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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — RTI International (RTI), a nonprofit research and international development institute, has been selected by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a five-year water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project in Zambia. The USAID Expanding Water and Sanitation Project will support the professionalization of WASH services, increasing private sector engagement in service delivery and improving accountability between citizens, service providers, and policymakers to sustain reliable, high-quality WASH services.
While Zambia has a rich history of WASH governance and a well-defined institutional framework, the performance of water, sanitation, and hygiene services delivery remains weak and not cost effective. Access to water sanitation is especially low with approximately 40% of urban and 25% of rural communities having basic levels of access. However, the Government of the Republic of Zambia has recently expanded the mandate of their commercial utilities to extend to rural WASH services, creating a new window of opportunity to provide inclusive, sustainable, and high-quality WASH services for citizens.
“Together with USAID, we look forward to expanding professionalized, sustainable and inclusive WASH services to targeted districts in Zambia,” said Jennifer Kovolski, Water Services Director for RTI’s International Development Group. “The new project will support the Government of the Republic of Zambia’s vision of strengthening systems and supporting partnerships to deliver and implement WASH services in rural communities, while simultaneously increasing accessibility for people who need them most.”
The objectives of this water, sanitation and hygiene project in Zambia include:
- Institutionalize market-based WASH service delivery, financially sustainable and inclusive management models.
- Increase accountability of WASH service providers, policymakers, and civic leaders.
- Support policy and regulatory reforms.
- Increase private sector participation.
The project will support expanded water service delivery to rural communities through technical assistance and capacity building to three commercial utilities, as well as introducing regulatory reforms to enhance private sector engagement.
Learn more about RTI’s water practice: Water Resources | RTI
About USAID
The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.
