WATSAN in Partnership with NGOs and Communities of Nepal

Abstract

The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Development Board (The Board) has been implementing WATSAN schemes in Nepal since March 14, 1996 under assistance from World Bank/IDA and DFID. The Board brought fundamental changes in the conventional supply driven approach to promote Demand Driven Community based water supply and sanitation project with cost effective and sustainable services to the rural people of Nepal. Communities are supported to form inclusive local water supply and sanitation user groups that can plan, implement, and operate drinking water and sanitation infrastructure that delivers sustainable health, hygiene and productivity benefits to rural households. Under the Board fund presently 165 NGOs partner together with local communities in 71 districts of Nepal to deliver safe water and sanitation services. The Board has contributed to improve sector institutional performance by grooming service delivery capacity of NGOs, Communities and mainstreaming its successful approaches in to Government mechanism and other sector agencies delivering developmental services in Nepal. Latest contribution of the Board is to support Ministry of Physical Planning and Works in establishing computerized Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and provide information regarding progress in rural water supply and sanitation sector. This will help the government in performance based budget allocation to service delivering agencies. As to Board's own performance various studies shows after project 90 percent hand wash practice in community, 33 percent No Open Defecation schemes and 84–92 percent sustainability of 3-8years old schemes