It is a well known fact that lack of access to clean and safe water leads to diseases like diarrhea and cholera.  Poor sanitation practices are also to blame. For example, open defecation is still a problem in many parts of the country.    Therefore, it is essential that water and sanitation provision in schools are integrated with the provision of water and sanitation facilities in surrounding communities. 

Key Statistics according to UNICEF 

• -4.8 million People (36 percent) are without access to clean water. 

• 6.6 million People (50 percent) are without access to sanitation facilities.

More than 25 percent of basic schools do not have access to proper sanitation and safe water supply.

Thanks to the efforts of WASAZA, these worrying statistics do not apply to the Waya Community School in Kabwe.  In 2010, the association  educated pupils on health and hygiene practices such as hand washing with soap, water treatment, dealing with solid waste and clogged sewers, cleaning toilets and the correct use of bio-latrine toilets.  Soap and chlorine were also donated to the school.  

WASAZA helped build a bio latrine with a 20 m3 digester volume and six dry toilets for male and female pupils as well as one for the teachers. The biogas from the bio latrine is currently being used for cooking at the school.  A hand washing facility was also built near the toilets (see picture above).

On March 2012, WASAZA carried out a health impact assessment at the school.  The pictures above show pupils from Waya Community School during the health impact assessment.  According to the findings from the assessment, pupils had a much better knowledge of water and sanitation practices than before.