Co-Production of Water and Sanitation infrastructure in Mucheke ,Masvingo Zimbabwe

The provision of services in cities requires a hybrid of approaches from communities, local authorities, private sector and non-governmental organisations. Working in isolation for solutions to urban problems has become a daunting task, and has often led to much time wasted pointing fingers at one another. Co-owned approaches and experiences across Zimbabwean cities (such as Harare, Bulawayo, Kadoma and Masvingo to mention just a few), have often provided better solutions to the urban problems of housing.

Through operationalising the Memorandum of Understandings amongst stakeholders a handful of interventions have culminated in solving service delivery challenges in Mucheke and Victoria Ranch in Masvingo. To date, water and sanitation interventions and hostel upgrading have improved the dilapidated situation in the Old hostels of Mambo and Tanaiwa hostels(Mudhadhadha). A total of 45 households at Mambo hostels, and 56 households at Tanaiwa hostels have improved water and sanitation units.

The production of these units was community-led throughout the process as the community beneficiaries were involved during, the designing of plans, procurement of construction materials, and construction of the water and sanitation units. In other words, the communities in these suburbs are not only recipients of the services but they are quite active before, during and after the implementation of the projects. Some are even employed as contract workers providing labour during implementation. On the other, hand both local authorities are providing technical expertise throughout the project life cycle. Partners such as the Alliance of Dialogue on Shelter Trust and the Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation are also key in mobilizing resources both human and financial through savings(Mukando). This model of co-producing has proved to be working and bringing with it results which are improving the general livelihoods and welfare within cities. It’s a model worth exploring. Plates 1 and 2 show pictures of the infrastructure at Mambo hostels before and after.

Plate 1 before co-production of infrastructure at Mambo Hostels, Mucheke

Plate 2 After the co-production of Infrastructure at Mambo Hostels Mucheke