Malawi - Improving Access to Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor in the City of Blantyre

The Improving Access to Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor in the City of Blantyre aims to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the urban poor and the reduction of poverty. This intervention will help to improve access to water supply and sanitation facilities within a context of integrated urban development and community empowerment. The project concerns the practical implementation of sustainable, pro-poor water and sanitation within the overall context of this joint initiative between City Authorities and Civil Society for improving the living conditions of the urban poor in Blantyre.The main outputs of the project are grouped into two components. The water and sanitation development component involves the detailed design and implementation of individual household water and sanitation facilities for 500 households (water connections, Ecosan toilets and soak-away pits for the drainage of household wastewater). Additionally, the access to water and sanitation of another 1000 urban poor households will be facilitated through the establishment of a special revolving loan fund for the urban poor specifically for household water and sanitation investments. The second component, concerning community development and monitoring & evaluation, includes mobilisation of the beneficiary communities, and training on hygiene, as well as the operation and maintenance of the water and sanitation facilities developed under the project. The monitoring and evaluation, as well as the dissemination of the lessons learnt under the project, will also be carried out under this component of the project.