whole year dedicated to software, they will be pleasantlysurprised when the time for sanitation does arrive becausemany more latrines will be constructed in a very short time.In the Tsholotsho Project 1000 latrines were constructed inunder six months, whilst in Makoni Environmental HealthCampaign, 1,400 latrines were completed during the sameperiod. When this is seen against the National figures forLatrine construction for the previous year, which came to8000 in total throughout the country, the 2,400 latrinesconstructed in two districts is an achievement.

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This commitment by the community is achieved by theestablishment of Community Health Clubs. These are

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voluntary grass root Organisations established in everyvillage which are dedicated to learning about healthy livingwith the view to improving family health. Over a six monthperiod the clubs meet once a week and focus on 20 differenttopics, including water storage, hand washing, control ofpreventable diseases like diarrhoea, bilharzia, malaria,worms and skin diseases. They are so thoroughly groundedin the reasons for good home hygiene, that they becomemore fastidious than their urban counterparts. They gofurther than expected in an effort to outdo each others’cleanliness. Some clubs have taken a group decision thatno member can shake hands with another person in themorning before washing hands first –a recommendationwe had overlooked! Whilst we advocated the use of a ladlefor taking drinking water, they have gone further in thattheir members are not allowed to hang the ladle up ascockroaches tend to sit in them, and pollute them.

Their kitchens are immaculate and one could literally eatoff the floor, it is so beautifully polished. In Tsholotsho thewomen have become fiercely competitive, decorating theirkitchens so that they have become an art form. Tradition-ally, women have always sat on a mat on the floor whiletheir husband takes the bench. Now with their new-foundconfidence, they have elevated their own status and mouldedimpressive thrones in clay, which are provided and labellednot only for the father, but also for the mother and thechildren. Some have built in fuel saving stoves to avoidsmoke in the kitchen, and others have new built in cup-boards with mock handles to imitate a modern fittedkitchen in town. (all mod cons and bics!) Whilst these

decorative effects don’t necessarily improve home hygienethey indicate a high level of home pride. According to thewomen their men working most of the year in towns, arenow delighted to return to their rural homes as the stand-ards have been pleasantly upgraded.

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This perfectionism is carried through to their sanitationpractises. Previously people were embarrassed to be seengoing to the bush to relieve themselves. Now club membersmake a feature of their habits, by putting up a ‘Badza Stand’in a prominent position in the compound. This is a forkedbranch, which holds a hoe, used for digging a hole for ‘cat’sanitation. When they return from the bush, having cov-ered their faeces properly, they wash their hands with soapusing the plastic water container hanging on the stand.Below this is a plant strategically placed as an indicator ofusage of the hand washing facility, as it will soon whitherif it has not been watered regularly from the grey water.This method of ‘cat’ sanitation is technically a very safemeans of sanitation, and is the first rung on the sanitationladder, a temporary solution until all members can beassisted in building a more permanent latrine.

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The next stage up the ladder is to have a temporary shallowpit for defecation, whilst at the same time ensuring thatfaeces are well covered. A slab is made that can be moved,and a temporary structure is constructed around a shallowunlined hole. The soil used from excavation is used to cover

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the faeces and when the hole is full, the slab is moved to thenext site. The slab can be eventually used when a permanentlatrine is constructed. Not everyone can be convinced to usethe manure that is a rich resource and could be profitablyused to nourish a fruit tree, each time the squat hole ismoved!

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The essential part of the latrine is the pit, which must be safeenough to support the weight of the user on a slab as wellas the superstructure. The problem of collapsing latrines isa common reason for the lack of construction. In Tsholotsho,the loose Kalahari sands have prohibited latrine construc-tion to such an extent that it has one of the lowest sanitationcoverages in Zimbabwe with less than 10% of householdswith a latrine. In order to line the pits properly a VIP in thisarea would cost Z$1,200 as opposed to $750 elsewhere.(US$1: Z$38, June 2000) Consequently very little has beendone, until last year when a method of pit lining wasdeveloped within our Organisation, which enabled easyand safe pit lining. This consists of interlocking cementblocks which are now being made by women in the HealthClubs. They then assist each other to line their pits withouteven needing to employ a builder. Being able to do thewhole job themselves means that they get on with the jobwithout any constraints. With the substructure costingZ$350, using 2 bags of cement, there is a need to economiseon the superstructive. This is made more cost effectivebecause women build their own structure using traditional

materials, and the result is a very attractive and appropriatebuilding that merges with the local environment. A ventpipe using only three shovels of cement and river sand isalso included which draws the smell upwards away fromthe latrine. The high thatch roof with the sweet smell ofgrass makes this a pleasant place to escape from the rest ofthe family!

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Similar to the vent pipe, another innovation designedwithin our Organisation for the benefit of this project, is the‘cement tube’ hand washing tank, which is also made by thewomen. Using one spadeful of cemen, a stiff mixture ismade and put into a mould made from PVC pipes. With awire handle set into the concrete lid, it can easily be refilled.A small tube plugged by a stick, serves as a economicalwater outlet. These are now being enthusiastically made asan income generating project by some of the Health Clubs,with the target that every household will buy one. With apermanent hand washing tank and a permanent well-linedlatrine, the household has reached the top of the sanitationladder.

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Hygiene consciousness is the key to the sustainability of thisproject. The members of the club are completely committedto a set of values that ensure that their behaviour andfacilities match their aspirations. Once someone is fullyconvinced that faecal contamination is the root cause of

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much family suffering, they take the logical course to rectifythe situation. The main constraint that will prevent themacting on their knowledge is lack of money and transportfor cement and sand. If the project can provide transportand a small subsidy there will be no constraints to inhibitlatrine construction. In the wealthier areas such as Makoni,communities have been buying all their own cement fromthe Organisation and the only input from ZimbabweA.H.E.A.D has been the transport for the cement.

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In Makoni District, the sanitation coverage is over 50% andit would be unrealistic at this stage to revert to building localventilated latrines (LVLs) as is being done in Tsholotsho.However, It may be interesting to note the mechanism forcement delivery employed by Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D in thisarea, where the conventional ‘3 bag’ subsidy is still in effect.Normally the Ministry of Health field worker (EHT) isresponsible for monitoring latrine construction in his area.Now however, the responsibility for this has been devolvedto the community. The Club makes its own plans and when

they have enough pits completed (minimum 60) to justifya delivery of cement, they notify the Field worker who thenplans a delivery date with the Organisation. When thecement arrives the Chairperson of the Club, as well as theCouncillor for the ward, accounts for those receivingcement and also keeps record of latrine completions, andmonitors upkeep. This transparency of cement distribu-tion has also encouraged the community to be fully in-volved and make the project their own.

JULIET WATERKEYN, Co-founder and Director,Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D. Organisation, Project Managerfor Makoni Environmental Health Campaign. 215 2ndSt. Extension, Avondale, Harare. Tel/Fax 263 4 332867.Email: zimahead@zol.co.zw

ANTHONY WATERKEYN, Development Consultant,Co-founder of Zimbabwe A.H.E.A.D. Project Managerfor Tsholotsho Rural Waterpoint Upgrading andRehabilitation Project. PO Box MP 1269, Mt Pleasant,Harare, Zimbabwe. Tel/Fax 263 4 308977