community specs

By A Single Drop Posted on Fri 21 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

What is the average household income? Are there any concessions for the lower income families? work exchange? It sounds like some of the beneficiaries can afford to have more cost intensive tiled bathrooms. Do you know the ratio of people at each income level who have been able to purchase the toilets? Do you find some of the lower income households sharing?

changes or learnings from implmentation

By A Single Drop Posted on Fri 21 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Given that you have already implemented at least 126 latrines, I'd be interested to hear if you have changed any of your strategies in implementation and outreach based on your experience. Marketing strategy that created demand? Community workshops?

changes or learnings from implmentation

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Fri 21 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

1) We're up to 500 latrines installed now. More coming starting in January or so.
2) I'll send you the current sanitation program description.
3) Marketing strategy as per IDE.
4) Of course. Several at each site.

community specs

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Fri 21 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

1) Average household income of 75 typical EMW water scheme beneficiaries (from the EMW CWP Evaluation), ranges from VND 500,000 - 1,000,000 in many areas). So the official poverty criteria is now (about) VND 2,000,000 per HH.
2) No, everybody pays / works.
3) For the water program, every family has to pay for the cost of their house connection, water meter, and dig a specified length of pipeline ditch. No free lunch.
4) No, I don't know.
5) yes, it's common.

subsidies

By El Porvenir Posted on Wed 26 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Rick,

Of course, sanitation is a very worthy project. BPR used to not fund just latrines alone (as far as I know), I think this shows how important the issue is becoming.

These subsidy things are always a tricky business. Personally, I'd love to see a scaled subsidy based on income, but not sure how you would judge income - if it is anything like Nicaragua, there is no way to know from family to family what their income is, and definitely no way to verify it.

I see you answered that you didn't know about the ratio at each income level that could afford to buy the toilet. Any idea about percentage of overall households that are unable to acquire sanitation? (we have to assume that they cannot afford, or that the education hasn't reached them yet).

We fully subsidize costs here, in exchange for the sweat labour. Of course, I am interested to know if families are unable to get sanitation and how they can be reached. Someday, we may change to partial subsidies like yours, but I wonder what strategies can be used to make that work. Any thoughts you have on the matter would be welcome.

By the way, what is a CPC? Is that the commune committee?

Thanks for the other good questions above, clarified some of the other confusions I had.

Thanks,
Rob

subsidies

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Wed 26 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Scaled subsidies are too complicated. People also routinely under-report their monthly income (sort of like tax payers in most western countries), especially when there is a financial incentive to do so. To work well, subsidies must me clear, simple and easily applied. If it's made too complicated, people will be motivated to try to find the tricky ways around it.

CPC is the Commune People's Committee.

subsidies and coverage

By El Porvenir Posted on Wed 26 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Rick,

Oh, I agree with you about scaled subsidies, I wasn't advocating them, sorry if I gave you that impression. I have no idea how we could do it here...

Any figures on the overall coverage in these areas in sanitation? i.e. what percentage of of overall households that are able/unable to acquire sanitation?

Thanks,
Rob

subsidies and coverage

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Wed 26 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Government figures are 60%, but few people would agree.with that seemingly optimistic level.

subsidies and coverage

By El Porvenir Posted on Wed 26 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Rick,

I mean in these communities where you have worked - I am curious how many families cannot afford to pay?

Thanks,
Rob

subsidies and coverage

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Fri 28 Dec 2007, almost 18 years ago

Don't know. As the sanitation program expands, we will have more information on such issues. Right now we are essentially in the startup phase, as we have only been co-financing latrines over the last 6 months or so, and have about 500 already built. We anticipate a major expansion of the sanitation program over this coming year, contingent upon funding availability.
Rick