MAPUTO, Mozambique, 28 May 2012 - Last week, UNICEF staff members and representatives of AusAID (the principal donor), AIAS (the Government agency for water and sanitation infrastructure) and local authorities participated in a joint field mission to districts in Nampula in connection with the official launch of the NAMWASH project, which took place at the provincial administration in Nampula on May 24.
The field mission also served as a first progress review, as project activities started earlier this year. NAMWASH is a USD 30 million, four-year project (2012-2016) focused on water and sanitation in five small towns in Nampula province (Mecuburi, Monapo, Namialo, Rapale and Ribaue), which were selected based on their currently low coverage of water and sanitation and other key criteria.
The NAMWASH project aims to provide safe water to 150,000 and safe sanitation to 50,000 people in a contribution towards the MDG 7 targets for water and sanitation. In addition, the project focuses strongly on local capacity building and involves cross-border exchanges of technical staff and graduate-level training of local project officials in Australia.
The project also involves private sector contractors in the area, thus strengthening the role of local private providers. It is hoped that the project will serve as a model for the work of AIAS, a recently established Government agency, at the provincial level. In coming years, the general infrastructure in small towns along the Nacala corridor will come under increased pressure from migration and urbanization linked to the economic development activities already underway in Nampula province, and this relates particularly to water and sanitation infrastructure.
Through the project, UNICEF and its partners expect to reduce negative health outcomes due to poor water and sanitation infrastructure, improve general living conditions and contribute to economic development in the region.