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Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
SIMBUMBUMBU Ward Seven in Gwanda has become the second area in the country to be declared an open defecation-free zone with 720 Blair toilets having been built under a national water and sanitation programme.

The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programme is funded by Unicef, working in collaboration with Government.

No one from Simbumbumbu’s six villages is expected to resort to the bush as every household now has a toilet.

In a speech at a ceremony to declare the area an open defecation-free zone held at Simbumbumbu business centre, the head of the Gwanda Community Share Ownership Trust, Mr Coster Nkala, who was the guest of honour, said the programme will go a long way in fighting water -borne diseases.

“The absence of Blair toilets and clean water brings diseases such as diarrhoea and dysentery which have caused a lot of deaths in children in the country. In Zimbabwe about 4 000 children die of diarrhoea every year.

“Bringing clean water to the people and building toilets are the only ways of fighting this scourge and save lives,” said Mr Nkala.

He said the toilets project in Ward Seven was part of a nation-wide project in which 33 districts are participating.

“In Gwanda 13 wards are benefiting. The programme has seen a number of boreholes being built in different areas and schools including here at Simbumbumbu Primary School where six toilets were built including the drilling of a borehole.

“Three schools have also benefited in this regard in this area.

“There are also villagers who were helped by Dabani Trust in building toilets while others were helped by the government.

“I am happy to tell you that Ward Seven is the first area in Gwanda to be an open defecation-free zone and second in the country after one in Lupane,” he said.

The Government working in collaboration with Unicef and World Vision has embarked on a number of water and sanitation programmes in Gwanda district which have seen several boreholes being drilled in villages and schools — @richardmuponde.