Location
Ndoba, Mibenge, Mabumba, Mantumbusa, and Kabunda, Mansa District, Luapula Province, Zambia
Community Description
This project will take place at 5 rural health centers throughout Mansa District. The existing wells at the centers are described as follows:
Ndoba Rural Health Center
- Type of water facility: borehole fitted with India Mark II hand pump
- Static water level: 5 meters
- Depth: 26 meters
- Yield of water: 38 full strokes for a 10-liter bucket (0.22)
- Diameter of the PVC casing: 4 inches or 100 mm
Mibenge Rural Health Center
- Type of water facility: borehole fitted with “Afridev” (Africa Development) hand pump
- Depth: 20 meters
- Yield of water: 40 strokes to fill a 10-liter bucket (0.22)
Mabumba Rural Health Center
- Type of water facility: borehole fitted with a hand pump India Mark II
- Static water level: 10.2 meters
- Depth: 20 meters
- Diameter of the PVC casing: 6 inches or 150 mm
- Yield of water: 32 strokes for a 10-liter bucket (0.28)
Mantumbusa Rural Health Center
- Type of water facility: borehole fitted with India Mark II hand pump
- Static water level: 8.3 meters
- Depth: 42.1 meters
- Diameter of PVC casing: 6 inches or 150 mm
- Yield of water: 29 strokes to fill a 10-liter bucket (0.28)
Kabunda Rural Health Center
- Type of water facility: borehole fitted with India Mark II hand pump
- Static water level: 7 meters
- Total depth: 23.4 meters
- Diameter of PVC casing: 4 inches or 100 mm
- Yield of water: 34 strokes to fill a 10-liter bucket (0.28)
Problem Addressed
Zambia suffers from one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates at 591 deaths per 100,000 live births. A leading cause of maternal mortality is sepsis.
While the Government of the Republic of Zambia, along with many partnering non-government organizations, has implemented a campaign encouraging pregnant women to deliver at a skilled health facility, Mansa District has not reached 100 % utilization of clinic facilities for deliveries.
Safe Motherhood Action Group (SMAG) members are community volunteers trained to teach pregnant women about safe motherhood topics. As the SMAG members encouraged pregnant women to deliver at the health facility, there was overwhelming concern from the women about the potential for sepsis with a clinic delivery.
Project Description
This project is to install electric water pumps and related piping at the 5 rural health centers, creating running water to improve sanitation and hygiene, especially for obstetric patients delivering at the clinics.
Each pump will lift the water through PVC piping to a 7,500 liter PVC tank mounted on a cement stand (except the Ndoba Rural Health Center, at which the metal stand is being reinforced). The water will then be delivered to the health center through additional piping.
Each of the five installations will be done by the Mansa Municipal Council and community volunteers and will take 2 to 4 days, for a total of 15 days, for completion.
Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the electric water pumps, piping, fitting, fixtures, and materials. The funds will also be used to provide fuel for the transport of the installation crew to the work site and lunch allowances for the crew members.
Project Impact
53,819 people will benefit from the project.
Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Rebecca Roberts
Monitoring and Maintenance
The monitoring and maintenance of the pumps will be performed by the Mansa District Medical Office and clinic staff.
The clinic staff will be trained in proper care, upkeep, and minor maintenance of the pumps. The Mansa District Health Office has allotments in their budget for major water pump repairs when needed.
Each of the clinics has a full-time guard on duty to protect the clinic and its property.
Comments
This project will bring water to the maternity wings of the rural health centers, greatly reducing the infection rate during delivery. This will encourage women to utilize the services of the center, reducing the potential for deaths due to complications.
Fundraising Target
$7,000
Funds raised in excess of the project amount will be allocated to other projects in the country.
Donations Collected to Date
$7,000
Dollar Amount Needed
$0 – This project has been funded by a major Water Charity donor, who prefers to remain anonymous.
This program is part of the Water Charity and National Peace Corps Association East Africa Water and Sanitation Program.
