1. OCTOBER 2013

2. Materials for borehole rehabilitation under the RWP delivered to all districts and Post Delivery Inspections (PDI) done for districts close to the provincial capitals in the five provinces. Finalisation of district implementation budgets going well with most now under review by NAC and UNICEF. National Sanitation Week and Global Hand Washing commemorations successfully held on 18 th of October with the Minister of Health and with a number of District, Provincial and National representatives attending. Host district received 15 000 bars of soap for distribution in schools. HIGHLIGHTS

3. Other districts and towns also held localized NSW commemorations e.g. Bulilima and Mangwe, Mutare and Chipinge towns. HIGHLIGHTS

4. District and Provincial CPU training workshops held to come up with DRM plans. Masvingo Province - Diarrheal outbreak at Mutimurefu Prison 124 inmates and 38 people from surrounding community affected. Resulting in one death. Mat. South – 936 diarrheal cases reported for the Sept – Oct reporting period Manicaland – 183 cases of suspected diarrhoea in Nyanga district. Still under investigation. Mash. West – 6505 diarrhoea cases (1 Oct – 21 October) with 2 deaths, 513 dysentery cases with 13 deaths, 15 confirmed typhoid cases with no deaths reported. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND WASH EMERGENCY RESPONSE UPDATE:

5. Rural WASH Sub-Sector Twin commemorations for NSW and GHDW held successfully in UMP (Mash. East), 18 October 2013. THEME: (ZOD + HANDWASHING WITH SOAP = DIAHOREAL FREE COMMUNITIES) DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

6. IRWSSP (Government funded) Being implemented in seven districts across six provinces and generally progressing well. Major focus is on borehole rehabilitation and demand led sanitation. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

7. RWP Ward sensitisations progressing well in some districts through pre- financing by the Local Authority. Technical assessments for borehole rehabilitation and school latrine construction also underway with materials for latrine construction and artisan tool kits procured for some districts. Finalisation of district implementation budgets going well with most now under review by NAC and UNICEF. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

8. Other Partners Significant involvement of a number of partners in areas of construction of sand dams, WASH governance and sanitation at household and institutional levels, shallow well rehabilitation, hygiene promotion through community and school health clubs, borehole drilling and rehabilitation/repairs, capacity building for districts on accelerated achievement of MDGs and rehabilitation of piped water systems in former commercial farms (now new resettlements) with stand pipes or taps to be connected to the new resettlement areas. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

9. Urban WASH Sub Sector Sector coordination challenges still exist as provincial coordinators are facing difficulties in integrating the rural, urban and water resources sub-sectors and facilitating meetings with stakeholders in the urban and water resources sub-sectors. Increased load shedding affecting water supply to residents in most towns with the exception of a few towns like Bindura and Rusape where the Local Authorities have a dedicated electricity distribution line to the pumping station. Water supplies in Gweru have improved dramatically with the commissioning of a new dam, Amapongogwe. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

10. Urban WASH Sub Sector Accumulation of dumped refuse continues to be a menace in most urban centres especially disposable diapers. Solid waste going untreated especially in Chinhoyi and Marondera where raw sewage is being dumped in rivers. Issue of public toilets remains a sore point in most towns DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

11. Water Resources Management Sub-Sector Funding availed to DDF from Treasury for rehabilitation of irrigation schemes across the country. In some provinces the schemes have already been identified and technical assessments in progress i.e. Mukadzi Mutsva, Zvimba (Mash. West) Sadza Irrigation Scheme, Chikomba (Mash. East), Silikwe, Gwanda (Mat. South), Mutondwe Irrigation, Mt Darwin (Mash. Central). Rains have been received in several provinces however these have not translated into significant dam inflows. Therefore dam levels remain low. DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES BY GOVERNMENT AND PARTNERS: DONORS, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE SECTOR, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS

12. Data cleansing is in progress whilst finalisation of VBCI data requires additional budgetary support before launch can be held. VILLAGE BASED CONSULTATIVE INVENTORY RURAL WASH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

13. Sustainability of some WASH interventions such as rehabilitation of public toilets, community health clubs and cleanup campaigns RW P behind schedule in all 33 implementing districts COMMON CHALLENGES