By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Solwezi District Water, Sanitation and Health Education (D-WASHE) Committee has trained five Sanitation Action Groups (SAGs) in Kipitubwanga and Kainamfumu areas.
SMC Assistance Public Relations Manager Esther Chirwa said the trained groups activities will contribute to Kapijimpanga Chiefdom attaining the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by October 2022.
Ms Chirwa said the SAGs were challenged to ensure that they sensitize community members in their vicinities on the adverse impact of Open Defecation (OD) on their health and families.
She said the D-WASHE pointed out the need for the SAG members to embrace the principle of neighbourhood by being caretakers of their villages through helping community members use adequate sanitation in their day to day lives thereby lessen on diarrheal and other diseases.
Ms Chirwa said the trainees were also reminded and enlightened on parameters that should be taken into consideration for a latrine to be declared adequate in order to promote hygiene practices.
“The parameters include: a smooth and easy to clean floor; a lid on the hole that prevents flies from going in and out of the hole; a super structure that provides privacy and a hand washer with water and soap or water,” she said.
The Sanitation Action Group is a Committee comprising members drawn from a respective village that has the responsibility, and takes the lead in a community attaining Open Defecation Free status. It has the responsibility to encourage households to provide sanitation hardwares such as construction of Latrines to eliminate Open Defecation, construction of hand washing facilities as well as promote hygiene behavior change, among others.
