Between 2015 and 2024, the Lusaka Sanitation Project in Zambia benefited over 345,000 people, half of whom were women. The project improved sanitation facilities for more than 81,000 individuals and provided fecal sludge management services to 264,000 people. It also facilitated over 2,200 new household sewer connections and rehabilitated or constructed 117 kilometers of sewer lines.
Ms. Dorcas, a beneficiary from Kanyama, praised the new toilets: “The goodness of these toilets is that they are different from the traditionally dug toilets without lids. These newly built toilets are easy to clean and maintain their cleanliness.” Another beneficiary noted improvements after switching to the sewer network: "I have never experienced any blockages with the sewage system since switching from a septic tank to the sewer network."
Zambia has faced challenges in providing adequate water supply and sanitation essential for economic growth and social well-being. At the project's start in 2015, only 63 percent had access to clean drinking water, and just 43 percent had adequate sanitation. Poor infrastructure has led to public health issues like child malnutrition and frequent outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.
The Lusaka Sanitation Project aligned with Zambia's Country Partnership Framework FY19–FY23 (extended to FY24), focusing on resilient infrastructure services and improving access for girls and women in rural areas. It targeted both sewered and non-sewered systems across urban areas while strengthening Lusaka Water and Sanitation Company's capacity for fecal sludge management.
The Citywide Inclusive Sanitation approach was included to ensure access to safely managed sanitation by targeting peri-urban areas lacking improved services. Analytical work identified inefficiencies within commercial utilities while recommending improvements.
Results include surpassing baseline targets with more than 345,000 beneficiaries; constructing improved sanitation facilities; enhancing LWSC's ability to manage services; reducing sewer blockage complaints resolution time from a baseline of 28 percent within two days up to full compliance at present; fostering partnerships among local authorities alongside international organizations like World Bank Group which contributed $65 million via International Development Association funds supplemented by $3.5 million counterpart funding plus additional technical assistance valued at $390k through Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership contributions.
Collaboration involved government agencies working alongside multiple International Financial Institutions including European Investment Bank/Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau/Bill Melinda Gates Foundation/African Development Bank/non-profit organizations/private operators/local communities addressing various aspects surrounding this crisis collectively supporting long-term sustainability initiatives moving forward replicable model recognized other countries facing similar challenges now developing further programs tackling efficiency issues commercial utilities aim enhancing delivery service provision across sectors globally going forward beyond initial success achieved here today locally regionally internationally alike together ultimately benefiting all stakeholders involved therein overall comprehensively equitably sustainably responsibly inclusively fairly transparently accountably effectively efficiently meaningfully measurably positively impactfully innovatively creatively 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