Pilot sanitation programme in Nepal

There is a big gap in the country’s focus between water supply and sanitation. This is evident from the fact that the present population coverage with drinking water has reached two-third where as the coverage with sanitation in terms of access to latrines is only one-fifth. International agencies and donors are working with the government for innovative programmes on hygiene and sanitation (H&S) seeking more public interest and increased participation for better performances. SIDA funded for a participatory hygiene and sanitation pilot project in selected wards of Isworpur Village (in Sarlahi District) and Sankhu Village (in Kavre District) of Nepal in the beginning of 1997 which remained for 18 full months. WHO-Nepal mobilized this fund with the necessary technical supports to the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation (DWSS) implementing this programme. The overall objective of the programme was to test whether hygiene and sanitation behavioural changes could be brought together through the combined educational and social mobilization efforts put within the rural communities more in a participatory approach.