The itinerary

As you can see from the itinerary below, the trip is not only going to be physically exhausting, but looks to be as emotionally and mentally draining as I had expected.

I can only imagine the sights I am going to see.

Day 1 – Monday 13th February 2012

Land at Lusaka Airport during the morning and visit the WaterAid in Zambia office for a briefing. After lunch we will make the three hour trip in 4x4 vehicles to the Monze region where we will check into the hotel (our home for five nights) where we will have further introductions.

Day 2 – Tuesday 14th February 2012

We will depart our hotel at 4.30am and travel to Haboombe village in the Moomba ward to spend a day with the villagers there. This village has not yet had WaterAid’s help and we will go with the women and children to the nearby stream where they collect their water for the day. We will see how the lack of sanitation and clean water affects their daily lives.

Day 3 – Wednesday 15th February 2012

After another early start we will arrive at Mavwali village in the Chipembele ward, this village will be a huge contrast to the one we visited the day before as it has received WaterAid’s help. We will also visit Chiyoobola School to see how the charity’s help has made a difference to the pupils.

Day 4 – Thursday 16th February 2012

During the morning we will head to Batoka, a peri-urban settlement which has its own water utility. Here, we will visit their Water Treatment Works which will be extremely interesting to see and compare to our treatment process in the UK.
In the afternoon we will travel to Silimi, a rural village which is currently being helped by WaterAid. Here, we will help build the village’s latrines and meet some of the villagers.

Day 5 – Friday 17th February 2012

We will visit the urban settlement of Chisekesi and see how the solar powered water supply works and how WaterAid’s work in the area has changed lives.

Day 6 – Saturday 18th February 2012

During the morning we will travel back to the country’s capital Lusaka and check in to our new hotel. In the afternoon we will visit the high density slum, Ngombe, which is yet to receive WaterAid’s help. Here, we will find out about the difficulties a large scale settlement like this brings.

Day 7 – Sunday 19th February 2012

Our final day will be spent de-briefing and collecting our thoughts and ideas before heading back home.

Day 8 – Monday 20th February 2012

We will leave our hotel at 4am and begin the journey home, arriving at Heathrow Monday evening.

Day 9 – Tuesday 21st February 2012

Back to work and the beginning of the next challenge, finding a way to put into words everything I have experienced and witnessed as well as encouraging support for the charity.

Click here for further information about WaterAid in Zambia.