BORDA Zambia scoops second best exhibitor award at ZAWAFE 2019

Strengthening Water & Sanitation Capacity...And an Award

BORDA Zambia scoped the Second Best Exhibitor award during the 8th Zambia Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE) 2019 held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre from 10th to 12th June 2019. This year’s ZAWAFE was held under the theme “The Impact of Sanitation on Water Security: Towards the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals particularly SDG 6”.

The award given to BORDA Zambia came as a result of the information we shared about our work in providing sustainable sanitation solutions and strengthening the capacity of Zambia's water and sanitation sector. Most of these interventions have promoted water security as well as attainment of SDG 6, which was in line with the ZAWAFE 2019 theme.

The event was officially opened by the Honourable Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, Dr, Dennis Wanchinga. During the official opening, the Minister took time to visit exhibition booths to familiarise himself with the organisations that took part in ZAWAFE. His tour included the BORDA Zambia booth, where Project Manager Laura Roig Senge was on hand to receive him and explained BORDA's past and present activities in Zambia. A few highlights:

• BORDA Zambia facilitated the Three Cities Knowledge Exchange (KEx) programme on Onsite Sanitation (OSS) and Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) for the cities of Lusaka in Zambia, Kampala in Uganda and Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. This programme was made possible with support from the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) under its Climate Friendly Sanitation (CFS) Project, Lusaka. This initiative enabled key selected stakeholders from the three cities to collaborate with each other and make informed decisions on OSS and FSM based on shared knowledge of existing approaches, opportunities and challenges in the three cities.
• To build high-quality nationally certified capacity in onsite sanitation and faecal sludge management, BORDA was engaged by Germany-based GFA Consulting as part of the Climate Friendly Sanitation Project to develop a curriculum for faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP) operators and managers. The curriculum has been validated by the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) of Zambia. Once approved, TEVETA-accredited training institutions will be conducting trainings using the new curriculum. Recently, a training of trainers for this curriculum and manual pit emptiers was conducted in Lusaka.
• BORDA has also been involved in developing of the National Code of Practice for Onsite Sanitation (OSS) and Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) undertaken by the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) and the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS). BORDA has also been instrumental in developing the by-laws on onsite sanitation for the city of Lusaka under the Lusaka City Council.
• As a member partner of the Lusaka Water Security Initiative (LuWSi), a multi-stakeholder collaboration system whose objective is to safeguard Lusaka’s water resources, BORDA Zambia has been involved in the consultative process for developing Lusaka's Water Security Action and Investment Plan.

ZAWAFE Participants on BORDA's Work

"We need more of your efforts as 70% of Lusaka is on onsite (pit latrine) sanitation."
– Zamiwe Mbewe

"Interesting technology, would like to know if electricity can be produced from biogas?“
– Tembo Samson

"Very interesting sanitation technologies, extend to the outskirts of the country. Please email the soft copy of 'DEWATS Implemented by BORDA'."
– Bonaventure Haankoma, Kabompo District Town

"I have learnt a lot on DEWATS, BORDA is doing a great job in Zambia (sanitation). I’m kindly requesting if you could email the soft copy of 'DEWATS Implemented by BORDA'.”
– Emely Banda, SNV World Zambia

"We can share a similar idea, which we are trying in Indonesia. Thank you!"
– Ken Ushijima, RIHN, Japan

More about ZAWAFE 2019

Apart from focused sessions and exhibitions, participants had also opportunities to visit different sites. Among them was a Low Cost Pilot Sanitation Project implemented by BORDA and WASAZA in Libuyu Township in Livingstone.

ZAWAFE brought together various experts, institutions and stakeholders from within Zambia, the SADC region and the broader international community who shared knowledge, exchanged ideas, and networked on issues pertaining to water resources management and development, water supply and sanitation. In addition, an operator skills challenge (pit latrine emptying) held during the exhibition showcased the value of the sanitation workers who serve their communities and demonstrated the need for training and skills development in the field.