
The key to success of Water for Kid's (WfK) work in Zambia is working
with our fellow professional Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) in the
Zambian Institute
of Environmental Health (ZIEH). Our projects
are managed by the Executive Board of ZIEH, which includes some of the
most senior EHOs in Zambia. Soon after ZIEH was established in 2002, it twinned with the Chartered Institute of Environmental
Health, North West England Branch.
Alan Mwebe, Vice President on the ZIEH said in May 2006,
following the Water for Kids Trustees visit:
" I would like to take this special opportunity to reassure you that
we at ZIEH greatly appreciate the cooperation we have developed between
the two organisations. We have learnt the importance of sharing the little
resources with those in great need. Whenever I reflect on our discussion
on Kamaila project, I see it developing into a true model village."
In 2007 ZIEH set up a degree course in Environmental Health, with the
help of CIEH North Western Centre, including members of Water for Kids,
who assisted with curriculum development and provided books and equipment
for the course. There are now thirty students studying on the degree course.
They are still short of books and equipment, if you can help please
email natfranklin99@yahoo.com
The ZIEH Executive identified Kamaila village
and the projects which WfK is now working on, as those where the need
for safe water and sanitation was great. To ensure sustainability ZIEH
involves the local people to make sure that we will provide facilities
that they want and that they will take over and maintain them on the completion
of the project. Local environmental health personnel are also involved
in the projects whenever possible.
ZIEH appoints a project manager to oversee the projects. The manager works
closely with Mrs Kotutu the water engineer who is employed
by the Ministry of Water Affairs, but does the WfK work in her own time,
as do those who carry out the works themselves, under her supervision.