plan 461Community-Focused WASH Program in Trojes, Honduras

Summary

Providing safe drinking water, hygiene education and sanitation to children and their families living in underserved Trojes, Honduras.

Background

As the second poorest country in Central America, per capita GDP in Honduras is $4,200 USD—ranking 156th in the world—and an estimated 65 percent of the 8.1 million Hondurans live below the poverty line (CIA 2011). In Trojes, only about 1 in 2 individuals have access to clean water and safe sanitation. Trojes is one of Honduras’ poorest regions, accessible only by treacherous, unpaved roads. Known as the “recovered zone” of the district of El Paraíso, this area was once part of the Republic of Nicaragua. The influx of Contra rebels into this area in the 1980s caused many people to flee the region, and it has been left with minimal support from either central or regional governments.
Specifically, PWW seeks to address this lack of clean water, safe sanitation and hygiene knowledge in Trojes that poses a significant health burden to an underserved region. In Trojes, homes are clustered along a few dirt roads or scattered across the landscape and reachable only by footpaths. The mountainous roads are steep and rutted, causing distinct challenges to residents in securing goods or services. Many families have built a rudimentary system of running water, consisting of a rubber hose that delivers water by gravity from a small pond in a spring or a creek at a higher elevation. At the house, the hose usually empties into a barrel or bucket in the yard. Ninety-eight percent of the families do not have a protected water source. Livestock, human waste, other houses and runoff all contribute to the degradation of the water quality in the community. Open defecation is widely practiced.
Access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices save lives and have significant implications for the reduction of poverty. Such access affects primary school enrollment by reducing illnesses that cause children to miss school, improves adult labor productivity, increases economic productivity, and reduces environmental hazards related to polluted water (World Bank Group 2008), as PWW project beneficiaries, local schoolteachers, and health workers have all attested. In developing countries, the most affected populations are those living in extreme poverty, especially those located in rural regions such as Trojes.

This project will improve the lives of the 137 people living in the community of Pedregal. This rural community, located in Trojes, Honduras, relies upon the coffee harvest and farming for their income. There is one school where about 80 children attend. This school will receive a complete WASH program as well.

Location

Trojes, Municipality of El Paraiso, Honduras

Attachments

  • PWX_Budg...

Focus

Primary Focus: Drinking Water - Households
Secondary Focus: Sanitation - Households

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 137

137 community members

School Children Getting Water: 80

80 children under the age of 17

People Getting Sanitation: 137

137 community members

People Getting Other Benefits: 137

137 community members will receive hygiene education, community workshops and de-worming medication

Start Date: 2013-01-07

Completion Date: 2013-04-30

Technology Used:

PWW employs proven, effective and affordable technology to provide a complete WASH package to rural Hondurans. According to the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST), biosand filters are proven to remove up to 98.5 percent of bacteria, 99.9 percent of protozoa, 95 percent of turbidity and 90-95 percent of iron. Additionally, this technology is simple for recipients to use and necessitates minimal maintenance inputs. The added benefit of latrine access reduces the environmental contamination of open defecation and is necessary to stop the transmission of pathogens from feces to humans. And coupled with targeted, effective hygiene education, clients have the tools, understanding and information they need to reduce the burden of waterborne disease.

While bio sand filters will be installed in the homes, PWW will be installing Sawyer filters in the school as part of our pilot project that we are conducting in Honduran schools.

We base our efforts moving forward upon the success and results from our monitoring initiative. During follow-up surveys of previous PWW biosand filter projects, many users noted that the water was an improvement over their previous drinking water, and said their health has improved markedly since the project was implemented. In a recent monitoring report conducted by PWW, 87 percent of households surveyed in one community stated that they felt the biosand filter improved the health of their families. Academic literature underscores the impact of water and sanitation initiatives and reports diahhreal morbidity reduction of up to 83 percent (see Waddington et al. 2009).
PWW’s approach focuses on community engagement and participation, and extensive educational initiatives—two facets we believe significantly strengthen the success of our programming. Community members play an active role in the implementation of PWW projects: all community members work with PWW staff on filter installation and latrine construction, ensuring that they have a complete understanding of how each unit works and how to maintain them to their maximum capacity.
In addition, Community Agents are selected in each community to provide support for community members in overseeing correct use and offer troubleshooting advice. The main objective of this training is to build the local capacity of community members and establish institutional knowledge to support total behavior change in the use of the filter, latrine, and hygiene practices. To achieve this, a curriculum is designed that contains facilitator’s notes and tools. After the training, community agents help to support village-level hygiene and sanitation improvement activities.

This project will be conducted in one phase, however, below are the 8 steps PWW follows:

To effectively implement each project, PWW program objectives are carried out in an eight-step process.

1. Community Selection: This step is necessary to further analyze community need. Communities are selected based on records such as diarrhea prevalence and other water-related illnesses.

2. Census and Introductory Meeting: PWW oversees the collection of demographic data of each household in the selected community. Community leaders attend an introductory meeting where PWW health promoters introduce and explain the PWW service package.

3. Selection and Training for Community Agents: A community agent is a local volunteer who resides in the community where the project is being implemented. During the orientation phase, residents choose community agents who are responsible for visiting homes to check how the filters and latrines are functioning and to troubleshoot problems. The visits take place every week during the first month, and agents then inform PWW staff of the results. The next visits are once a month for a minimum of the next 5 months.

4. Delivery and Installation of Biosand Filters: Biosand filters are distributed to the homes and installed by the project staff with the community agent. During installations, every family receives training on the use and maintenance of the filter. In addition, the head of household receives storage bottles for collecting the clean, filtered water. Project staff visits the homes fifteen days after installation to reinforce that the user understands and is following the parameters established in the use and maintenance of the filter.

5. Community-Wide Orientation and Hygiene and Sanitation Training: The objective of hygiene and sanitation training is to engage community members in playing an active role in maintaining the health and safety of their homes. Workshops include topics such as “Hygiene in the Home” and “The Importance of a Latrine” and focus on understandable, actionable steps community members can take to improve their households’ health and hygiene practices.

6. Anti-Parasite Medication: The project staff returns to the community 15 to 30 days after installation completion with a nurse from the local health center for additional educational training. During this time, all members of the community receive de-worming medicine.

7. Latrine Construction: Latrines are constructed in cooperation with homeowners. Each household digs the latrine pit and provides local inputs such as sand and stone. PWW staff teaches homeowners how to maintain and use their latrines most effectively.

8. Follow-up and Monitoring: Project staff returns to the communities after installation to monitor filter efficacy, latrine use and assess the effectiveness of the education training. There is also another meeting with the community agents to discuss any problems that have occurred during this time and find solutions together. Additionally, upon completion of the program, project staff returns to conduct random surveys that measure the impact of the project and to resolve problems. This monitoring is focused on long-term efficacy and program sustainability. The Mobile Training team returns to communities to provide further education and training as deemed necessary by monitoring results.

Phases:

Community Organization:

PWW is committed to working with rather than for communities when delivering quality water and sanitation services. PWW staff work with community leaders to facilitate logistics. Community agents are selected in each community to be on-site contacts for clients, and homeowners are responsible for assisting with filter and latrine construction so that they see how the technology works should filters or latrines need repairs in the future. These practices ensure greater sustainability, and encourage local responsibility and leadership in improving a community’s health. PWW works with the Center for Affordable Water Technology who provides consulting services to promote the best and most effective clean-water practices.

Pure Water also engages the communities to become involved with latrine building and to provide a small contribution for the filter. This provides ownership which is key in working with communities rather than working for them.

To further engage the community, PWW will be working in the local school providing safe water, hygiene education, teacher training and sanitation to the school children and their teachers.

Government Interaction:

Pure Water works with the local health centers to gather health data and provide updates. The health centers are also involved with the de-worming campaigns.

Ancillary activities:

Other Issues:

Maintenance Revenue:

PWW’s monitoring program is a priority for each completed project. PWW staff returns to communities after installation to monitor filter efficacy, latrine use and maintenance, and assess the effectiveness of the education training. Staff survey participants and collect qualitative and quantitative data to measure impact. A PWW volunteer in Trojes analyzes and synthesizes this data and provides reports to PWW staff in Vermont, Tegucigalpa and Trojes.
To address issues in older projects, PWW facilitates meetings with community agents from each community to discuss any problems that have occurred during this time and find solutions together. This ensures continued community participation and buy-in long after filters are installed and latrines constructed. PWW selects technology for which the majority of replacement parts and materials are available locally. Filter and latrine technology is simple, and repairs are generally straightforward. When a repair is more complicated, community agents are trained to work with homeowners to troubleshoot. With local offices, PWW is available to provide support if necessary and facilitate access to non-local replacement parts.
In addition, a Mobile Training team returns to communities to provide further education and training as deemed necessary by monitoring results. This monitoring is focused on long-term efficacy and program sustainability and is committed to effectively using collected data in order to constantly improve PWW’s program.

Maintenance Cost:

Metrics:

PWW will monitor filter maintenance, safe water storage, latrine installation and maintenance and the practicing of proper hygiene habits ( hand washing, etc,). These assessments will take place 4 times over the course of a year and after that our monitoring program will monitor the community.

Cost: $21,923

See attached budget

Co Funding Amount: $0

Community Contribution Amount: $700

Contribution towards filter and latrine material

Fund Requested: $21,223

Attachments

  • PWX_Budg...
  • 2 participants | show more

    Katie Chandler of Etta Projects

    Hi there, Thanks for the opportunity to read your project. It seems like a well-developed project that has the potential to improve the overall health of the community. I have a couple inquiries to better understand your project design: 1. Are the hygiene and sanitation trainings facilitated by community agents or your staff? How ma...

    Hi there,

    Thanks for the opportunity to read your project. It seems like a well-developed project that has the potential to improve the overall health of the community. I have a couple inquiries to better understand your project design:

    1. Are the hygiene and sanitation trainings facilitated by community agents or your staff? How many training workshops are offered?
    2. Do you have photos or a more detailed description of your latrine model and your hand washing station? Why did you choose to use Sawyer filters in schools and biosand filters in homes?
    3. Does this project have 100% coverage of the village or is only a certain part of the village participating in the project?
    4. Do you monitor parasite levels (via fecal samples) any time after providing families with deworming medicine, or do you only use interviews and observations?
    5. Do the community agents receive stipends? Etta Projects uses the same design but we often find it difficult to motivate community agents to continue with this work after the completion of the project.

    Thanks again!

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      Hello Katie, Thank you for your review. To answer your questions: 1. The hygiene and sanitation trainings are conducted by PWW staff. These 3 trainings cover: Personal Hygiene, Home Hygiene and Environmental Hygiene. There is also the 3 day training for Community Agents which covers the use and maintenance of the filters, water borne...

      Hello Katie,

      Thank you for your review. To answer your questions:

      1. The hygiene and sanitation trainings are conducted by PWW staff. These 3 trainings cover: Personal Hygiene, Home Hygiene and Environmental Hygiene. There is also the 3 day training for Community Agents which covers the use and maintenance of the filters, water borne disease transmission and other hygiene and filter information. In schools, personal hygiene and school hygiene trainings are conducted.

      2. The bio sand filters require more day to day care. The education system in Honduras is very unstable with teacher strikes and other issues. Because of this, there are periods of time where school may not be in session during the school year. This makes the Sawyer filter a better option for schools in Trojes.

      3. Yes, the whole community is participating in this project.
      4. No, we conduct interviews in general relating to any water borne sicknesses. We also work with the local health centers to obtain data.
      5. No, the Community Agents do not receive a stipend. With our monitoring and follow up program, we are going back and supervising their work so we can continue to build their skills and ensure that they are fulfilling their responsibilities.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Metrics and long-term assessment

    Rajesh Shah of Peer Water Exchange

    What community monitoring program do you roll out after one year? In this new feature, we are specifically trying to track several parameters over time. So happy to work with you in designing and implementing this feature. Regards, Rajesh

    What community monitoring program do you roll out after one year?

    In this new feature, we are specifically trying to track several parameters over time. So happy to work with you in designing and implementing this feature.

    Regards,
    Rajesh

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      The monitoring and Mobile Training program that PWW implements is inspired by the tradition of traveling judges and doctors who traveled around to remote regions providing services. Pure Water sends teams of qualified trainers and a water analyst who provide monitoring and follow-up...

      The monitoring and Mobile Training program that PWW implements is inspired by the tradition of traveling judges and doctors who traveled around to remote regions providing services. Pure Water sends teams of qualified trainers and a water analyst who provide monitoring and follow-up. These activities include refresher courses for community agents, training of new community agents, and training and water awareness activities for children and community. This works to ultimately guarantee the sustainability of water and sanitation projects. Through this monitoring program, Pure Water has been able to make improvements on its projects which have created a more impactful and sustainable project.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Latrine

    Rajesh Shah of Peer Water Exchange

    Hi, Can you expand on the latrine? What type is it? The material you purchase for $205 a unit - what does it consist of? What is the sewage system? Water needs? Thanks, Rajesh

    Hi,

    Can you expand on the latrine? What type is it? The material you purchase for $205 a unit - what does it consist of?

    What is the sewage system? Water needs?

    Thanks,
    Rajesh

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      The latrine installed is a single pit, pour flush latrine. The family assists with the building of the latrine and the $205 covers the roof,door, rebar, concrete and toilet. The families contribution is digging the pit, building the walls from adobe, and the latrine maintenance. This is a very rural area with the homes a great distance apa...

      The latrine installed is a single pit, pour flush latrine. The family assists with the building of the latrine and the $205 covers the roof,door, rebar, concrete and toilet. The families contribution is digging the pit, building the walls from adobe, and the latrine maintenance. This is a very rural area with the homes a great distance apart, so there is no sewage system available. A minimal amount of water is necessary to clean the toilet after using.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Water source

    Rajesh Shah of Peer Water Exchange

    Can you please expand the water source and its availability throughout the year? Thanks, Rajesh

    Can you please expand the water source and its availability throughout the year?

    Thanks,
    Rajesh

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      Residents in the communities where PWW works have no access to a community water system and use contaminated water from nearby streams and rivers. Families usually use hoses to bring water from springs to an overflow bucket at their home. However there are usually families and farms in between the spring and homes which contaminates the wa...

      Residents in the communities where PWW works have no access to a community water system and use contaminated water from nearby streams and rivers. Families usually use hoses to bring water from springs to an overflow bucket at their home. However there are usually families and farms in between the spring and homes which contaminates the water. Residents do not treat their water, and open defecation contributes significantly to the contamination of the water resources. The quantity of water is usually not as much of an issue as the quality of water.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Bio-sand filters

    Rajesh Shah of Peer Water Exchange

    Since you have been in the area for a while, have you tried to create a local industry to build the filters? If you look at the ACI and GWWI applications (and the Q&A) their approach in creating local entrepreneurs and reducing costs tremendous...

    Since you have been in the area for a while, have you tried to create a local industry to build the filters?

    If you look at the ACI and GWWI applications (and the Q&A) their approach in creating local entrepreneurs and reducing costs tremendously might be useful

    Regards,
    Rajesh

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      Yes, the bio sand filters were initially built locally in Danli. As our work in Trojes has focused on the more rural area, it is very difficult to bring the concrete filters into the communities. Thus we are using more plastic filters as they are easier to transport especially when homes are usually 45 minutes away from each other. We are ...

      Yes, the bio sand filters were initially built locally in Danli. As our work in Trojes has focused on the more rural area, it is very difficult to bring the concrete filters into the communities. Thus we are using more plastic filters as they are easier to transport especially when homes are usually 45 minutes away from each other. We are working with an organization on a pilot project which is testing the building of filters directly in the communities.

  • 3 participants | show more

    Budget question

    Rajesh Shah of Peer Water Exchange

    Your budget is all is USD. Aren't some of the expenses local? If so, what is the exchange rate you are using? Rajesh

    Your budget is all is USD. Aren't some of the expenses local? If so, what is the exchange rate you are using?

    Rajesh

    • Sameh seif of Together Association for Development and Environment

      The budget is exchanged in USD upon your application request ,but all our expenses in the Egyptian pounds in case that all the needed materials for our system is a local materials. The exchange rate 1$= 5.70 EGP

      The budget is exchanged in USD upon your application request ,but all our expenses in the Egyptian pounds in case that all the needed materials for our system is a local materials.

      The exchange rate 1$= 5.70 EGP

    • Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

      Hello, Some of the expenses are local. The rate used is 18.9 Lempiras =$1USD. Thanks, Jamin

      Hello,

      Some of the expenses are local. The rate used is 18.9 Lempiras =$1USD.

      Thanks,
      Jamin

  • Rating: 6

    review by Blue Planet Network

    PWW has been successful at raising funds and implementing projects. I don't see a real push for doing indepth analysis of their old project to see results, challenges, and adaptations. There should be more learnings and also discussion of alternatives.

    Importing filters instead of starting to build them locally is one idea to be explored. What is the uptake of the sanitation? Is it a model that spreads? Are other communities asking for it based on their observation? Shouldn't new projects be considered after incorporating these thoughts and some inputs based on them?

  • Rating: 4

    review by East Meets West Foundation

    I like this project in that its a straightforward approach, with much of the cost built into benefits for the beneficiaries. However, this looks like a full subsidy approach, where only about 30-32 households receive the benefits. The total project cost per HH is roughly USD 700. In terms of open defecation, this is very hard to demonstrate impact as the numbers are too low to support communitywide change.

    I checked the Q&A section for more answers on M&E to see if there were indicators tied to hygiene behavior change for the 30-32 HH targeted. But this part has not been addressed yet. Overall, I like the simplicity of the approach, but I think the efficiency in terms of cost/HH is not there for me.

  • Rating: 8

    review by Agua Para La Salud (APLS)

    The project appears to cover the basics of components of structures (filters) coupled with hygiene education transferred to the community members and a follow up monitoring and problem solving dynamic. Changing attitudes takes a considerable amount of time. Our experience with Peace Corps Healthy schools project suggests that concentrated 4-.6 year effort with theacher (adult) training finally shows substantial results in higiene attitude change in the children under the care of the teachers. Are the village adults up to this and will the training and monitoring see the village through to a notable change in the village habits?

  • Rating: 8

    review by Etta Projects

  • Not Reviewed

    by Together Association for Development and Environment

Name Status Completion Date Final Cost
Community-Focused WASH Program in Trojes, Honduras completed Apr 2013 21,923