Malawi School WASH Project in Lilongwe Peri-Urban Areas SUMMARY 
Water provision in peri-urban areas in Malawi is an enormous challenge, amongst others due to the pressure from rapid urbanisation. The burden of the scarcity of safe water falls especially on women and girls, as they are the ones who are assigned the task of fetching water. Bad sanitation and Open Defecation (OD) cause diseases, and the sanitation situation in schools is dire. This project aims to improve access to sustainable WASH for vulnerable populations in the peri-urban areas of Likuni/Chigwirizano and T.A. Niewa in Lilongwe City, with a special focus on primary schools and surrounding communities. It is implemented by Plan International Netherlands, Plan International Malawi, and Vitens Evides International (VEI) in close collaboration with the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB). It runs from March 2016 until June 2019. Implementation includes infrastructure provision, capacity building and policy influencing. Provision of water in the urban areas of Malawi faces a lot of challenges due to the ever growing demand for water. This is even worse in the peri-urban areas of the major cities as people flock in such areas in search for cheap housing. Due to the competing demand for water, people living in the peri-urban areas are not prioritized for supply. Likewise, the existing water infrastructure in Lilongwe City does not meet the current and future demand of the rising population. 

Malawi loses a lot of economic productivity due to bad sanitation ($57 million) and Open Defecation (OD) ($14 million) and people falling ill from waterborne diseases ($0,3 million). They are absent from school and work and must access healthcare. 

Most of the times, girls and women are tasked to do the household, including fetching water. They thus spend a lot of time looking for water which in most cases is unsafe. Girls miss classes and women are not engaged in income generating activities, increasing inequality between the genders.

With regards to sanitation, the situation is not good in schools. Learner to latrine ratio is very high, in some cases this goes as far as 1:150 against the government standard of 1:60. Learners face a very bad learning environment as most of the latrines are not in good condition and do not offer privacy for girls and do not take care of the needs of the physically challenged. This project combines infrastructure development, capacity building and policy-influencing to address issues relating to WASH in an integrated and comprehensive way. 

Improved water supply 
Improvements to the piped network are combined with the construction of water kiosks. They reduce queuing time for water, enabling more children especially girls to attend classes, and empower women to have ample time to do other economic empowerment activities. To ensure sustainable management the capacity of existing Water User Associations (WUA) is strengthened and new WUAs are established. 

Improved WASH for 1000 pupils in 5 schools in T.A. Njewa area
Improved sanitation infrastructure ensures a hygienic environment at the schools. Latrines are inclusive, also for those with disabilities or girls having their menstruation. Special attention for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) as it is an important reason for absenteeism.

Formation and Capacity Building of Water User Associations and Sanitation related groups
To enhance sustainability and operations of the kiosks, the WUAs are responsible for day to day operations and ensure that all residents in the LIAs have access to water. To enhance collective responsibility, capacity of teachers, learners, school health groups and school management committees is built on sanitation and hygiene issues.

An enabling environment for the improvement of WASH services in peri-urban low income areas of Lilongwe City is promoted
To capitalize and sustain achievements the policy, legislative and regulatory environment of the project is improved. Coordination is established and strengthened between relevant stakeholders involved in service delivery to ensure approaches are harmonised, complimentary and coherent. Various projects are being implemented in Malawi to improve WASH:
 
-	A Water Demand Management (WDM) Project is implemented in Mzuzu, in a PPP arrangement with Plan and Vitens Evides International (VEI), Mzuzu City Council (MCC) and Northern Region Water Board (NRWB). The project aims at mitigating water shortages, and improving sanitation through Urban Community Led Total Sanitation (UCLTS). 
-	Pan African CLTS project by Plan in Lilongwe and Mulanje district. Promotes sanitation and hygiene practices 
-	Peri Urban Sanitation and Hygiene Project by Plan with the EU in Mzuzu. Aims at improving sanitation, hygiene conditions, and waste management.
-	VEI and Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) with funding from EU and European Investment Bank (EIB) implemented a Peri-Urban Water and Sanitation project aimed at improving the technical, financial and managerial efficiency of the Board. LWB seeks VEIs support for a new investment program 2015-2020, aiming to reduce Non Revenue Water (NRW), Promote WDM and improve asset/stores management.
-	Plan Nederland and VEI signed a partnership agreement to be working together in WASH related activities in the developing countries
-	LWB engaged in major rehabilitation and renewal works with funding from the World Bank, EIB and the EU in order to meet the growing demand of water in the city. This end beneficiaries of this project are five Primary Schools in Peri Urban Areas of Lilongwe and their surrounding communities. The 15 water kiosks, serving an average in 3,750 people benefiting. Additionally, at least 10.000 people are being reached in surrounding communities, and will be provided with access to safe water supply through pipe network extension. The actions in the project are as follows:
-	Lilongwe water Board, using its mandate to supply water to the residents of the city of Lilongwe and the surrounding facilitates the construction of installation of pipe networks and 15 water kiosks in the project impact areas. Construction of water kiosks concentrates on Likuni/Chigwirizano area. In total, 15x250=3,750 of people are reached. 
-	Plan Malawi facilitates the construction of socially inclusive latrines in 5 schools within the project impact area. These schools are connected to piped water supply from Lilongwe Water Board. Each school has a hand washing facility that is connected to the potable water supply and also a tap for drinking water. 
-	Plan Malawi in partnership with Lilongwe Water Board and its local partners facilitates the formation of Water User Associations (WUAs) that take care of the management of the water kiosks to ensure sustainability and security of the kiosks. 
-	Water User associations will be trained
-	Plan Malawi builds capacity of the School Management Committees and Parent/teachers associations on the correct usage and maintenance of latrines and water points. 
-	Establish School WASH clubs (SWASH) on keeping the latrines in hygienic conditions at all times. Train students on good SWASH practices.
-	Community Sanitation and Hygiene Campaign will be implemented
-	An MHM Learners’ guide will be developed and piloted.
-	Health Clubs will be formed
-	Community/School awareness raising and obilization 
-	selected teachers will be trained on MHM learners guide
-	Gender and inclusion, and M&E trainings will take place
-	Together with the School Management Committees and Parent/teachers associations a plan is developed on how the money for the payment of the water bills, repairs of the toilets and water points and cleaning materials (including soap) will be financed. 
-	VEI provides technical expertise and guidance on water supply throughout the project duration. Advise good hardware (F) It is envisaged that the WUAs are supplied water from the LWB at a subsidized rate and in turn, the WUAs sell the water to the communities at a cheaper price. The price covers minor maintenance, security and operations. A community fund is pays for water bills and any maintenance that is deemed necessary on the drinking water points and latrines. The District Education Manager is envisaged to make annual contributions to the fund. The Ministry of education is the asset holder of the latrines. 
(I) An enabling environment for the improvement of WASH services is ensured to continue even after the project, targeting stakeholders involved in delivery as well as the government. Capacity of LWB and WUAs is strengthened.
(E) The positioning of the latrines and kiosks is such that they do not harm the groundwater.
(T) Water kiosks and latrines are made of materials that are affordable and easy to replace. Water kiosk operators are trained on maintenance. The WUAs are responsible for the overall management of kiosks even after the project closes, for which they receive training.
(S) This project gives special attention to girls, women, and those with physical disabilities. Women groups, vulnerable groups and children are involved in the decision making and planning of the location for the water kiosks and school latrines. Women are also encouraged to be part of the kiosk management team and recruited as water sellers in various kiosks. The project is in a low-income area of the capital.