Accelerating Self Supply - A Case Study from Zambia

Zambia has a very low density rural population, which makes the establishment of sustainable community water supplies a particular challenge. Previous piloting of improvements to traditional water sources showed both a demand for and an impact from low cost up-grading (Sutton 2002). UNICEF, with RWSN technical support, has been encouraging improvements to water supplies in some of the poorest districts of Luapula Province. Remarkably, these have been achieved with zero subsidy. All hardware costs (labour and materials) are covered by householders; the donor input being only in capacity building through training and marketing.

This document presents progress of the work to accelerate Self Supply in Zambia from 2007 to the end of 2009.

UNICEF, WaterAid, Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, and District Local Governments in Nchelenge, Chienge and Mansa districts, Luapula are involved in the implementation of the self supply piloting in Zambia.