AWWA JAW56670

In the settlement and squatter areas of African cities, theurban poor, particularly children, face untold health risksfrom raw sewage, unsafe water, and solid waste. Safedrinking water is often nonexistent, and the water of questionablequality that is available may be touted as "safe" by vendors andsold at a price few can afford.The needs of the urban poor are mounting as the inevitablemigration of people from rural areas to the cities continues.Land tenure is rare; financing and constructing homes, watersystems, and other infrastructure are risky ventures. Municipalitiesare not equipped, financially or technically, to meetthe basic water and sanitation needs of this growingpopulation.WATER For PEOPLE and the US Environmental Protection Agency,Office of International Activities, have joined forces to make adifference. In October 2000, they launched the Water For Africapartnership to help bring safe, sustainable drinking water toAfrica's urban poor.Education, capacity-building, and collaborative work with localstakeholder groups are under way in Malawi, Zambia, Uganda,Kenya, and Tanzania. The social cohesion that is sometimes taken forgranted in rural development projects is often absent because of thegreat diversity in religion, culture, and ethnicity, making settlementareas complicated environments in which to operate. To determinethe assistance best suited for this complex environment, Water ForAfrica includes extensive evaluation in every project. Includes figure.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. 94 - No. 8

Published:

08/01/2002

Number of Pages:

6

File Size:

1 file , 1.7 MB