Sprinting the last mile in Nepal

In September 2019, the Government of Nepal declared the country ‘open defecation free’ (ODF). Leading up to this milestone, the Government of Nepal and other sector partners focused on  the challenging Terai plains – the ‘last mile’ of Nepal’s Sanitation Campaign.

Sprinting the Last Mile: Nepal’s Sanitation Campaign in the Terai documents the key success factors from the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council’s Global Sanitation Fund programme in Nepal, executed by UN-HABITAT, concentrating on the Terai region. By building local campaign coordination bodies, leveraging local finance, and igniting broad-based movements for improving sanitation and hygiene, sanitation coverage in the Terai accelerated from around 13% to near universal coverage in just over four years, according to data from the Government of Nepal. These insights and lessons are relevant for other behaviour change-based sanitation and hygiene campaigns across Asia and beyond.

Also available in French!

New WSSCC resource! EQND Handbook for CLTS Facilitators

The Equality and Non-discrimination (EQND) and Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Handbook provides practical guidance for ensuring that behaviour change interventions leave no one behind.

Drawing on experience from across the sector, this handbook is specifically targeted towards those implementing or supervising CLTS interventions at the community level. Key features include:

• A summary of EQND principles
• Step-by-step guidance on applying these principles during pre-triggering, triggering meetings, and post-triggering follow-up visits
• Annexes with practical tools, templates, and resources.

Two other documents of excellent reference include the Human Rights Principles and Terminology – Equality and Non-Discrimination: Supporting the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation (WSSCC, SNV and UTS) and Guidance and Tips for learning from people who may be most disadvantaged during the programme process (WSSCC) both collated by Sarah House.

As well, check out new resources published by the CLTS Knowledge Hub:

• Nine ideas for Gender Transformative WASH programming.
• Frontiers 10: Equality and non-discrimination (EQND) in sanitation programmes at scale (Part 1 of 2)
• Frontiers 13: Support mechanisms to strengthen equality and non-discrimination (EQND) in rural sanitation (Part 2 of 2).   

SuSanA webinar: The Bill Please: Financing O&M, a Global Perspective on June 7, 2018 (13:00 CEST)

Sanitation for Millions (S4M) programme funded by German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) aims at improving sustainable access to sanitation and the hygiene situation among impoverished and vulnerable populations on a global level. Currently being implemented in Jordan, Pakistan and Uganda, S4M aims at gathering experience and best practices for upscaling und dissemination.

Ensuring sustainable operation and maintenance (O&M) of sanitary facilities in public institutions is one of the core focuses of the S4M programme and poses a serious /difficult challenge until date. For instance increasing vandalism affects the maintenance of sanitary facilities in schools for boys. Sustainable O&M requires planning and budgeting to carry out the necessary tasks. Decisions on who should fund sanitation O&M for public institutions and how, receives far less attention than design and construction activities.

Join us for a webinar on June 7, 2018 at 13:00 hrs (Central European Summer Time/ Berlin Time) with S4M experts in Uganda, Pakistan and Jordan. They will share their experiences with the challenge of sourcing and allocating financial resources to O&M procedures along the whole sanitation chain.

Presenters:
Christian Rieck, GIZ Uganda
Bjoern Lobo Zimprich, GIZ Jordan
Hashim Khan, GIZ Pakistan

Registrations for this webinar is open now.
www.susana.org/en/susana-webinar-the-bill-please

The webinar will take place on Adobe Connect under the following link: seint.adobeconnect.com/seiwebinar/ 

What kind of O&M challenges do you face? Do share with us below.

A discussion between WASH funders and grantees

Innovative strategies, new pathways, and more to learn

By iDE

iDE had the opportunity to participate in a conversation amongst various WASH grantees and funders this past fall. From the power of incentives to output based aid, dive into the discussion—the latest innovations in sanitation marketing and questions that still need exploring. Read lessons learned from designing and implementing results-based WASH programs.

 

WSSCC Releases New Global Sanitation Fund Equality and Non-Discrimination Study

How can WASH programmes leave no one behind, as called for in the Sustaionable Development Goals? WSSCC’s new study, Scoping and Diagnosis of the Global Sanitation Fund’s Approach to Equality and Non-Discrimination, helps answer this question.

The study reveals that many people who may be considered disadvantaged have benefited positively from WSSCC’s Global Sanitation Fund (GSF)-supported programmes, particularly in open defecation free verified areas. In addition, a range of positive outcomes and impacts related to empowerment, safety, convenience, ease of use, self-esteem, health, dignity, an improved environment and income generation were reported by people who may be considered disadvantaged.

Photo Credit: WSSCC

However, the study finds that GSF has not yet systematically integrated EQND throughout the programme cycle. Across all countries, there are people who have either fallen through the net or whose lives have become more difficult after being unduly pressured, or after taking out loans and selling assets to build toilets. More proactive attention is needed throughout the programme cycle to build on current successes and ensure that people are not left behind or harmed through the actions or omissions of supported programmes.

GSF is in the process of putting the study’s recommendations into practice through revised guidelines, minimum standards, practical tools and other mechanisms.

Download the full study, plus a summarized version with GSF reflections, and annexes

Global Sanitation Fund reports improvements in sanitation and hygiene for millions of people

People-centred, nationally-led programmes empower millions to end open defecation, improve sanitation, and increase dignity and safety

Geneva, 28 June 2017 – A new report shows that WSSCC’s Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) has supported governments and thousands of partners across 13 countries, stretching from Cambodia to Senegal, to enable over 15 million people to end open defecation.

 

As the funding arm of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), GSF-supported programmes are contributing to the Council’s vision of universal access to sustainable and equitable sanitation and hygiene across countries throughout south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Focused on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 6.2, GSF focuses on improving sanitation and hygiene in the poorest and most marginalized communities, thereby contributing to associated development goals for education, health, women’s empowerment, climate change and urban development.

The 2016 GSF Progress Report highlights activities and results achieved from the inception of the Fund to the end of the year. Cumulative results to 31 December 2016 include:

• 15.2 million people have been empowered to live in ODF environments, just over the target of 15 million.
• 12.8 million people have gained access to improved toilets, 16% more than the target of 11 million.
• 20 million people have gained access to handwashing facilities, 81% more than the target of 11 million.

Read more or download the report in English or French

Freddy the Fly – an animated video about a community’s journey to ODF status

Meet Freddy, a fly who loves toilet fondue! Find out what happens to him when the village he lives in is triggered into cleaning up their act to become open defecation free (ODF). Please share this video widely and use Freddy to illustrate how behaviour change methods, including Community-Led Total Sanitation, work to help communities become healthier and more productive. And join the ODF movement at wsscc.org!

Understanding ‘slippage’

As sanitation and hygiene programmes mature, the challenge shifts from helping communities achieve open defecation free (ODF) status to sustaining this status. In this context, many programmes are confronted with ‘slippage’ – the return to previous unhygienic behaviours, or the inability of some or all community members to continue to meet all ODF criteria. How should slippage be understood and addressed? A new report – primarily based on experiences from the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF)-supported programme in Madagascar, provides comprehensive insights.

Download the complete paper or read the feature article below.

Eugène de Ligori Rasamoelina, Executive Director of the Malagasy NGO Miarantsoa, triggers commune leaders. Miarantsoa pioneered Follow-up MANDONA, a proven approach for mitigating slippage. Photo: WSSCC/Carolien van der Voorden

Slippage is intricate because it is hinged on the philosophy and complexity of behaviour change. Moreover, the definition of slippage is linked to the definition of ODF in a given country. The more demanding the ODF criteria are, the more slippage one can potentially experience.

Linking WASH to other development sectors – Thematic discussion: 24th October – 12th November 2016

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) Community of Practice on Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries and the Centre of Excellence in Water and Sanitation at Mzuzu University (Malawi) are holding a joint 3-week thematic discussion on linking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to other development sectors. The LinkedIn hosted CoP has over 6,200 members each working in WASH and other related sectors; this thematic discussion will be an opportunity to bring together sector practitioners and researchers to share knowledge, learn from each other, identify best practice and explore how WASH and other development sectors can collaborate in this SDG era.

The thematic discussion will take place on the CoP; with a coordinator moderating the discussions. The discussion will be split into three inter-linked sub-themes and conversation leaders will frame and prompt debates each week on:

• 24 – 30 October – Theme 1: WASH and Nutrition – At a grassroots level, WASH and nutrition are not often combined, what are some examples of successful merging of these themes? What about the health impact and the perceptions and views of communities? If you had one area of WASH and nutrition which makes the biggest impact to focus on, what would it be?

• 31 October – 6 November – Theme 2: WASH and Disability – What are the barriers to accessing WASH people with disabilities in developing countries? Is standard CLTS inclusive?  How can schools in developing countries be more accessible?  What are some examples of successful merging of these two themes?

• 7 – 12 November – Theme 3: Climate Change and WASH –What are some of the local strategies in place to strengthen climate change resiliency and WASH objectives? If an ODF community build a pit latrine by cutting down old growth trees, have we made a positive or negative impact at a community level? Are there more innovative ways looking at not only the environment and human dimensions of these problems? What are some examples of successful merging of these two themes by field practitioners?

Join us for the discussion with some of the following thematic experts:

• Megan Wilson-Jones, Policy Analyst: Health & Hygiene, WaterAid for WASH and Nutrition discussion
• Adam Biran and Sian White, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Mavuto Tembo, Mzuzu University, Malawi

Weekly summaries of discussions will be posted on CoP as well as a synthesis report of overarching findings at the end.

To participate in the discussion, please join here:

WSSCC Community of Practice: www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=1238187

We look forward to some constructive and in-depth discussions!

SuSanA webinar: Anticipating the next wave of eLearning in the WASH sector, Thursday October 6th 2016 at 13:00 BST (London time)

Please join us for a webinar titled ‘Anticipating the next wave of eLearning in the WASH sector’ scheduled for Thursday October 6th 2016 at 13:00 BST (London time).

Overview:
Since 2013, Eawag-Sandec has developed an open-access eLearning series entitled “Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development”. The courses are offered as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the internet platform Coursera and have reached a global audience with around 30,000 learners and 4,000 course completers.

In the first part of this webinar, we would like to share our experiences and discuss opportunities and pitfalls of MOOCs in the WASH sector. Can you massively reach students and practitioners in low- and middle-income countries with MOOCs? To which extent can you replace face-to-face university lectures with a MOOC? The second part will look ahead trying to anticipate the next wave of eLearning in the WASH sector.

Presenters:
– Fabian Suter: Coordinator of the MOOC-series at Sandec-Eawag
– Dr. Christoph Lüthi: Department head of Sandec-Eawag and main lecturer of the MOOC “Planning & Design of Sanitation Systems and Technologies”

Links:
– MOOC series” Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development”: http://www.eawag.ch/mooc
– Trailer of our most recent course “Planning & Design of Sanitation Systems and Technologies “:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgHWg270mPystIe5rVFOvCA

Schedule: The webinar will last approximately 45 minutes including an open discussion with webinar participants. We will also open the session 30 minutes beforehand so you can test your video or microphone and meet other participants.

The webinar is being hosted by Stockholm Environment Institute and the SuSanA secretariat as part of a grant to SEI funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Time:
8:00 New York/Washington DC
13:00 London
14:00 Stockholm
15:00 Nairobi
19:00 Hanoi
23:00 Sydney

Forum link for more info: http://forum.susana.org/component/kunena/146-webinars-and-online-meetings/19160-anticipating-the-next-wave-of-elearning-in-the-wash-sector-thursday-october-6th-2016-at-1300-bst-london-time#19160

To register please follow this link: http://www.susana.org/en/webinar-registration