By Vincent Gunde
Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) is set to implement scaling sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) solutions delivering WASH and waste management services in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa district.
Since 2019, Welt Hunger Hilfe has been UNHCR’s WASH partner and over the years, humanitarian funding has been steadily declining due to shifting global priorities, the situation has been further compounded by the recent freeze on foreign aid by the US Government.
The organization said sustainable WASH solutions that guarantee long- term service delivery, upheld humanitarian principles and maintain essential WASH infrastructure in the Dzaleka Camp is no longer an option but an urgent necessity.
Welt Hunger Hilfe’s WASH Project Officer-Dzaleka Camp Lefted Kanyika, said the project has an objective of advancing the sustainability and resilience of WASH and waste management services by transitioning from an aid- dependent to a community- driven, and financial sustainable model.
Kanyika said on water supply, the organization has made some improvement on upgrading the water systems within the camp and host communities, saying despite these improvements, long queues and frequent breakdowns are disrupting supply.
He said population growth continues to strain the system with 300 new arrivals and 170 birth per month saying the organization has established Water Users Associations (WUA) to manage the water systems and Central Region Water Board (CRWB) to instill other 5 water kiosks.
On sanitation and hygiene, Kanyika said the organization has made significant strides in improving sanitation by constructing inclusive latrines in public spaces and at the household level including slabs saying the project will also take on solid waste collection and disposal, along with other essential WASH functions previously funded by UNHCR to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
He said the project sustainability will be ensured through community- driven structures and financially viable models for WASH and waste management fostering long- term ownership by the people of Dzaleka Camp.
The officer said Dzaleka Camp WUA will play a central role in governance, financial accountability and technical capacity to manage water services effectively and a composting business model will be established where organic waste is transformed into marketable compost.
“WHH will provide technical and financial support during the transition period, gradually transferring responsibilities to the WUA, social enterprise, and composting initiatives,” said Kanyika.
He said a handover strategy will ensure that governance, financial model, and operational systems are in place before full integration into national and local systems.
