TRANSFORM WASH

In rural and peri-urban areas of Ethiopia, up to 32% of households do not have access to a toilet, and among the households that do, between 84% and 96% lack improved toilets that are satisfactorily sanitary [1]. The resulting practice of open defecation can vastly increase the pathways for disease transmission and infections, exposing these families to an increased risk of preventable illnesses or deaths due to diarrheal diseases, one of the leading causes of under-five morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. Through USAID’s TRANSFORM Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) project, led by Population Services International (PSI), SNV is working to change this reality for vulnerable households in Ethiopia.

TRANSFORM WASH aimed to reduce preventable deaths and illnesses due to diarrheal diseases in Ethiopia, particularly among children under five, through the increased use of improved WASH products and services. The project supported the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) and its One WASH National Program (OWNP) by addressing key barriers to the uptake and sustained use of WASH products through the development of an inclusive WASH market.

The project served as a market facilitator, building up demand for improved sanitation among households and developing the capacity of private sector companies on the supply side to meet this new demand. This holistic strategy created an enabling environment for the emergence of a sustainable market for WASH products and services. The project helped sanitation become more affordable, accessible, and appealing to households in Ethiopia by working with market actors to determine the most viable products, prices, market-entry points, and promotions.

TRANSFORM WASH was led by PSI (Population Services International) and included key partners: SNV, Plan International USA, and IRC. SNV led capacity building for sub-national governments and collaborated with the Government of Ethiopia to tailor a support package specific to its needs in WASH and the OWNP. SNV also tested delivery approaches for end-of-value-chain services like fecal sludge management and re-use, and strengthened supply-side financing opportunities by working with finance institutions.

With a total investment of US$ 396,030.87, the following improvements were realised within one year of implementation.

• Five rehabilitated or upgraded water facilities across three drought- and conflict-affected districts in the Amhara region.

• Better water access for 22,700 people: 20,140 people gained access to drinking water, and 2,600 people gained access to small-scale irrigation systems.