Is there possibility to have an open defecation free environment? Experience of RWSEP on WASH in rural settings of Amhara region

Rural Water Supply and Environmental Programme RWSEP has been operational in Amhara Region for the last 14 years since 1994. Phase four has been started in July 2007, with the purpose of institutionalized capacity building at all levels to implement and maintain sustainable community managed water supply with Community Development Fund CDF funding, and sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion activities. The programme is working in 14 Woredas/districts and benefiting 2,454,016 people. Training, development and distribution of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene WASH promotional materials is part of capacity building practiced by the programme to implement hygiene and sanitation activities at household level. Training is primarily given to Woreda and Zonal focal persons represented from all WASH sectors and cascaded to the community. Each trained community sanitation promoter constructs his/her own household latrine and these are referred as model households in that Kebele. After constructing his/her own latrine each community sanitation promoter has a responsibility to make change in 50 households in his/her respective “Gottes”/subKebeles. As a result of this, in some programme Kebeles Open Defecation Free Environment ODF has been launched; Ankasha Woreda of Awi Zone which has launched ODF in 27 Kebeles out of 30 rural Kebeles and Farta Woreda of South Gonder Zone which has also launched in 4 rural kebeles are examples of program Woredas,. Moreover almost all programme Woredas have shown tremendous change in hygiene and sanitation performance. Through all these efforts put in place throughout the life of the RWSEP, it is anticipated that the beneficiary communities have gained the necessary knowledge which enables them to bring change in their cultural habits, behaviors, attitudes and practices which, in turn, would help them to have better and healthy lives. Therefore if we can empower and work with community, there is a great possibility to have ODF at Kebele, Woreda, Zonal and Regional level.