Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)

Root causes

Most developing countries today struggle with a lack of good-quality drinking water. There are no reliable water supply or sewerage systems, and the existing water sources are often fragile and contaminated. Local women and children in many regions spend much of the day carrying water from sources that are miles away. Unsafe water consumption causes many diseases and epidemics that plague entire regions.

The problem is further aggravated by the fact that in developing countries there is usually an insufficient awareness of hygiene and the risks related to the consumption of unsafe water. Improper hygiene and sanitation practices lead to increase of water borne diseases. Lack of management causes low sustainability thus efficiency and effectiveness of WASH interventions is at stake. Tackling diarrheal diseases is the main objective of PIN WASH interventions.

• Poor access and non-sustainability of water facilities

Sustainable access to safe water and improved hygiene and sanitation practices are crucial for achieving social and economic development, improving health and livelihoods. With the IPCC predicting increasing disruption of weather patterns due to climate change, combined with population growth, surface water supplies are becoming less reliable, increasing the pressure on groundwater supplies that require more complex systems of management.

However, concentration on water source provision through infrastructure construction is not a stand-alone solution. If solid and lasting management system is not in place, water sources are likely to become nonfunctional in short time.

Administrative, financial and technical capacity of the water management structures remains to be a challenge. The modality for ensuring adequate financial resources to cover the long-term costs of water schemes has not been sufficiently evaluated, standardized and implemented. The assumption that rural communities should be able to cover all costs is flawed and there is a need for alternative cost-sharing agreements.

• Inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices

There is a lack of awareness and social norms that prevent good hygiene and sanitation practices. In some countries governments adopt country –wide strategies such as Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) to eradicate open defecation. Implementation of such strategies requires involvement and investment into of local administrations and/or CBOs.  KAP surveys conducted by PIN in rural areas reveal that despite of repetitive hygiene and sanitation promotion campaigns provided by various actors, practice of safe and hygienic behavior remains low even though knowledge is often on high level.

Solutions

Above mentioned root causes can be solved by integrated and multi sectoral approach including components of education, health, food security and resilience. Apart from building new sources of drinking water, which goes hand-in-hand with thorough and demonstrative training courses on hygiene we focus on water resource management and sustainability.

As part of its projects, PIN monitors functionality of water sources as well as tests quality of water at the source level.

Worldwide, PIN has been implementing long term integrated WASH programs as well as quick humanitarian relief operations. Our primary beneficiaries are rural communities as well as institutions such as schools or health centers. In Afghanistan through National Solidarity program we have helped hundreds of rural communities with access to drinking water in connection of improving livelihoods. In Ethiopia and Cambodia WASH is a part of larger Resilience and Disaster preparedness programs. In Angola, PIN is a deeply involved in government program that aims at behavioral change in sanitation practices through Community lead total sanitation (CLTS) projects. In Cambodia and DR Congo we integrate WASH into health program, working closely with health institutions in order to reduce water borne diseases. WASH in also a part of large relief operations after earthquakes, floods or droughts. In counties like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Burma we have helped thousands to recover from disasters via provision of drinking water and sanitation services.

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Read more about our WASH projects in selected countries:

AFGHANISTAN

D.R. CONGO

ANGOLA

ETHIOPIA