Pamela Chisanga has been the Country Director for WaterAid Zambia since 2016 and has over 20 years’ experience in the development sector. WaterAid is an international non-for-profit organisation determined to normalise clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene for everyone, everywhere within a generation. Only by tackling these three essentials in ways that last, can people change their lives for good. WaterAid has been operational in Zambia since 1981 and has reached 3 million people. WaterAid Zambia currently operates in Lusaka, Monze, Kazungula, Mwense, Samfya, Sesheke and Mwandi Districts. 

Pamela has served in various management and executive capacities including Country Director of ActionAid Zambia, Executive Director of Children in Need Network, and Vice President of Coalition of African NGOs Working with Children (CONAFE) in Mali. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a Diploma in Project Management.

Pamela highlights the publication Counting Every Drop A Decade in Review: The state of WASH Financing 2010 to 2020 to celebrate World Water Day 2022 under the theme Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible

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Over the past 10 years Zambia has made steady progress and has seen increased access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). The Zambian Government has set clear goals and targets through various policy documents and strategic plans. The country envisions provision of secure access to safe portable water sources and improved sanitation facilities to 100% of the population in both rural and urban areas by 2030.  

Improving access to Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services not only prevent WASH related diseases, it also results in time saved by households that spend significant time accessing WASH services in areas where they are not readily available. This includes time spent fetching water, accessing public toilets or on seeking secluded area for open defecation. This impact is felt more by women and children who are often responsible for the larger share of the care work burden in a household. United Nations Water estimates that improvement in WASH services would result in an additional 1000 hours annually being freed up that could be used for work, study or rest. Therefore, investing in improving WASH culminates into significant savings for countries globally in terms of reduced health care costs that they have to incur if there was poor access to WASH. 

WaterAid Zambia, has been working with the NGO WASH Forum on Budget advocacy for the past 5 years and have developed a Policy Brief on the state of WASH financing. This is in line with our Strategic Objective to support the strengthening of WASH sector institutional and legal frameworks and capacities to deliver quality WASH services for all by 2022. This brief analyses trends and issues around financing for the WASH sector in Zambia covering the last decade, 2010 to 2020 to support advocacy for increased investment in WASH.

Read the publication here