AFRICARE WSSH Project in Ntchisi and Nkhata Bay Districts Malawi : results from the baseline survey

This baseline survey conducted under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WSSH) Project in about 200 villages in the Ntchisi and Nkhata Bay districts of Malawi. The document begins by outlining the objectives and methodology used in the baseline survey. It then outlines the results of the survey, first in general terms and then giving specific findings about water, sanitation, and health and hygiene. The findings for water are organized under the headings: domestic water use, water scarcity and solutions, and descriptions of existing water sources. The results for sanitation include latrine coverage, women's attitudes to latrines, characteristics of existing latrines, and latrines and hygiene. To categorize information found on health and hygiene, the headings used are domestic water handling, domestic hygiene, women's knowledge of oral rehydration solution, and use of medical facilities. The final part of the survey draws conclusions for project implementation. The conclusions for water emphasize that the number and sites of the protected water sources must be selected by the community with the full participation of women, that appropriate technologies can be chosen through technical surveys, that the community should participate in construction and maintenance, and that there should be village level financing systems and technical training of caretakers. For sanitation, the findings are that the sanplat latrine should be promoted, and that women's experiences should be used in this promotion. The survey stresses that hygiene promotion should concentrate on handwashing, latrine use, domestic water handling, and hygiene practices at the water sources, and that women are the chief target group. The conclusions also stress sustainability and community participation in all projects. The survey ends with a list of monitoring indicators to be used in judging the success of the project implementation.