Water, Hygiene & Sanitation (WASH)

During the fiscal year 2020, the SENWASH program facilitated the implementation of sectoral interventions relating to access to water, hygiene promotion, and access to adequate sanitation. 

In collaboration with the World Vision Senegal area programs (APs), various objectives were achieved. Children and adults gained access to drinking water and latrines and have become aware of good hygiene and sanitation practices. Concentrating on the most vulnerable households, the program improved school infrastructure and health posts. 

Communities, municipalities, or households 

At the community level, 16,941 people gained access to drinking water when a water supply network was extended in the Tattaguine AP and a borehole was renovated in the village of Guemédjé in the Saraya AP. In addition to this, 4,198 households 1 received training in awareness and water treatment techniques and skills. 

The construction of a borehole in the village of Missirah Dantila and the renovation of hand pumps for five boreholes in the surrounding villages brought drinking water within reach of the local people there. 

As part of the COVID-19 National Response Plan, preventive actions were taken in partnership with the Ministry of Health to widely disseminate knowledge of protective measures. These interventions contributed to a change in the behavior of the communities, which might explain the relatively low levels of infection during the early stages of the pandemic and in rural areas particularly. The installation of upgraded latrines in the areas of Dialacoto, Kédougou, and Saraya contributed to the improvement of household sanitary conditions. Otherwise, mobilization activities took place in 10 villages (8 villages in the Mbéllacadiao AP and 2 villages in the Niakhar AP), where 69 latrines were built for the benefit of 690 people. This helped not only to safeguard the health of the beneficiaries but also to restore their dignity. The aim of the mobilizations is to change behavior in order to step up the prevention of water-borne and diarrheal diseases in these targeted villages. Ramps giving access to people with reduced mobility were incorporated into the construction of the latrines. 

A total of 36,145 people gained access to adequate sanitation in the community. The Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach also took on the management of different types of household waste. The newly-established CLTS committees will be responsible for making these advances sustainable in every village. Thus, 38 WASH committees were trained or relaunched and trained and equipped with a resource mobilization system for maintenance and repair. 

• 4,229 household handwashing facilities were installed to promote hygiene and good practices in accordance with the implementation of the CLTS approach. 
• 69,080 people are now aware of the importance of good hygiene practices thanks to the messages broadcast through community radio stations. 
• Meanwhile, 45 local artisans and entrepreneurs were trained in the sale of WASH products and the repair, maintenance, and construction of water and sanitation infrastructure. 
• 6 WASH-focused Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) groups and 917 religious leaders participated in hygiene, sanitation, and behavior change programs. 

This work by the CVA groups triggered the mobilization of the mayors, who supported their communities for access to adequate sanitation by each paying towards the cost of 200 latrines for the benefit of the most vulnerable households. 

Schools 

The program provided 1,884 students with access to hygiene and sanitation facilities in 26 schools, of which 4 were equipped with a menstrual hygiene management system. 1,776 students in 12 schools benefited from the availability of a drinking water point (96 taps installed in schools and nine 9 water points renovated) Interventions in schools in Netteboulou, Saraya and Kédougou provided drinking water and improved sanitation facilities. This promotes healthy living for children and their families and helps to improve the conditions for learning and retaining children in school. Following interventions under the COVID-19 National Response Plan, 148 schools have benefited from handwashing systems and 17 schools have set up clubs running WASH activities. 

Staying within schools, Koungheul AP has installed standard toilets in 4 schools, in addition to 5 water points. We have 872 student beneficiaries including 494 girls in schools. 10 taps have also been placed in the 4 schools to facilitate a water supply that meets the required standards. 

Health care institutions 

In the central zone (Fatick, Kaolack, and Kaffrine regions), initiatives based at health facilities have just got underway with the Mabo WASH project. This involves training health personnel at three facilities for eight health workers, ten religious leaders, and the establishment of committees of community actors at target locations. Handwashing facilities were put in place as part of the COVID-19 response in 16 health facilities. 

Best practices and innovations 

One outstanding development is the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Access project, which enabled us to upgrade the latrines using SatoPlan. The latrines previously in the position did not have a fully sealing soil pipe and allowed flies through, meaning that the criteria for End Open-Air Defecation (EOAD) were not 100% met. The new mechanism fitted with a valve ensures that the soil pipe opening remains completely sealed. With SatoPlan a loose cover is no longer required, discouraging flies and odors. This mechanism also facilitates the maintenance of the latrine in the sense that it is very smooth and allows waste to pass easily. Its valve functionality is very practical. 1 8,396 people based on 2 people per household. The other innovation concerns the mobilization of mayors to help the most vulnerable households to have latrines. To be precise, the mayors of five municipalities each contributed a sum of one million CFA francs or $ 1,779.35 for 200 latrines. 

In the second half of the year with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, hand washing became the best practice and everyone learned to wash their hands properly in order to slow the chain of infection. 

In all public places, hand washing facilities of all designs have been distributed in order to make all this possible and frequent. In the same spirit, physical distancing is also being observed. 

The involvement of religious leaders in WASH interventions has been an important factor, especially for behavior change activities. Women’s groups have been trained and equipped to make soap and sanitary towels in communities. 

Behavior change 

Practices such as hand washing and waste management have been adopted as a priority in this unique year of resistance to COVID-19.

As part of the CLTS approach, the behavior change aspect - which is conducted as a participatory process - is one of the most notable strategies in our intervention areas. WASH committees have been established and action plans drawn up in order to ensure the sustainability of interventions in APs. This is evidenced by systematic handwashing habits at critical junctures (leaving the bathroom, before and after eating, etc.).

*Numbers from 2020