plan 504Community Based Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Gibe and Lemu Districts Ethiopia

Summary

Empowering communities with safe water, hygiene education, sanitation promotion while encouraging school children to become “change makers” for WASH at thier schools and at home.

Background

Ethiopia, home to 46 million people without access to safe water and 66 million without improved sanitation, is one of only four African countries with less than 50% coverage rates for both improved water sources and improved sanitation facilities. In 2012, only 34% of rural Ethiopians had access to an improved water source and only 25% had access to sanitation and hygiene facilities, according to a report by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme. The same report states that 38 million people in Ethiopia practice open defecation.
As a result of poverty and poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions, almost three quarters of health problems in children and communicable disease originates from the environment-unsafe water and poor sanitation. The prevalence of diarrhea is high in this region of Ethiopia and it accounts for 46 per cent of total under-five mortality. Under five mortality rate for rural areas in 2010 was very high - 135 per 1,000 according to WHO. Diarrhea is a leading cause of death for children under five. According to the District Health Survey, over 19% of rural children under 5 years old had diarrhea in the two weeks preceding the survey.
Lack of clean water puts a strain on girls and women, who must fetch water from long distances, sacrificing schooling and hours of time to do so. Because of their vulnerability to opportunistic infections, those infected with HIV/AIDS are at particularly high risk from poor sanitation and unclean water. The low levels of hygiene awareness in the area compound the health risks associated with low water and sanitation coverage levels.

This project will empower communities by increasing their access to safe water supplies and sanitation facilities, WASH training, and capacity building to manage sustainable systems. Lifewater has worked in teh Hadiya Zone with its implementing partner since 2007 on WASH programs.

Location

, Gibe and Lemu Districts, Hadiya Zone, Ethiopia

Attachments

  • ET-HWA-1...
  • IMG_0227...
  • IMG_0006...
  • IMG_1220...
  • IMG_0855...
  • ET-HWA-1...
  • 2 participants | show more

    Governance and maintenance

    Rosemary O'Mahony of 1001 fontaines

    Julie, I am convinced that your initiative will make a big impact on school attendance, especially on the part of girls, as well as on the health of schoolchilden and the wider community

    Julie,

    I am convinced that your initiative will make a big impact on school attendance, especially on the part of girls, as well as on the health of schoolchilden and the wider community

    • Pamela Crane of Lifewater International

      Thank you very much! We are looking forward to the impact in schools and the wider community.

      Thank you very much! We are looking forward to the impact in schools and the wider community.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Market Health Clubs

    Juliet Waterkeyn of Africa AHEAD

    I think this is a very viable project worth supporting as approaching community in conjunction with schools is a very sustainable strategy. I see you are also wanting to put in 25 market demonstration latrines. In our experience public latrines are a disaster unless adequate systems are in place to keep them clean. We have had some great c...

    I think this is a very viable project worth supporting as approaching community in conjunction with schools is a very sustainable strategy. I see you are also wanting to put in 25 market demonstration latrines. In our experience public latrines are a disaster unless adequate systems are in place to keep them clean. We have had some great community participation by starting Market Health Clubs (similar to School/Community health clubs) and with enough weekly meetings over a six month period, the market sellers take real ownership of the latrine facilities and ensure general hygiene of food handling in the markets stalls. Obviously markets stalls can be a major highway of cholera and it is a cost effective and worthwhile way to control public health through food outlets. If you would like to hear more about some of the urban Health Clubs that Zimbabwe AHEAD has been doing in 5 small towns it might be worth while to look on our website www.africaahead.com. For example in 2008, in one of the worst cholera outbreaks in Africa, there was expected to be a real problem in a cholera-prone town with a market place close to the Mozambique border where they were expecting cholera to take hold, but thanks to starting many Community Health Clubs and Market Health Clubs as well as School Health Clubs, cholera was averted. The small addition of MHCs to your proposal could streamline your interface with community and ensure that the communal latrines are properly used and maintained.
    Dr. Juliet Waterkeyn
    Africa AHEAD

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      It is always good to learn about other programs and consider if/how successful strategies can be integrated. Thank you for this input.

      It is always good to learn about other programs and consider if/how successful strategies can be integrated. Thank you for this input.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Latrines

    Carolyn Meub of Pure Water for the World

    This is a very interesting and impressive proposal. I enjoyed reading through it! I found it very interesting that NGO's are not allowed to provide funds or materials for latrines. Have you seen evidence of increased ownership in this type of a situation versus ownership in an area where some financial or material assistance was provided?...

    This is a very interesting and impressive proposal. I enjoyed reading through it! I found it very interesting that NGO's are not allowed to provide funds or materials for latrines. Have you seen evidence of increased ownership in this type of a situation versus ownership in an area where some financial or material assistance was provided?

    With regards to the school latrines- are these gender specific? For the demonstration latrines, I am interested to know where in the community these are placed and who maintains them. Should someone in the village want to know how to proceed with building their own latrine based upon the community latrines, who would they reach out to?
    Thanks!
    Jamin

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Lifewater does not financially support any household latrine construction unless it is for the purpose of a demonstration latrine. As I shared with Helene above, we have see significant evidence of ownership through this method. We have not been able to compare this methodology with other programs in the same region, since the regulation i...

      Lifewater does not financially support any household latrine construction unless it is for the purpose of a demonstration latrine. As I shared with Helene above, we have see significant evidence of ownership through this method. We have not been able to compare this methodology with other programs in the same region, since the regulation is across Ethiopia.

      Each VIP latrine in a school will have 8 doors divided by a wall, out of which 4 latrine stalls will serve girls and 4 will serve boys.

      For the demonstration latrines, the specific location is determined in collaboration by the community, community leaders, Lifewater's local partner, and the health workers. Latrines are placed in rural open parket areas, churches, mosques, village administrative offices, and along paths. The latrines are overseen and maintained by community WASH Committee and volunteer households living nearby the latrine. Community members interested in constructing a latrine can be trained by Lifewater's partner field staff, by local government health workers who have been trained by Lifewater staff, and by other households who have been trained in latrine design and construction. In each Kebele (village) there are a few households who will participate in Lifewater's Latrine Design and Construction course as well as other WASH trainings and they are responsible to assist others in their community. Monthly village-level meetings identify households without latrines and plan together how to increase latrine coverage so that every households has constructed and uses a latrine.

      Please let me know if this makes sense, or if there is any additional clarification we can add.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Capacity building, maintenance, and sustainability

    Katie Chandler of Etta Projects

    Hello! I’ve arrive to the conversation a little late and consequently most of my concerns have been addressed by the rest of the crew. I agree that it seems like an interesting proposal. Your project is a large initiative and predicted to make a profound impact. I appreciate your unique focus on girls groups, and how these topics and p...

    Hello!
    I’ve arrive to the conversation a little late and consequently most of my concerns have been addressed by the rest of the crew. I agree that it seems like an interesting proposal. Your project is a large initiative and predicted to make a profound impact. I appreciate your unique focus on girls groups, and how these topics and participants are dealt with separately (through the formation of girls clubs). I believe this approach will lend to more meaningful results among girls.
    Most of my additional questions are not in attempt to critique your project but rather learn from your efforts. I agree that the budget is a little confusing regarding the number of workshops being offered. I am really interested in how you will train the teachers, the workers at the health clubs and health centers and the community health workers. What does the project have in place as far as incentives to ensure their sustainability in their role? How will the project measure their activities and the effectiveness of their efforts in the communities and the schools? Also, can you please give more details regarding the actual training program (# of workshops, length of program, and content of trainings)? How often do the WASH and girls clubs meet? Are they only facilitated by local actors or are they supported by program staff as well?
    You mentioned that the project will construct new school latrines that supplement the ones already in place. What are the state of the older latrines? Has the school had any success in keeping them clean and functioning? I also am concerned about teacher turnover as well as the sustainability of the WASH club as trained students graduate or lose motivation to attend. What are the incentives for students to be part of the WASH club and for new students to join after the project cycle is over? Also, can you provide models of both the school and demonstration pit latrines? I would also like to learn more about the maintenance of the public latrines.
    Best of luck and I look forward to hearing back from you!

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Katie, in order to be sure not to miss any of your questions, I have posted both the question and my response below: 1. I agree that the budget is a little confusing regarding the number of workshops being offered. Does the updated attached budget help, or is it still unclear? I am happy to provide further clarification if any is needed...

      Katie, in order to be sure not to miss any of your questions, I have posted both the question and my response below:

      1. I agree that the budget is a little confusing regarding the number of workshops being offered. Does the updated attached budget help, or is it still unclear? I am happy to provide further clarification if any is needed.
      2. I am really interested in how you will train the teachers, the workers at the health clubs and health centers and the community health workers. Teachers and community health workers will participate in trainings facilitated by either Lifewater staff or Lifewater’s partner staff, after they have been trained by Lifewater.
      3. What does the project have in place as far as incentives to ensure their sustainability in their role? Sustainability in the roles of teachers and community health workers is extremely important. Incentives for teachers and community health workers, however, come from outside the program. Teachers are nominated by their head teacher to represent their school in attending health trainings and leading the school health club. This is both an honor and a status recognition for teachers, just as many teachers in the US lead various school clubs without being offered ulterior incentives. Because teachers are often transferred by the government to other schools, they are responsible for teaching their fellow teachers what they learn in the training. Community health workers, on the other hand, are government employees which provides the sustainability needed for a successful and impactful program.
      4. How will the project measure their activities and the effectiveness of their efforts in the communities and the schools? Teachers and community health workers regularly report activities and updates, for example number of household latrines and handwashing facilities constructed, to the local partner field staff. Communities and schools are also monitored through site visits by both Lifewater’s partner staff and Lifewater staff. Effectiveness is evaluated through baseline and final evaluations which measure knowledge of hygiene behaviors, sanitation facilities and practice, hand washing facilities, and other water-, sanitation-, and hygiene-related indicators both in schools and in households.
      5. Also, can you please give more details regarding the actual training program (# of workshops, length of program, and content of trainings)? Training for teachers and health workers are generally 10 day workshops. This program involves two community health worker workshop and one teacher workshop. Content is detailed, and Lifewater is working to make our curriculum available for download on our new website which will be coming soon (www.lifewater.org). Generally speaking, the content includes critical knowledge for keeping water safe, creating open defecation free communities, handwashing, how diseases are spread and key blocking methods. The workshops go into detail to prepare participants to be able to teach others this life-saving knowledge.
      6. How often do the WASH and girls clubs meet? School clubs meeting schedules are determined by individual schools and range from twice weekly to once monthly.

      7. Are they only facilitated by local actors or are they supported by program staff as well? School clubs are facilitated by teachers only, with program staff supported through site visits for monitoring and encouraging but not as a leadership role within the club.

      8. You mentioned that the project will construct new school latrines that supplement the ones already in place.
      What are the state of the older latrines? Has the school had any success in keeping them clean and functioning? The state of the older latrines vary from school to school. Unfortunately, some of the older school latrines were constructed poorly and not lined and have thus been determined to be unsafe due to risk of collapse. Other schools’ latrines are functional although inadequate in number.
      I also am concerned about teacher turnover as well as the sustainability of the WASH club as trained students graduate or lose motivation to attend. Please see my response to your question regarding incentives for teachers.
      9. What are the incentives for students to be part of the WASH club and for new students to join after the project cycle is over? The program is led by school teachers, so does not change during the program or after its completion. It would be interesting to research in depth the motivations of students in the WASH clubs. Lifewater does not have this research, however school health clubs are common in many countries and in Lifewater’s experience we have not had any reason for concern over incentives or new students joining. Students seem to enjoy the opportunity to teach other students and people in their community what they are learning. The club hosts skits, songs, competitions, and other creative methods for informing people of health and hygiene. These are both informative and fun.
      10. Also, can you provide models of both the school and demonstration pit latrines? I will upload photos for you to see the school and household latrines.
      11. I would also like to learn more about the maintenance of the public latrines. Please see my response to Jamin’s questions.

      Thank you for the encouragement!

  • 2 participants | show more

    Wonderful Q/A

    Dipti Vaghela of Team Blue

    Dear All, I've learned so much from this Q/A chain! Thank you for the thoughtful questions and detailed replies. Dipti

    Dear All,

    I've learned so much from this Q/A chain! Thank you for the thoughtful questions and detailed replies.

    Dipti

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Thank you Dipti!

      Thank you Dipti!

  • 2 participants | show more

    Impact - Sustainability

    Chris Bessenecker of PCI

    The metrics for impact and sustainability don't really demonstrate either. They are primarily an indications that construction occurred and trainings were conducted. How will you know whether or not your project had any impact and/or achieved your desired results?

    The metrics for impact and sustainability don't really demonstrate either. They are primarily an indications that construction occurred and trainings were conducted. How will you know whether or not your project had any impact and/or achieved your desired results?

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Great question, Chris. Lifewater is still getting used to the Metrics section of PeerWater's platform. The metrics you are referring to are the regular updates we track from communities. You are correct that these measure output rather than achievement of the goal. The program, as Lifewater is involved, is seeking to reduce incidence of di...

      Great question, Chris. Lifewater is still getting used to the Metrics section of PeerWater's platform. The metrics you are referring to are the regular updates we track from communities. You are correct that these measure output rather than achievement of the goal. The program, as Lifewater is involved, is seeking to reduce incidence of diseases related to poor water and sanitation conditions by 50% and reduce barriers to school participation by 70%. Indicators of these objectives are % of children with diarrhea in previous 2 weeks, school enrollment numbers for girls, school absenteeism numbers for girls, % of respondents who practice correct handwashing,% of respondents who practice correct personal hygiene, % of households having correct knowledge of personal hygiene, % of households practicing safe water storage, # of households with improved latrines, and % of households where all members use latrine. These are a few of the indicators which are measured in a program baseline and final evaluation which will indicate the program's impact and achievement of desired results. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Reduction of illness

    Juergen Puetz of PALMYRA

    Increasing sanitation facility for the younger generation and for the public is a good cooncept. While u construct the toilets in 2 schools as 4 scl toilets, what would be the ratio of reduction of illness among the students. Will the public pay small amount for using the toilet for the maintenance of the toilet. Will the loca...

    Increasing sanitation facility for the younger generation and for the public is a good cooncept.

    While u construct the toilets in 2 schools as 4 scl toilets, what would be the ratio of reduction of illness among the students.

    Will the public pay small amount for using the toilet for the maintenance of the toilet.

    Will the local people get employment during construction of latrines.

    Dhanam

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Mr. Puetz, we appreciate your consideration of this program and for your questions. With regards to reduction of illnesses among students, the program objective is to reduce barriers to school participation by 70%. Indicators for this objective include increasing school enrollment for girls by 25%, decreasing school absenteeism for girls ...

      Mr. Puetz, we appreciate your consideration of this program and for your questions.
      With regards to reduction of illnesses among students, the program objective is to reduce barriers to school participation by 70%. Indicators for this objective include increasing school enrollment for girls by 25%, decreasing school absenteeism for girls by 40%, and a 50% decrease in the number of children with diarrhea in the previous 2 weeks (from the survey) from baseline to final survey.

      Regarding payment, the program will train a WASH committee to be in charge of cleaning and maintenance of the latrines. These are school latrines and will not be used by the public.

      Demonstration latrines which are constructed in public places will similarly be managed by community-led committees. The community contributes labor and locally available resources to support construction of these latrines.

      Local masons will be hired for construction of the VIP latrines in schools and will be paid based on standard, appropriate wages for the region.

    • Juergen Puetz of PALMYRA

      Thank You for your response. It is good that the girl child education ratio is also increasing through sanitation activity.

      Thank You for your response. It is good that the girl child education ratio is also increasing through sanitation activity.

  • 2 participants | show more

    Governance and maintenance

    Rosemary O'Mahony of 1001 fontaines

    Apologies for my truncated comment above - I pressed the wrong button. Your responses to Juergen's and Bob's questiona already answered many of the questions that I had. I would just like to understand in more detail the governance model that you implement to ensure that the school latrines are kept clean and well-maintained, so that...

    Apologies for my truncated comment above - I pressed the wrong button. Your responses to Juergen's and Bob's questiona already answered many of the questions that I had. I would just like to understand in more detail the governance model that you implement to ensure that the school latrines are kept clean and well-maintained, so that they do not fall into disuse ? Thank you and best wishes. Rosemary.

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Thank you, Rosemary, for your encouragement and interest. School latrine maintenance and proper use in left in the charge, ultimately, of the school staff and, specifically, with the teacher(s) leading the School Wash Club. We have seen different models at different schools, including the students in the School WASH Club maintaining the la...

      Thank you, Rosemary, for your encouragement and interest. School latrine maintenance and proper use in left in the charge, ultimately, of the school staff and, specifically, with the teacher(s) leading the School Wash Club. We have seen different models at different schools, including the students in the School WASH Club maintaining the latrines, or various classrooms operating on a rotating basis. Lifewater is intentional in training teachers that maintenance of latrines should not be used as a punishment for students, yet we have found in most cases that it is seen as a privilege which the students in the wash club (a voluntary club) take on proudly.

    • Rosemary O'Mahony of 1001 fontaines

      Julie, thank you very much for your response. It seems that you have been able to find some effective and creative ways to manage the cleaning and maintenance issues. I like the idea of the School WASH Clubs, since I imagine that they raise the profile of the importance of WASH and create peer pressure to maintain the latrines.

      Julie, thank you very much for your response. It seems that you have been able to find some effective and creative ways to manage the cleaning and maintenance issues. I like the idea of the School WASH Clubs, since I imagine that they raise the profile of the importance of WASH and create peer pressure to maintain the latrines.

  • 3 participants | show more

    Financial support of households and safe water supply

    Hélène Lefebvre of 1001 fontaines

    Hello, Your proposal is quite interesting, particularly because it is largely based on training and building local capacities. Juergen, Rob and Rosemary have highlighted many significant points already, so I’ll just add a couple of questions. 1 – Constructing demonstration latrines appears like a promising concept when it comes to em...

    Hello,

    Your proposal is quite interesting, particularly because it is largely based on training and building local capacities. Juergen, Rob and Rosemary have highlighted many significant points already, so I’ll just add a couple of questions.

    1 – Constructing demonstration latrines appears like a promising concept when it comes to empower people to building their own individual latrines. I am just concerned about their financial capacity to do so. Do you plan any financial support, to facilitate their purchase of material for instance?
    2 - The proposal mentions a partner organization providing drinking water to the communities. Could you briefly specify what is the intervention planned for safe water access from a technical and economic model perspective?

    Regards,
    Helene

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Helene, thank you, and we are also excited about this strategy due to the success we have had over the past thirty years as we have implemented and refined the quality of our program strategy and building of local capacity. 1- Indeed, this is a effective strategy for empowering people to build their own latrines, which increases the local...

      Helene, thank you, and we are also excited about this strategy due to the success we have had over the past thirty years as we have implemented and refined the quality of our program strategy and building of local capacity.
      1- Indeed, this is a effective strategy for empowering people to build their own latrines, which increases the local knowledge of how to construct latrines and makes the behavior change that much more sustainable. Lifewater does not financially support household latrine construction, and it is actually an Ethiopian government requirement that organizations do not do so. In a previous program in Ethiopia we found that through this strategy of demonstration latrines and sanitation promotion, household latrine coverage increased from 13% to 87% in four years in a region of 675,000 people. In Uganda, we found similar success with an increase in latrine coverage from 59% to 94% in just one year. Given these and other past successes, we are confident in the effectiveness of our strategy.
      2- The water interventions include 1 shallow well, 1 borehole and distribution system, 5 capped springs, 3 maintained/repaired springs, 2 hand pump repairs, and 1 spring capping with a gravity distribution system. These are funded by WaterAid Ethiopia and the community contributes unskilled labor and local resources to support construction.

    • Chris Bessenecker of PCI

      Have you explored the use of CLTS (Community Led Total Sanitation) model? We've used it quite successfully in Ethiopia and Indonesia. It works particularly well in communities where they must carry the entire burden for building and using their own latrines.

      Have you explored the use of CLTS (Community Led Total Sanitation) model? We've used it quite successfully in Ethiopia and Indonesia. It works particularly well in communities where they must carry the entire burden for building and using their own latrines.

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Chris, Yes, Lifewater has used the CLTS model in Ethiopia and are now beginning to use it in Uganda. We have seen a lot of success with the program, and are exploring ways to ensure that the dramatic changes, which often happens quickly, is sustained over the years. If you have any experience with CLTS over the course of several years, I ...

      Chris,
      Yes, Lifewater has used the CLTS model in Ethiopia and are now beginning to use it in Uganda. We have seen a lot of success with the program, and are exploring ways to ensure that the dramatic changes, which often happens quickly, is sustained over the years. If you have any experience with CLTS over the course of several years, I would love to learn about your strategies. In all programs, Lifewater requires communities to "carry the entire burden" as you say, whereby we promote sanitation and show people how to construct latrines, but do not construct or financially support household latrine construction. This certainly helps improve the household ownership and sustainability.

  • 2 participants | show more

    budget, local contributions and maintenance, etc.

    Rob Bell of El Porvenir

    This is quite an interesting proposal on several levels, not the least of which is Ethopia, which I imagine is not an easy environment to work in. I appreciate the concept of model latrines geared towards encouraging people to build their own in the medium term. Some questions: 1. The budget attached in PDF doesn't match the financ...

    This is quite an interesting proposal on several levels, not the least of which is Ethopia, which I imagine is not an easy environment to work in. I appreciate the concept of model latrines geared towards encouraging people to build their own in the medium term.

    Some questions:

    1. The budget attached in PDF doesn't match the financial tab. It leaves me with more questions than answers. For example, in the PDF, a workshop is budgeted at $13,660 - we do many workshops here for around $600-700 usually, for 30 people. Are these workshops much bigger, or what is the concept? I am sure I am missing something here. Also, the funds requested and the co-funding amount do not add to the total cost. You will be short a few thousand - what is the plan to cover this gap?
    2. Although I applaud the concept of encouraging people to build their own latrines, the $0 of community contribution is concerning. If there is no contribution locally from the community and/or local government, where is their motivation to take care of the project into the long term? We find school projects in particular to suffer the most in terms of maintenence needs and many schools, with the change in staff, have trouble keeping up on the maintenance. Have you seen these problems in schools you have worked on? What plans do you have to mitigate this? I notice that your maintenance cost is $0. I don't imagine that is true, but perhaps you mean that the maintenance cost for BPN is $0. Please tell us more about your plans for sustainability of these projects.
    3. What follow-up is planned to ensure a good percentage of the 2,000 households actually build latrines?
    4. The proposal talks about 4 school latrines of 8 doors each. Does that mean 32 units for the children? If there are 3,400 students, that is still more than 100 students per unit. Here the national standard is 1 latrine per 30 students. What is the national standard in Ethopia?
    5. School WASH clubs I've heard has been a successful model in schools (not one seen here in Nicaragua though). What has your experience been with them, what can you share with us? How have they proved successful in your previous projects? What are the keys to success for SWCs?
    6. Have you planned any metrics around how many of the 2,000 households actually build latrines? Have you any metrics around longevity, i.e. after 2 or 5 years, how many are still functioning?

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Rob, thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this program and taking the time to read carefully through it. I will address your questions individually below. 1. I appreciate you bringing up this issue. Since the program began in April 2012, we have been able to see some cost-savings which have allowed us to revise the budget. Unfor...

      Rob, thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this program and taking the time to read carefully through it. I will address your questions individually below.
      1. I appreciate you bringing up this issue. Since the program began in April 2012, we have been able to see some cost-savings which have allowed us to revise the budget. Unfortunately on older version of the budget was attached, hence your confusion. To clarify things, I removed the former budget which had been fully-costed (this was the reason the trainings were budgeted higher than you expected) and have replaced it with a more detailed budget which separates out management from direct program activities. Also, because of a decision to reduce our fund request from PWX, the co-funding amount appeared incorrect and I have changed that as well. Again, thank you for bringing these to our attention and we apologize for the confusion.

      2. While there is no community financial contribution, the community does contribute significantly through providing locally available materials for personal and communal latrine construction, and unskilled labor as well. Between this non-financial gift-in-kind contribution as well as the promotion and training which are incorporated throughout the program, Lifewater has found high levels of community engagement and ownership. Lifewater’s WASH in Schools programs have found similar success in sustainability. In fact, the Ethiopian government noticed the impressive results of Lifewater’s WASH in Schools program and will be replicating it in 54 other schools in one region. One of the reasons we believe the programs are so successful is the full WASH engagement, rather than one-off well drillings or latrine constructions. Communities are immersed with hygiene trainings through a training-of-trainer strategy, meaning that local health workers, government officials, and teachers are all trained to promote hygiene and sanitation in the community. Teachers are equipped to form WASH clubs in their schools which then not only train their fellow students and manage the WASH facilities, but also go into the community to train their families and friends. Through this, Lifewater has found success in its programs. If you are interested in learning more about our training programs, please feel free to email me and we can discuss further.
      3. Lifewater works with local government-appointed community health workers who assist with monitoring community impact. This monitoring is followed up by a final program evaluation and post-program evaluation within 3 years after the program’s completion.
      4. The standard in Ethiopia is 1 latrine per 25 girls and per 50 boys. These latrines are built to be an addition to latrines which are already present in order to bring the school closer to the national standard. Lifewater realizes that in some cases more latrines may be required, however the program has been designed this way based on information from our local partner that the government will be constructing some latrines as well, although the date is not yet known. The reference to 3,400 students is referring to those counted as hygiene, not sanitation, beneficiaries.
      5. We have found our model to be very successful in Cambodia, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Zambia (see my answer to question 2 for more details). Again, please feel free to email me with for a detailed explanation. Unfortunately there is too much information for this forum.
      6. These numbers are based on actual results we've seen in previous programs in Ethiopia. Again, the results will be monitored by local health officials as well as in a final and post-program evaluation.

    • Rob Bell of El Porvenir

      Thanks for your response. 1. Now the numbers add up, that's better. The workshop costs are much less in this one, and seem reasonable - how many people and how many days is the teacher's workshop, for example? 2. In my mind, materials contribution is as good as cash, and I would include an estimate of the value of these materials and ...

      Thanks for your response.

      1. Now the numbers add up, that's better. The workshop costs are much less in this one, and seem reasonable - how many people and how many days is the teacher's workshop, for example?
      2. In my mind, materials contribution is as good as cash, and I would include an estimate of the value of these materials and their transport if LWI had to purchase them. Maybe you don't want to mess with your number here anymore, but for the future. Makes a random reviewer like me think you don't have a community contribution component, which is one of the keys to sustainability. Glad to hear you are building on previous success and using a train-the-trainer model. We also use a train-the-trainer model for our hygiene program.
      4. How many students will be beneficiaries of the sanitation program then?
      6. What is your goal for community built latrines of the 2,000 households? How many do you expect will build them?

      Thanks, Rob

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      1. The WASH training for teachers is 9 days including 1 day of field visits. Participants included 17 teachers, 2 partner staff, and 1 Ethiopian government education officer. 2. We appreciate your input on this, Rob, and it is something Lifewater is moving towards for all of our programs. 4. Lifewater estimates that 1,200 students will ...

      1. The WASH training for teachers is 9 days including 1 day of field visits. Participants included 17 teachers, 2 partner staff, and 1 Ethiopian government education officer.
      2. We appreciate your input on this, Rob, and it is something Lifewater is moving towards for all of our programs.
      4. Lifewater estimates that 1,200 students will benefit from these latrines, based on Ethiopian government standards. In addition to these 1,200 primary beneficiaries, Lifewater estimates that 1,600 students will benefit from the new latrines as secondary beneficiaries who will benefit even though the numbers exceed government ratios.
      6. The goal is that 2,000 households will each construct a latrine in their compound.

    • Rob Bell of El Porvenir

      1. That makes sense now. We do 1.5 day workshops, but we do 5 of them. So if I add all of mine up, the costs come out more similarly. 6. Very ambitious! I look forward to seeing the reports afterwards to see how effective it has been. If it works, then maybe we can convince the government here to look at it as well.

      1. That makes sense now. We do 1.5 day workshops, but we do 5 of them. So if I add all of mine up, the costs come out more similarly.
      6. Very ambitious! I look forward to seeing the reports afterwards to see how effective it has been. If it works, then maybe we can convince the government here to look at it as well.

  • 3 participants | show more

    Funds

    Juergen Puetz of PALMYRA

    Funds Requested is nearer to 25%. What would be the possibility of mobilizing funds for remaining 75% of the project amount

    Funds Requested is nearer to 25%.
    What would be the possibility of mobilizing funds for remaining 75% of the project amount

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Great question, Juergen, and understandable concern. This $22,500 is actually the only remaining amount that Lifewater needs to fully fund the program. We are very hopeful and excited that with these funds, the program will be able to be fully implemented and will bring deep change and improved health to thousands of children, men, and wo...

      Great question, Juergen, and understandable concern. This $22,500 is actually the only remaining amount that Lifewater needs to fully fund the program. We are very hopeful and excited that with these funds, the program will be able to be fully implemented and will bring deep change and improved health to thousands of children, men, and women, in accordance with the program plan.

    • Juergen Puetz of PALMYRA

      Thanks. How do u mobilize the balance amount of 63875? Do u have some other project fund in yr organisation or what are the other sources of funding. Could u pl. explain.

      Thanks.

      How do u mobilize the balance amount of 63875? Do u have some other project fund in yr organisation or what are the other sources of funding. Could u pl. explain.

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Lifewater gets most of its funding from individual donations, but also receives significant funds from foundations, government, churches, businesses, schools, and civic groups.

      Lifewater gets most of its funding from individual donations, but also receives significant funds from foundations, government, churches, businesses, schools, and civic groups.

    • Juergen Puetz of PALMYRA

      oh. good. Thanks, Dhanam

      oh. good. Thanks,

      Dhanam

    • Chris Bessenecker of PCI

      Hi. I'm not sure I understand. It sounds as if this project has already (started in April) begun yet you don't have all the funding needed to complete? How much funding for the $86k project has already been committed? Thanks

      Hi. I'm not sure I understand. It sounds as if this project has already (started in April) begun yet you don't have all the funding needed to complete? How much funding for the $86k project has already been committed? Thanks

    • Julie Smith of Lifewater International

      Hi Chris, Your concern is the same as Juergen Puetz exressed, I believe. This grant would complete the funding needed for the program. This program is close to 75% funded. Lifewater is hopeful that a grant from PeerWater would secure the remaining funds for the program. Thank you for your interest, and I'm happy to answer any further ques...

      Hi Chris,
      Your concern is the same as Juergen Puetz exressed, I believe. This grant would complete the funding needed for the program. This program is close to 75% funded. Lifewater is hopeful that a grant from PeerWater would secure the remaining funds for the program. Thank you for your interest, and I'm happy to answer any further questions you have.
      Julie