46 Sisinje villages declared open defecation-free

46 villages in Sisinje ward of Chipangali district, have attained an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status. This was revealed during the ODF status declaration celebration held at Chaola Village in Chief Chikuwe’s area. Chipangali Town Council Secretary, Faustina Manjombi, said the…

46 villages in Sisinje ward of Chipangali district, have attained an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.

This was revealed during the ODF status declaration celebration held at Chaola Village in Chief Chikuwe’s area.

Chipangali Town Council Secretary, Faustina Manjombi, said the attainment of ODF status by some villages in the ward was testament to the power of community participation, strong traditional leadership, supportive government policies and effective participation.

Ms Manjombi said the collective effort significantly contributed to reducing open defecation, thereby promoting healthier communities and protecting the environment.

She observed that through the implementation of Community -Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, households transformed their sanitation practices by constructing and consistently using hygienic toilets equipped with hand washing facilities.

” This collective effort has contributed to the reduction of open defecation, promoting healthier communities and protecting the environment,” Ms Manjombi said.

She also said the ODF certification covered 46 villages comprising 2,382 households with a total population of 9, 753 people.

” Following a rigorous verification process, the villages successfully met the national ODF certification standards, making Sisinje one of the Wards in Chipangali Constituency to attain the important public health milestone,” Ms Manjombi observed.

She said the achievement was made possible through collaboration with government departments dealing with water and Sanitation programmes and partners like Living Water International who created a strong foundation for communities to successfully implement sanitation programmes.

And Living Water International said access to clean and safe water should go hand in hand with improved sanitation and hygiene.

The Organisation Programmes Coordinator, Mutinta Ng’andu, said an ODF community is one that chooses to protect the health, dignity and wellbeing of every household through lasting behaviour change.

Ms Ng’andu noted that the actions made by households in the area will help reduce diseases, protect children and create a healthier environment for future generations.

She thanked government, the traditional leadership and other stakeholders for the strong collaboration that made the achievement possible.

Meanwhile, one of the villagers in the ward, thanked government and Living Water International for providing safe and cleaning water and Chaola village and surrounding communities.

Agness Mbewe, said the provision of clean water coupled with improved sanitation facilities, will enable people burdens of diseases in the area and prolong their lives.

Ms Mbewe said the encouragement by traditional leaders, government institutions and partners like Living Water International, made her family realize the importance of having a good toilet with a hand-washing facility.