Vietnam – Improving water and sanitation in rural communities through capacity building and community choices

BACKGROUND. The Quang Ngai Province is among the poorest in Vietnam. Its population is highly vulnerable to water-borne infections due to poor sanitation and hygiene practices and water scarcity. THE PROJECT. Since 2006, Plan International, a child-centered humanitarian organization has been implementing a 4-year water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project in 16 communes of this province (total pop 115,000). The project's components include (a) capacity building of project implementers; (b) awareness and education activities to families to make informed choices on the project-supported WASH improvements to be adoand to co-finance the financial contributions of the project; (c) provision of small grants and technical assistance to families willing to make WASH improvements. Project implementers are grassroots organizations such as Women's Unions; government authorities at Provincial, District and Commune levels. RESULTS. (1) The Project has reached 9,475 households who made 11,802 WASH improvements with 10,264 small grants awarded. The number of improvements is larger than the grants, hence a leverage motivated by project. (2) The project stimulated demand for loans from commercial banks in addition to small grants. 9% of the households have taken loans. (3) Awareness of partners and communities on the importance of WASH activities increased through training and capacity building activities. (4) The women's burden of labor has declined due to increased access to WASH facilities. NEXT STEPS. During the next phase of the project (2010-2011), Plan International will consolidate the lessons learnt and link them to the upcoming National Target Program for Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation.