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News ZIMBABWE: Water harvesting program up
News ZIMBABWE: Water harvesting program up
| ZIMBABWE: Water harvesting program up |
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 The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a water harvesting program in Southern African country of Zimbabwe in response to the recent cholera outbreak that left more than 4 000 people dead in 2008. Cholera has been one of the main health issues bedevilling the country that is struggling with its economy.
Speaking at the launch of the program in Chitungwiza, a town 30km outside the capital Harare on Wednesday, the International Relief and Development country director Themos Ntasis said the program was being implemented through a Memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of health and Child Welfare. “International Relief and development (IRD) with funding from the USAID office of Foreign Disaster (OFDA) started the implementation of the PROOF program in 2009 in response to the cholera epidemic. The program is implemented through a Memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of education, Arts, Sports and Culture,” said Ntasis. The rooftop water harvesting program has so far benefited about eight schools in Chitungwiza, Mutare and Harare. He said his organization had so far installed about 805 rooftop rainwater harvesting systems that had the capacity of serving up to 2, 653 households. Ntasis however appreciated the participation of the locals in the successful implementation of the program that assisted in a number of ways. “Three factories have worked on the production of tanks, one factory on the production of gutters and 24 local groups of builders and plumbers on the construction of tank bases and installation of gutters,” he said. In 2008 the country was heat by a serious outbreak of the cholera epidemic which resulted in the death of more than 4 000 people with the then Zanu (PF) government denying the existence of the disease thereby failing to call for the necessary measures to curb the outbreak. Under the laws of Zimbabwe at least 10 people are required dead for the president to declare a state of emergency. Source: Misheck Rusere, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe Photo: Shepherd Torvireva
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