Strategic Repositioning of the UNICEF-supported

WASH in Schools Programme in Tajikistan

Greg Keast for UNICEF Tajikistan

2 November 2010

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Executive Summary

The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) situation in Tajikistan is of critical concern. Water supply coverage is low and service levels are deteriorating. Sanitation facilities in households are basic, and many institutions – including schools and hospitals – lack them altogether. Poor water and sanitation services – together with unsafe hygiene practices – are important factors behind Tajikistan’s high levels of diarrhoeal disease and of helminth (worm) infections, which are in turn major impediments to the survival and development of children.

The situation in rural areas is especially worrying: Tajikistan’s official water supply coverage rate of 61 percent is significantly lower than the rates in neighbouring Central Asian countries, and 15 percent lower than the developing country average. Water quality problems inherited from Soviet-era agriculture and industrial practices threaten water sources. And on the horizon is the increasing impact of climate change, which is already affecting water supplies and is likely an underlying cause of the extreme weather events that plague the country.

UNICEF support to WASH in Tajikistan started in 1996 as an emergency relief effort, covering a range of water, sanitation and hygiene activities. Currently, the programme focuses on a package of WASH interventions in schools, including the construction of toilets, support to water supply, water quality monitoring and a software package promoting improved WASH behaviours in and through schools. As lead agency for the WASH Cluster, UNICEF has also provided continuous support for building capacity for disaster preparedness and for coordinating emergency response. The programme has had demonstrable successes in many areas: it has improved water and sanitation facilities in almost 10 percent of the country’s schools, it has developed and implemented a vibrant software package that promotes improved WASH-related practices, it has developed the capacity of children – and especially girls – to be agents for change in their communities, and it has succeeded in advocating for WASH in schools with government and external support partners.

The purpose of this strategy revision is to ensure that UNICEF support in the area of WASH contributes effectively and efficiently towards fulfilling the objectives of the new UNICEF-Government of Tajikistan Country Programme for 2010-2015. The revisions include programme adjustments within the current WASH in schools programme designed to: adapt to the changing programme environment (including diminishing water availability and climate change vulnerability); incorporate lessons learned from programme experience; introduce state-of-the-art approaches based on global best practices; and support efforts to institute equity-based approaches across the country programme. The revised strategy also aspires to expand the use of WASH interventions beyond schools to improve child survival and development in communities.

Specific strategic design adjustments within the WASH in schools programme include:

the development of a new package of hardware options for sanitation in schools;

the definition of national standards for WASH in schools and their application in the UNICEF programme of support;

focused interventions to improve water supplies and water quality in schools;

adjustments in the design of the behavioural change promotional package, with an emphasis on increasing the participation of children, and the institutionalization of the package within the national education system;

provisions to support the national decentralization agenda while maintaining high-quality programme inputs;

promoting water conservation as a climate change adaptation strategy through schools and children; and

increased engagement of government and its external support partners at all levels.

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The revised strategy also envisages a more comprehensive programme of support for community WASH, outlined over two phases. The first phase expands on the existing WASH in schools programme in two specific areas: an accelerated package of support to promote hygiene in communities, and using schools as an entry point for promoting improved household sanitation. The second phase envisages a complete WASH package of support, with the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene activities in UNICEF focus districts, together with upstream support to government partners at all levels in the areas of policy and strategy development and capacity building.

UNICEF has long-term and continuous programmes of support for children in Tajikistan, is a trusted ally of government and has a strong network of partners at all levels. It means that UNICEF is ideally suited to support government efforts to improve water and sanitation services and hygiene practices in schools and communities in the country. And, as one of the largest support agencies in the world for WASH, UNICEF brings the expertise and the resources necessary to effectively backstop efforts at the country level.

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Strategic Repositioning of the UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools

Programme in Tajikistan

1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1

2 THE CURRENT WASH PROGRAMME ...................................................................................................... 1

2.1 PROGRAMMING CONTEXT: WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE IN TAJIKISTAN .......................................................... 1 2.2 THE UNICEF WASH PROGRAMME .................................................................................................................. 2 2.3 KEY LESSONS FOR A NEW STRATEGY ................................................................................................................... 3

3 A REVISED STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR UNICEF WASH IN TAJIKISTAN ............................................... 4

3.1 PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY REVISION................................................................................................................ 4 3.2 WASH IN SCHOOLS ....................................................................................................................................... 4

3.2.1 A New Sanitation Package for Schools ............................................................................................. 4 New Toilet Designs ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Sanitation Standards ...................................................................................................................................... 5

3.2.2 Focused Interventions in Water Supply and Water Quality ............................................................. 6 Water Supply ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Water Quality ................................................................................................................................................ 6

3.2.3 Promotion of Improved WASH Practices in Schools and Communities ............................................ 7 Hygiene, sanitation and safe water handling ................................................................................................. 7 Integration and institutionalisation of life skills package and hygiene education ......................................... 8 Climate change adaptation through children as agents of change ................................................................ 8

3.2.4 Innovation fund for schools in focus districts ................................................................................... 8 3.2.5 Engagement with Government and Partners ................................................................................... 9

Supporting decentralization through capacity building of Khukumats .......................................................... 9 Leveraging models through development banks and other external support agencies ................................ 9 Supporting the development of national standards for WASH in schools ................................................... 10 Engagement with the WASH sector activities .............................................................................................. 10

3.3 COMMUNITY WASH ................................................................................................................................... 10 3.3.1 Phase I: Promotion of Hygiene and Sanitation in Communities through Schools .......................... 11

Expansion of community hygiene promotion activities ............................................................................... 11 Promoting improved household sanitation through the school model ....................................................... 11

3.3.2 Phase II: Comprehensive Programme of Support for Community WASH ....................................... 12

4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT STEPS ............................................................................................... 12

ANNEXES ....................................................................................................................................................... 14

ANNEX 1: PEOPLE CONSULTED, FIELD TRIP ITINERARY AND TRAVEL OBSERVATIONS ........................................................... 14 ANNEX 2: TAJIKISTAN SCHOOL VIP LATRINES: KEY DESIGN CRITERIA ............................................................................... 17 ANNEX 3: NOTES ON DESIGN, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SLOW SAND FILTERS ..................................................... 22 ANNEX 4: STEPS IN SETTING AND MANAGING STANDARDS FOR WASH IN SCHOOLS............................................................ 24 ANNEX 5: KEY RESOURCE DOCUMENTS FOR THE NEW STRATEGY ................................................................................... 25

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1 Introduction In October 2010, UNICEF Tajikistan engaged consultant support to assess the status of the current WASH programme and help develop a new strategic framework to re-position the programme within the changing programming environment. This process included a literature review of programme documentation and global best practices on WASH in Schools, along with an in-country visit including extensive consultation with key programme stakeholders and field visits. See Annex 1 for more information on this consultation process including a listing of people consulted, the in-county itinerary, and field observations. The consultancy distilled a set lessons learned from the current programme, which led in turn to the development of the new strategic framework for UNICEF WASH activities within the current UNICEF Country Programme (2010 – 2015). A summary of the current programme and its context along with key lessons learned are included in Section 2 of this report. Section 3 contains the revised strategic framework, while Section 4 lists a set of recommended next steps for moving forward, with technical guidance notes in Annexes 2 and 3, notes on the WASH in schools standards development process in Annex 4, and recommended references in Annex 5.

2 The Current WASH Programme

2.1 Programming Context: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Tajikistan

The WASH situation in Tajikistan is a cause for concern. Low water and sanitation coverage levels in communities – coupled with unsafe hygiene practices – are resulting in a high incidence in diarrhoeal disease that is the second highest cause of under-five mortality in the country. Official MDG water coverage rates for Tajikistan is 94 percent of people in urban areas and 61 percent in rural areas (WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, 2010). This rural coverage rate is far lower than the rates in neighbouring Central Asian countries, and a full 15 percent lower than the developing country average. Some in-country estimates of coverage put levels well below these figures, and there are indications that service levels are actually dropping, especially when water system reliability is taken into account. Climate change may already be affecting source water supplies, and is a likely underlying cause of the extreme weather events that continue to plague the country (such as the 2009 flooding and mudslides). Water quality problems inherited from Soviet-era agriculture and industrial practices also threaten water sources. Sanitation coverage levels are higher than water (95% urban, 94% rural), but the vast majority of rural households – 85 percent – rely on simple pit latrines. The sanitation and water situation in institutions is also worrisome. The information base on water and sanitation facilities in schools is incomplete, but available data suggests very low coverage levels (one sample survey from 2009 showed that 55 percent of schools had water and only 17 percent had sanitation). The lack of safe and private toilets in schools is a contributing factor to gender disparity in education, especially high drop-out rates for girls in secondary school. Health facilities are also poorly served: for example, in UNICEF’s eight priority districts none of the district hospitals currently have adequate water supplies.

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The effects of these poor coverage levels are evident in the country’s high levels of diarrhoeal disease. According to the latest analysis from The Lancet Child Survival series (Global, regional and national causes of child mortality in 2008, Black et al, 2010), 19.2 percent of under-five mortality is due to diarrhoea just behind pneumonia at 21 percent. This is far higher than the rates in neighbouring countries, higher than global average (15%), about the same as the average for Africa (19%). Water, sanitation and hygiene is also a primary cause of Tajikistan’s high incidence of Helminth (worm) infestation (a 2004 MoH, UNICEF and WFP survey indicated that 63% of children aged 6-11 are infected). Worm infestation is associated with both physical and mental stunting, seriously affecting children’s intellectual development and education success, as well as their health.

2.2 The UNICEF WASH Programme

UNICEF support to WASH in Tajikistan started in 1996 as an emergency relief effort, covering a range of water, sanitation and hygiene activities. As the programme grew it gradually shifted focus towards interventions in schools, both to contribute to education sector goals as well as being an entry point for wider community engagement. The programme has been in its current form since 2002 when a full complement of WASH in Schools activities was designed and launched, including the construction of toilets, support to water supply, water quality monitoring and a software package promoting improved WASH behaviours in and through schools. The UNICEF-supported programme pioneered several methodologies and technologies in Tajikistan. It introduced a pour-flush toilet design for schools that bridged the now unrealistic Soviet-era toilet standards and norms with actual conditions in the country. It developed and introduced a very comprehensive software package that stressed hygiene education in schools, as well as the role of children as agents of change in communities for WASH-related practices. This software package has been especially successful in engaging girls (73% of peer group participants are girls), and promoting their participation in school and community WASH-related activities. And it also introduced participatory water quality monitoring in schools and communities by schoolchildren using the low cost but effective H2S strip test kits. From 2002 until the end of 2009, the WASH in Schools package has been implemented in 380 schools, almost 10 percent of all schools in the country. Informal and formal assessments of the programme (including a comprehensive 2007 evaluation) have been positive. All UNICEF-supported WASH activities are carried out within the framework of the Government of Tajikistan – UNICEF 2010-2015 Country Programme, and are designed to contribute to the overall programme goal of protecting children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation. WASH interventions also contribute to the Country Programme’s focus on reaching the most vulnerable segments of society and of supporting government-led efforts in the areas of budget decentralisation and capacity building at the district level. WASH is part of the Basic Education and Gender Equality component of the Country Programme, contributing to the specific goal of increasing girls’ attendance and completion rates. In support of this goal, the Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) envisages WASH activities both within schools and in communities. In schools, the focus is on creating safe, girl-friendly conditions that will help to keep girls in school, including the construction of safe and private toilets. In communities, WASH activities are designed to help to reduce sickness, which can lead to substantial reductions in absenteeism of girls because they are often kept at home to care for their siblings. WASH activities

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in communities include hygiene promotion through children as agents of change, and – in some cases – support to improved access to water and household sanitation. In addition to the WASH in Schools programme, UNICEF also supports emergency preparedness and response for WASH in Tajikistan. In its position of WASH Cluster lead agency, UNICEF works with partners in programmes to reduce risks and improve preparedness planning. Every year UNICEF also continues to respond directly in emergencies in accordance with the Core Commitments for Children. In 2010, for example, UNICEF constructed the re-settlement water supply system for a mud-slide affected community.

2.3 Key lessons for a new strategy

The below listing details the key lessons learned through the consultation and literature review process. These lessons are the primary input for the revised strategy detailed in the following section. There is a clear need for comprehensive external support for the WASH sector: High incidence of WASH-related disease (including diarrhoea and helminth infections), poor water supply coverage, a need for upgraded sanitation facilities, poor adaptive capacity for climate change, poor service levels in schools and hospitals, and limited internal and external funding and capacity in the sector all point to the need for additional external support for WASH in Tajikistan. School access to water is declining: A mapping analysis of all UNICEF-supported schools conducted in 2008 showed that only 41 percent of schools are “water secure”, a finding backed up by the recent field visits (see Annex 1). Because only schools that met water availability criteria were supported by UNICEF, this is a good illustration of how seriously the decline in water access has been in Tajikistan in recent years, primarily due to aging infrastructure. The pour-flush toilet design is no longer appropriate for many schools: The mapping analysis and the recent field visits both show that less than 40 percent of pour-flush toilets are still in regular use in the UNICEF-supported schools. This is mainly due to declining access to water (a good supply of water is necessary for toilet flushing). In areas where piped systems are no longer functional, some schools have succeeded in instituting alternative arrangements (usually involving school children carrying water to the toilets), but many schools have not managed to sustain these systems. As a result, the pour-flush toilets are no longer in-use and schools have reverted to older pit latrines. There is a need to treat drinking water in schools: Due to the deteriorating piped water supply network, the poor quality of alternative water sources (such as canals), and the increasing difficulty schools have boiling water in sufficient quantities for drinking (due to electricity cuts), it is clear that children are increasingly drinking contaminated water. Alternative methods to treat drinking water in schools are required to prevent this. The promotion of WASH-related behaviour change through the WASH in Schools programme could be further strengthened: The eight-year old package is due for an update. Possible adjustments include the inclusion of global lessons learned and best practices from other countries, a simplification of the peer-to-peer group structure, and mechanisms to retain the interest of older children. Data on the WASH situation in schools is limited: Like in many countries, the actual situation of water and sanitation in schools in Tajikistan is unknown. More work is needed on establishing

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baselines, surveying the actual situation and instituting quality routine monitoring mechanisms for key WASH indicators within the national Education Monitoring Information System (EMIS). There is a continuing need for advocacy for WASH in schools in Tajikistan: Although significant strides have been made in highlighting the importance of WASH in schools amongst government and donor partners, there are indications that schools continue to be built and rehabilitated without upgrades to water and sanitation facilities. New national standards for WASH in schools are needed: New standards based on global guidelines will reinforce advocacy, planning and monitoring for WASH in schools. Community support for WASH in schools exists: Recent examples of PTA and other community contributions towards WASH facilities in schools underline the importance of nurturing such initiatives, especially in the current environment of budget cuts.

3 A Revised Strategic Framework for UNICEF WASH in Tajikistan

3.1 Purpose of the Strategy Revision

The purpose of the strategy revision is to ensure that UNICEF support in the area of WASH contributes effectively and efficiently towards fulfilling the objectives of the UNICEF-Government of Tajikistan Country Programme for 2010-2015. The revised strategy will help the WASH programme to:

respond to a changing programming environment, including diminishing water availability and climate change vulnerability;

incorporate lessons learned from programme experience;

introduce state-of-the-art approaches based on global best practices;

support efforts to institute equity-based approaches across the country programme;

promote effective programme decentralisation through capacity building at the district level;

expand the use of WASH interventions beyond schools to improve child survival and development in communities.

3.2 WASH in Schools

UNICEF support for WASH in Schools aims to increase the number of schools with safe and private

facilities giving more children a chance to learn better, live healthier and becomes of agents of

change. The programme has three distinct, mutually reinforcing components – sanitation, water,

and the promotion of behaviour change – and is underpinned by engagement with government and

other partners to improve the enabling environment.

3.2.1 A New Sanitation Package for Schools

New Toilet Designs

The UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme will shift from a single technological option for

sanitation towards a multi-option package approach. This shift is in response to the lesson learned in

recent years that the pour-flush design is no longer optimal in many situations in Tajikistan primarily

due to poor water availability as well as reasons related to motivation of schools to hand-carry water

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for flushing and cost. The sanitation package for schools will now include three options: one, the

current pour-flush design, two, a new Tajikistan Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) school latrine, and

three, a modified VIP latrine for high water table areas. The pour-flush design will now only be used

in schools with a sufficient and consistent supply of piped water throughout the year. In the short

term, few schools will satisfy this criterion, mostly in urban areas, and thus the VIP option will

become the most common technology in the UNICEF-supported programme. As the water supply

situation improves in the medium term, more schools will be able to use the pour-flush option.

The VIP design was chosen for three reasons: one, it does not require water, two, it is a proven

design used in countries around the world, and three, it is an inherently simple design that can be

constructed at relatively low cost. This third reason is important not only because it will reduce costs

for UNICEF and other financers of school sanitation (including government, development banks and

PTAs), but also because the design is more likely to be replicated by households that want to

upgrade their existing pit latrines (see more on this aspect in Section 3.2.4 below). The central idea

behind the VIP design is that smells and flies are significantly reduced from levels typical in basic pit

latrines. This is accomplished by creating airflow and controlling light to keep smells and flies out of

the latrine compartment. However, to achieve this, the latrines must be properly constructed and

sited in accordance with key design criteria (see Annex 2 for details).

In addition to satisfying VIP design criteria, the school toilets must also satisfy general criteria for

sanitation in schools including child-friendliness, privacy, safety and cultural appropriateness. To

ensure that the new designs meet all criteria, UNICEF will initiate a process together with the

Ministry of Education to develop a Tajikistan-specific design for VIP school latrines. A variety of

stakeholders will participate in this process, including a panel of external experts.

Sanitation Standards

School toilets built with UNICEF support will adhere to new national standards currently under

development in Tajikistan, which are in turn informed by the new global guidelines for WASH in

Schools released in 2009 by WHO and UNICEF (see Section 3.2.5 for more information on this

process). An important part of the new standards is that the toilets will be sized on the basis of the

number of students in schools. The guidelines suggest a standard of one toilet compartment for

every 25 girls, and one compartment for every 50 boys (boys will also have urinals). Given the fiscal

constraints in Tajikistan, the national standards may differ (an interim standard of 40 and 80 for girls

and boys respectively is one possibility). More important than the final student-toilet ratios is that

sanitation facilities will now be sized on the basis of the number of students attending school so that

school children are equally served in both small and large schools (because Tajikistan schools have

multiple shifts, the toilets will actually be sized based on the number students in the largest shift).

The global guidelines also recommend that there should be a separate toilet compartment for

female teachers and staff, and another for male teachers and staff in each school. This improves the

working conditions of teachers, and helps to ensure that toilets designed for the use of children are

actually used by children. The UNICEF-supported programme will now include teachers’ toilet

compartments in each school.

Special toilet compartments for children with disabilities will also be included in the new toilet

designs, including facilities like support handles and ramps. To save costs, these will be combined

with either the teacher or student toilets.

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3.2.2 Focused Interventions in Water Supply and Water Quality

Water Supply

Most schools supported under the UNICEF WASH programme will opt for the VIP latrine and thus

will no longer require water for flushing. However, schools still need water; primarily for

handwashing and drinking (the global guidelines suggest a minimum of five litres per person per day

for all schoolchildren and staff). Some schools – such as boarding schools and schools providing

meals – require substantially more water.

However, consistent water supply in sufficient quantities is a major problem in many schools in

Tajikistan, and this problem is beyond the capacity of the current UNICEF WASH programme to

“solve.” Water problems go beyond schools: they are due to generally poor water availability in

communities due to deteriorating infrastructure as well as source water quality and quantity issues.

To address these problems a more comprehensive water supply programme of support is required

(see Section 3.3 below).

In some cases, school water supply can be partially improved through simple, low-cost in-school

interventions. The UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme will focus on such interventions.

This may involve the repair of pipes, the installation or repair of a shallow well handpump, the

tapping of rainwater as a source, or other actions. Typically, these interventions will cost less than

US$ 1,000 per school, but this limit may be exceeded (to up to $3,000) in cases where this level of

support will make a substantial difference in the water availability in the school.

In the majority of schools where the VIP latrine option is chosen, handwashing stations will be stand-

alone units (based on the current design – steel tanks with taps and soap holders) set-up near the

latrines. These handwashing stations are usually hand-filled from a nearby water source. It is

therefore important to set up a system within the school to keep the stations full of water

throughout the day (usually a responsibility of students). This is a key part of the software

component of the WASH in schools programme relating to both hygiene and to water conservation

(as discussed in Section 3.2.3 below).

Water Quality

In most schools in Tajikistan, water quality is poor. Water from the municipal piped system does not

meet drinking quality standards (mainly due to pressure cuts and deteriorating infrastructure), nor

does water from local sources such as shallow wells and especially surface sources like canals. Most

schools boil some water for drinking, but this is difficult to do regularly and in sufficient quantities

due to electricity supply interruptions.

To ameliorate this problem, the UNICEF WASH programme is helping schools to treat water at point-

of-use using low-cost but effective technologies that do not require electricity. This initiative has

already begun in some schools using locally-produced slow sand filters (also known as biosand

filters). Progress in these schools is being monitored, and UNICEF will modify the design of these

filters and adjust how they are used in schools in accordance with findings. At the same time,

UNICEF is surveying point-of-use (POU) water treatment technologies that are used by other support

agencies in the country, and may introduce other technologies on the basis of this survey (and/or

through a national market survey or competitive bidding process). Two possible technologies used

with success in other countries are low-cost ceramic filters and locally produced chlorine water

purification products.

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The performance of the POU water treatment filters will be monitored by children and teachers

using the low-cost H2S strip vials (a simple but effective test for faecal contamination in water) that

are already in use in schools through the water handling component of the software package (see

below). In some cases, additional tests will be conducted with the support of the Sanitary and

Epidemiological Stations (SES).

3.2.3 Promotion of Improved WASH Practices in Schools and Communities

Hygiene, sanitation and safe water handling

Since it was designed and introduced in 2002, the software package of the UNICEF-supported WASH

in Schools programme has had a great deal of success in motivating and educating children around

key practices and behaviours related to water, sanitation and hygiene. The current package is built

around school child-to-child peer groups that are divided into the seven subject areas shown in the

box. Under the guidance of teachers, children carry out a variety of learning activities related to all

seven components, both in school and in their communities. Activities include a set of start-up

exercises at the beginning of the intervention in

the school, including drawing a school map that

shows water points, toilets and other WASH-

related features. Once the programme is

established, routine and periodic activities

continue to be carried out by children, such as

water testing in both the school and the

community using the H2S strip vials.

After eight years of implementation, the

software package will now be modified by

UNICEF and the Ministry of Education to take

into account changes in the overall programme and of the lessons learned over its eight-year

implementation period. Key changes that will be incorporated into the new package include the

following:

the new toilet designs in the sanitation package for schools (the current software package

focused only on the pour-flush design);

the operation and maintenance of POU water treatment systems in schools;

the need for a robust system for ensuring water is always available in handwashing stations

in the increasing number of schools that do not have running water;

a more simplified peer group structure that allows peer group members to participate in a

broader range of activities;

new structures and methods to make the peer groups as participatory as possible;

a broader range of activities to help make the peer groups as interesting as possible for

older children even after many years of participation.

The package will be re-developed through a process involving consultation with key stakeholders at

the national level along with a thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the current

package. Lessons learned and good practices from other countries will also be incorporated into the

design of the overall package. This includes both new and updated areas of content (e.g. material

from South Asia on menstrual hygiene management) as well as lessons on the delivery of

The Seven Components of the WASH in Schools Software Package

1. Handling of drinking Water 2. Disposal of waste water 3. Disposal of human excreta 4. Disposal of garbage and animal excreta 5. Home sanitation and food hygiene 6. Personal hygiene 7. Community sanitation

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programmes in schools (e.g. lessons from the East Asia Blue Box school hygiene education delivery

mechanism).

Integration and institutionalisation of life skills package and hygiene education

UNICEF and its government partners support a package of life skills education in schools comprised

of several components including the prevention of HIV/AIDS, drug use prevention and other

components. Recently, this programme was given a boost with the announcement by the Ministry of

Education that life skills with be incorporated into the new 12-year education curriculum, with an

increase in formal class time allocation (from the current 8 hours per year to a minimum 24 hours

per year). At the same time, the MoE will endeavour to integrate life skills into the national teacher

training system.

UNICEF will continue to provide support to government for the overall life skills programme. Part of

this effort will include the integration of the hygiene education package into the overall life skills

package, thereby institutionalising hygiene education into both the education curriculum and the

teacher training syllabus.

Climate change adaptation through children as agents of change

Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A recent report rated Tajikistan as

the most vulnerable country in the entire CEE/CIS region, with the second lowest adaptive capacity

(Climate Change and Poverty in Tajikistan, Oxfam, 2010). As in other countries, a significant part of

the impact of climate change is linked to water resources, and how these resources are managed is a

key component of a national adaptation strategy.

The UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme can make contributions towards increasing

adaptive capacity for climate change through its engagement and support with children as agents of

change. Two specific types of activities are envisaged, both related to the management of water. The

first is the promotion of improved water conservation practices. In Tajikistan, water conservation is

poor at the both the macro and micro level: examples range from the huge volumes of water lost

through the Soviet-era open irrigation system, to water wastage through lack of care at the

consumer and institutional level (such as not repairing or even shutting off faucets). Children can be

engaged to promote behaviour change in this area through practical activities and education of their

peers and community. The second and related activity is the promotion of alternative water sources

in schools and communities, such as rainwater harvesting, as an adaptive measure.

Children – especially older children – are ideal change agents for environmental change. Many

children are highly interested in environmental issues and make natural activists for change. The

UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme will explore mechanisms for encouraging this, such

as through formation of environment clubs in schools.

3.2.4 Innovation fund for schools in focus districts

UNICEF will explore with its national and district partners the idea of extending support to schools

beyond the current package in focus districts. This is intended to leverage the (relatively modest)

budgets of the programme by seeding local initiatives related to WASH, while at the same time

supporting ongoing government initiative to decentralise responsibility and budgets to schools

themselves (some funding is now routed through school bank accounts controlled by headmasters,

and schools have an increased ability to raise funds from the community).

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While the details of how the fund will work need to be defined, several scenarios are envisaged. In

one, khukumats and/or district education authorities along with UNICEF would administer a

competition for schools based on submitted proposals. For example, a district school that is not

directly supported by the programme wishes to construct a new toilet by receiving seed funds from

the innovation fund and raising the balance through the PTA (while receiving technical support from

the district authorities for the construction of a toilet based on programme standards and designs).

Another scenario is the innovation fund being used in programme schools to help finance initiatives

put forward by students in environment clubs or peer groups. For example, if an environment club is

interested in constructing a rainwater harvesting structure in a school, a modest contribution for the

fund could support it.

3.2.5 Engagement with Government and Partners

Supporting decentralization through capacity building of Khukumats

The WASH in Schools programme is managed and implemented by government with the

participation and support of UNICEF. A key programme management mechanism is the WASH

Working Group within the Ministry of Education (with participation from the Ministry of Health). The

Working Group will continue to play a central role in the continuing programme. UNICEF also works

closely with district education departments and with khukumats, with the current 2010-2015 UNICEF

Country Programme envisaging an even greater decentralisation of programme management

responsibility to district authorities.

The revised WASH in Schools strategy includes provisions for support to khukumats to move the

decentralisation agenda forward while maintaining high quality programme inputs. This support will

include technical support to khukumat construction units, primarily through the posting of a

technical consultant to the district for on-the-job support and technical supervision. A key part of

this support will be related to the new VIP school latrines: ensuring that construction of the latrines

by local contractors under the supervision of khukumats conforms to the designs and to general

construction standards. Such support will not only ensure the quality of programme inputs, it will

also help khukumats to provide technical support to schools not directly covered by the UNICEF-

supported programme, including schools building their own toilets and schools supported by other

partners.

Leveraging models through development banks and other external support agencies

In eight years of work, the UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme has reached about ten

percent of schools in the country. This is an important contribution, but also an illustration of the

fact that UNICEF cannot do it alone: larger external support agencies and the Government of

Tajikistan itself must also embrace and internalize WASH in Schools principals to ensure maximum

and lasting benefit for children.

UNICEF has already had success in this area. It has successfully engaged with several major donors to

help ensure that major education facility construction and rehabilitation projects include WASH

inputs and use proven, nationally-acceptable designs. As a result of this engagement the

World Bank-financed Education for All Fast-track Initiative (EFA FTI) includes a formal provision for

the construction of toilets in supported schools based on the UNICEF-Government design. Similar

efforts are being carried out with other existing and potential important donors such as the German

Development Bank (KfW) and the Government of China.

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To build on this success, there is a need for continued engagement with large donors, and with

Ministry of Education departments and officials responsible for managing the programmes. This

includes continuing work with existing partners such as the World Bank to help ensure that

principals are applied in the field, as well as engagement with new funding partners for the

education sector in Tajikistan. Part of these efforts will be to ensure that all support agencies use

national standards for WASH in Schools to design and implement activities (see below).

Supporting the development of national standards for WASH in schools

In many countries, national standards for WASH in Schools are out of date and/or incomplete and

thus fail to ensure that school children are adequately served through a complete water, sanitation

and hygiene education package in schools. This is being addressed at the global level by UNICEF and

other agencies through the publication of a set of guidelines for WASH in schools standards (Water,

Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings, WHO/UNICEF, 2009) and a series

of linked global campaigns and programmes of support at country level.

With UNICEF support, the Tajikistan Ministry of Education (through the WASH Working Group) has

already made significant strides in this area. The global guidelines have been reviewed and

discussed, and a new draft set of national standards for WASH in schools has recently been drafted.

UNICEF will continue to work with the WASH Working Group and other stakeholders to finalize the

national standards. This process will be carried out at the national, regional, district and school levels

guided by the Global Guideline’s recommendations on multi-level engagement for setting and

managing standards (see Annex 4). Once finalized, UNICEF will support efforts to disseminate the

national standards to government stakeholders and external support agencies, and to encourage

compliance with standards by all.

Engagement with the WASH sector activities

WASH in Schools programming does not exist in a vacuum; it is part of the overall WASH sector

agenda including WASH initiatives in other institutional settings (such as hospitals) and WASH in

communities. As such, it is important for the UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme to

continue to engage with the sector as a whole.

One area of engagement is with the ongoing WASH sector reform programme that involves several

government ministries and a number of external support agencies (with financing from the Swiss

Development Corporation). Related to this are efforts to improve sector coordination. Also

important is engagement with government and externally funded water supply projects, especially

in focus districts.

3.3 Community WASH

As discussed in Section 2, there is a clear need for support for the WASH sector in Tajikistan. Water supply coverage levels are low and possibly getting lower, especially in rural areas. Water resources are affected by both anthropomorphic and natural sources of contamination, and climate change threatens the reliability of existing supplies. Most households have sanitation facilities in Tajikistan, but they are at a very basic level. Diarrhoea prevalence rates are high, and diarrhoea disease contributes to over 19 percent of under-five child mortality, second only to pneumonia (a much higher level than the developing country average). UNICEF is ideally suited to support government efforts to improve water and sanitation services – and hygiene practices – in rural communities in Tajikistan. With its long-term and continuous

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programmes of support for children in the country, UNICEF is a trusted ally of government and has a strong network of partners at all levels in the country. Since 1996 UNICEF has provided specific support for the WASH sector in emergencies, in schools and – at various times – in communities. As one of the largest support agencies in the world for WASH, UNICEF brings a wealth of expertise to the table and the resources to effectively backstop country programmes. Subject to adequate funding and to approval by Government, UNICEF will embark on a community WASH programme of support in Tajikistan. This WASH programme will be developed together with relevant national ministries and other partners, and will have the objective of contributing to the overall objectives of the UNICEF-Government Country Programme for children. The programme will be rolled out in two phases. An initial phase will expand on the existing WASH in Schools in programme in a limited number of strategic areas. The second phase will see the development and launch of a more comprehensive community WASH programme, with the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene activities in UNICEF focus districts together with “upstream” support to government partners at all levels in the areas of policy and strategy development and capacity building.

3.3.1 Phase I: Promotion of Hygiene and Sanitation in Communities through Schools

Expansion of community hygiene promotion activities

The existing UNICEF-supported WASH in Schools programme includes components designed to help

children act as agents of change within their families and communities for improved WASH

practices. Training materials includes information on the promotion of improved WASH practices in

communities, with an emphasis on environmental sanitation. Peer group members are encouraged

to participate in a variety of activities, including community sanitation days and WASH KAP surveys

of communities.

Phase I of the UNICEF-supported WASH programme will build on this in a number of ways. The re-

design of the software package for schools (described in Section 3.2.3) will include adjustments in

how children are trained and supported as agents of change in their communities, and messages will

be modified to focus on key behaviours. At the same time, a new parallel community hygiene

promotion programme will be developed to promote key hygiene behaviour through other means,

including existing community-level structures, the health network and media campaigns. Both the

child-to-community and community-based hygiene programmes will be designed in such a way as to

be mutually reinforcing.

Promoting improved household sanitation through the school model

The existing WASH in Schools software package also includes activities designed to encourage

household to build their own pour-flush toilets, with the school toilet as model. However, success in

this area has been limited, especially in recent years with entrenched poverty levels and lack of

access to reliable water sources.

This component of WASH through schools programming will be re-launched, with promotional

activities now modeled on the new VIP school latrine design. As with the previous component, the

programme will carry out parallel and complimentary activities in both the school and the

community. Through promotional activities, households will be encouraged to adopt some aspects

of the VIP design to improve existing latrines in households or build new VIP latrines. UNICEF will

support the development of a low-cost household VIP design, and will build on capacity building

efforts of district khukumats for increasing the level of technical support at the community level.

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3.3.2 Phase II: Comprehensive Programme of Support for Community WASH

In the longer term, UNICEF will develop and launch a comprehensive community WASH programme of support with partners. This programme will include a full range of support activities at the upstream and implementation levels, and will involve partners from both civil society and a range of government ministries and departments. It will build on, and complement, the ongoing WASH in Schools programme and the activities of the Phase I activities described above. The timeline for the introduction of this comprehensive programme will be determined by preparatory work with partners and the mobilization of staff and funds within UNICEF. However, the intention is to launch it in the second half of the current Country Programme (2010 – 2015), after the UNICEF-Government Mid-Term Review (MTR).

4 Recommendations for Next Steps The majority of these recommendations are for the implementation of the new strategy for the

WASH in Schools Programme, and are intended to be carried out in the short term (2010-2011).

Longer term recommendations for the comprehensive community WASH programme are included

at the end of the list.

Raise funds: Accelerate fund-raising efforts for WASH in Schools using all available options, including

both integrated proposals for the education programme and WASH-specific proposals. Consider

accessing UNICEF global thematic funding for education and WASH. Use the strategic framework as

an input for developing proposals. Target: $US 500,000 for 2011; $US 750,000 for 2012.

Increase UNICEF staffing for WASH in Schools programming: Through an additional national staff

member and/or consultancies. Requirements include: managerial support for programme

management, technical support for sanitation package design, technical support at district level for

khukumat capacity building, technical support for the re-development of the software package.

Build staff and partner capacity for WASH in Schools: Possibilities include: participation in other

regional UNICEF WASH Net meetings (there is no WASH Net in CEE/CIS); taking full advantage of

existing distance learning possibilities offered through the WASH in Schools advisor in NYHQ;

participation in UNICEF India’s WASH International Learning Exchange (ILE) programme; and focused

study tours (e.g. water filter manufacturing in Cambodia).

Increase technical support and supervision at district level: Fund a technical support consultant to

be posted in focus districts to work with khukumat construction units.

Develop a new Tajikistan school VIP design: Continue to work with the UNICEF on-call engineer to

produce preliminary design options, open a wider consultation process led by the WASH Working

Group (and involving key stakeholders, including field representatives such as school headmasters),

produce final designs, submit final design to international panel (M. Sahin and G. Keast) for

appraisal. As part of the same process, also produce a high water table design. See annexes 2 and 5

for guidance and references.

Develop and implement new national WASH in Schools standard: Finalise process of developing

new national standards and apply these standards in UNICEF-supported schools (including students

per compartment standards and toilet compartments for teachers and disable children). Continue to

use global guidelines to guide this process (see Annex 4). Consider the possibility of including an

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interim standard of children per toilet to reduce the “jump” from the current average of about 80:1

(Wurzel evaluation) and the global guidelines of 25:1 for girls and 50:1 for boys.

Refine the slow sand point-of-use water filter design: Base on monitoring results of filters already

installed and on guidance notes in Annex 3.

Consider alterative point-of use options: Based on a survey of technologies in use by partners and

global experiences (see Section 3.2.2).

Calculate a new cost-per student figure for the school package: Including separate calculations for

the pour-flush toilet, the VIP latrine and the high water table latrine. Build in increased flexibility for

water supply options (up to $3,000/school from the current $1,000 level).

Re-design the hygiene promotion software package: In accordance with Section 3.2.3, with the help

of dedicated consultant support. Re-design to include the integration of life skills package, the

inclusion of climate change adaptation components and the promotion of environment clubs. The

process should involve a review of key lessons learned from other WASH in Schools programmes

(including a review of experiences from South Asia on menstrual hygiene management and from

East Asia on the “Blue Box” school hygiene education delivery mechanism). See Annex 5 for

additional references.

Launch the innovation fund in one focus district: In consultation with government partners. Target:

2011. Review experiences and adjustment for expansion to other districts.

Establish a baseline in focus districts: Conduct a survey of key indicators for WASH in Schools in

focus districts to ensure that progress can be measured and impact can be assessed. See EAPRO

WASH in Schools Monitoring Package for guidance on indicators and questions (reference in Annex

5).

Work with the WASH Working Group to ensure that the national EMIS adequately covers WASH in

Schools: See the EAPRO Monitoring Package for guidance on indicators and questions (Annex 5).

Use existing and new data to build evidence base for WASH in Schools: Possibilities include EMIS

data and the WASH-related data from the WB-funded national census to find possible correlations

between UNICEF-supported activities since 2008 with indicators such as enrolment and retention

rates, absenteeism rates, helminth rates, etc. Use findings for fund raising.

Develop detailed programme design for the comprehensive community WASH programme with

partners: Including both the first and second phases outlined in the strategic framework (to

complete in time for the MTR).

Raise funds for the comprehensive community WASH programme: Using the new programme

design. Targets: $1 million/year for Phase I activities (2012-2013), $2 million/year for Phase II (2013-

2015).

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Annexes

Annex 1: People Consulted, Field Trip Itinerary and Travel Observations

People Met

Students, teachers and headmasters in schools in four districts (Bokhtar, Pyanj, B. Gafurov and

Konibodom)

Khukumat and District Education Department staff in four districts

Jololov Saidmoukhtor, Chief of Regional Education Department, Sughd Oblast

Members of WASH Working Group in the Ministry of Education (Mirzoeyv, Abdurakhmanova,

Shomudinov)

Partners:

o SCF: Gulchehra Boboeva, Health Programme manager

o Oxfam: Ghazi Al Kelani, Project Manager, Tajikistan Water Supply and Sanitation Project

o UNDP: Nargizakhon Usmanova, Programme Associate

o OSCE: Alex Oprunenco, International Programs Director (Expert-Grup)

o EC: Zulfia Davlatbekova, Project Manager

o World Bank: Saodat K. Bazarova, Human Development Operations Officer

o USAID: Malika Makhkambaeva, Project Management Specialist for Health and Education

o USAID: Duane Beard, Chief of Party, Tajikistan Safe Drinking Water Project

UNICEF:

o Hongwei Gao, Representative

o Arthur van Diesen, Deputy Representative

o Takaho Fukami, Chief, Education

o Nargis Artushevskaya, WASH Project Officer

o Ayadil Saparbekov, Chief, Health and Nutrition

o Farhod Khamidov, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer

o Latipov Rahmatullo, On-call Engineer

o other UNICEF Tajikistan staff

o Murat Sahin, Advisor, WASH in Schools, UNICEF New York

Field Trip Itinerary

5 – 6 October, 2010: Khatlon Region, Bokhtar, Pyanj and Kolkhozabad districts

7 – 8 October, 2010: Sughd Region; B. Gafurov and Kanibodom districts

(total of 22 schools visited, 15 programme schools and 7 non-programme schools)

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Field Trip Observations

Sanitation: Most UNICEF-built pour-flush school toilets are no longer in use. Our finding during the mission (36% of PF toilets functional) matches the findings of the 2008 mapping analysis (31% functional). It is also likely that even some of the PF toilets that are still functional see only light use (1st pit not filled even after 7 years). The two key reasons for this in order of importance are: lack of water and low levels of motivation (for finding ways to carry water to the toilets). The quality of the construction is generally good, and is not a factor in the failure of the toilets. Water for handwashing: Fewer than half of project schools (46%) had water readily available for handwashing (or toilet flushing) at the time of visit. This also roughly matches reported water security during the mapping survey (41% of schools). This finding illustrates the precipitous decline in the Tajikistan domestic water network: all project schools originally satisfied the criterion of having a functional, reliable water supply source. Water for drinking: Most project schools report boiling water for drinking as per government regulations, some still rely on piped water systems that are assumed safe (and sometimes tested), and in new focus districts UNICEF-supported schools are using the new slow sand filters. It is likely, however, that water is sometimes/often not boiled in sufficient quantities due to intermittent electricity supply, and there is ample evidence from observation and informants that children (and adults) routinely drink unsafe water. Hygiene education and WASH-related promotional activities in schools: All but one of the project schools visited had active peer groups (usually seven separate groups covering distinct subject areas like personal hygiene, excreta management, etc.), and hygiene corners. The peer groups carry out various activities including water source testing using H2S strips. All schools had participated in UNICEF-sponsored training programmes and some had participated in GHD-related events. In three schools, focus group discussions were held with the personal hygiene peer groups. In each case, group members mentioned HWWS at critical times unprompted, and when asked identified the practice as one of the most important messages they transmit (in some countries, the critical HWWS message can sometimes be buried within the plethora of less important messages like hair combing and neat clothes). Of course, knowledge of HWWS does not mean it is practiced. Other observations from field work:

there is evidence that schools are still being built/rehabilitated by government and other donors, without provision for adequate sanitation and water

it appears that new, local construction companies are not adequately following latrine designs: if local companies continue to be used, significantly more technical supervision (and support) will be required

toilets are being built by parents/PTAs in a few schools. This - coupled with the new decentralisation of authority and funds (bank accounts) to schools – represents an opportunity

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Schools visited 22 total 15 project schools, 7 non-project schools

Project schools with functioning pour-flush toilets at time of visit

4 of 11 = 36% Reasons in order of frequency: no water, no motivation/interest (new project schools, pit latrine schools not included)

Project schools with water available for handwashing at time of visit

6 of 13 = 46% In some cases hand-carried. In principal, all schools had water at time of intervention because it was main criterion (new project schools not included in tally)

Project schools with safe drinking water

? Only 2 schools have deep handpumps which can be assumed safe; all other schools say they are boiling (or using filter). It is likely that boiling is intermittent due to electricity problems

Project schools in which there is strong evidence of functioning peer groups and related activities

9 of 10 = 90% Doesn't include new schools, and schools visited after hours.

Project schools in which personal hygiene peer group cited HWWS at a critical time unprompted

3 of 3 Three groups interviewed. However, HWWS was only the fourth or fifth message mentioned after other less-important messages like hair-combing

Schools with no adequate toilet in which new toilet built/being built by PTA or other community intervention

3 of 14 = 21% All in Sughd region; in all cases the availability of a standard VIP design could have improved quality. Some room here for UNICEF involvement: matching fund, standard design, etc.

Schools that received other donor support for school re-construction in which the work included water and sanitation:

0 of 2 ? FTI and JICA; only one visited; information not completely clear

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Annex 2: Tajikistan School VIP Latrines: Key Design Criteria

Most figures are from: “Design and Construction Manual for Sanitation in Primary Schools” by UNICEF Ethiopia. Refer to that document for more detailed information (see Annex 5). 1. The VIP Latrine: Key Design Criteria Air movement: The most important criterion is that a large amount of air must move through the cubicle, into the pit and out the vent pipe for the VIP latrine to work correctly. The is achieved through large vents above and below the doors of each cubicle (see figure below) a large diameter vent pipe, by never using a cover for the drop-hole, and by properly locating latrines (see below). Lighting: The VIP design minimizes flies by “directing” them towards the screened top of the vent pipe, to eventually die. This is achieved in two ways: one through the airflow created in the latrine, and two, by keeping the inside of the cubicle relatively light while allowing lots of sunlight to enter through the top of the vent pipe to attract the flies. Vent openings: large vents should be included above the doors, as per the figure below. Additional ventilation is achieved by having a space below the cubicle doors.

Location: Effort should be made to locate the latrines in such a way that the prevailing winds blow towards the front of the latrine for most effective ventilation. This is not always possible, but should be attempted in every case. See example below.

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Vent pipes (each single one of these sub-criteria are critical): There should be one vent pipe for each cubicle. They should be at least 150mm in diameter. They should be 0.5 m higher than the highest point on the roof. They should be black in colour and run outside of the building from top to ground level (for more effective heating in the sun to assist air flow). There should be fly screen firmly attached to the top of the vent pipe. The vent pipe must be straight from top to bottom (no bends or elbows) to ensure that plenty of light enters the pit through the vent pipe to attract flies. For the same reason, there should be no cover or cap on top of the vent pipe. Smooth, sloped slabs/platforms (“sanplats”): A key factor in the design and completion of the slabs is that they are easy to clean. Slabs should slope towards the drop-hole and should be finished with smooth mortar. In some countries, slabs are pre-fabricated for best results. An example of slab design is given below. Doors should be strong: Because the VIP design requires maximum airflow in each cubicle, each cubicle needs to have a door to the outside (which is different from the pour-flush design where internal cubicles are allowed). Therefore doors are exposed to the elements and must be strong, and have strong hardware (hinges and latches). A metal frame is desirable (see diagram). This will increase costs but is necessary.

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Squatting plate slab design Strong door

Latrine design showing all key components

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2. VIP latrines in Cold Weather In some countries with cold weather conditions where VIP designs are used, observers note that the airflow which is an intrinsic and necessary part of the design makes the latrines uncomfortably cold in winter months. In some cases, the VIP design includes a way to close off the vent pipe during cold weather to reduce airflow (since smells are not as bad in weather anyway). This is likely not an issue in lowland areas of Tajikistan, but may become a factor if/when latrines are constructed in mountainous regions. 3. VIP latrines for high water table areas There is one key design criterion for designing on-site sanitation facilities in areas where the groundwater levels are high: if a permeable pit is used, then the bottom of the pit has to be at least 2m above the groundwater level at its highest point (in the rainy season). This is sometimes difficult to achieve with standard pit or pour-flush latrine designs. Below are some design options that can be considered: Raised latrine (sub categories include mound latrine and step latrine): to achieve the 2m criterion, the latrine is raised above the ground by mounding earth or by building a raised platform. This is the most common solution in high water table areas. Care must be taken to imperviously line the top part of the pit to ensure that sewage does not leak.

Raised pit latrines (figure from the WELL Factsheet on high groundwater sanitation, see Annex 5) Wide-pit latrine: Another strategy for meeting the 2m criterion is to increase the diameter of the pit, to achieve the same storage capacity as a standard VIP latrine with a shallower pit. This normally entails added reinforcement for the cap of the pit. Sealed pits: If the water table is so high that it is not possible to meet the 2m criterion, the only on-site option is to completely seal the pit (both bottom and sides) so that sewage does not enter the groundwater aquifer. This means that arrangements must be made for the regular emptying of the pit with a vacuum truck, possibly as often as twice a year (and it also means that special care should be taken to ensure that the design and siting of the latrine make it easy to empty).

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Double pits to increase capacity: To increase storage volume for either a sealed or unsealed pit design, a fossa alterna design can be used which doubles the storage capacity and means less frequent emptying. One example is shown below.

“Fossa alterna” or double pit VIP latrine example Other options: The standard Tajikistan school pour-flush toilet can also be used in high water tables by raising both the pits and the toilet building to satisfy the 2m criterion, or by completely sealing the pits. Note that if this last option is used, emptying frequency will be significantly higher than a VIP pit latrine because of the water added to the pit by flushing. A final option is a sealed, raised “ecosan” toilet option (one design is called the “skyloo”) that is designed to compost the sewage for eventual use in agriculture/gardening. This involves more than just technology, however, it involves an entire change in approach for dealing with excreta, and is thus not a good approach for use in a few, isolated schools. .

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Annex 3: Notes on Design, Operation and Maintenance of Slow Sand Filters

As noted in the new strategic framework and recommendations, there are two areas in which the

programme can build on the pilot introduction of the locally produced slow sand (biosand) filter:

design modifications of existing filter, and guidelines for its operation and maintenance.

1. Design modification of current filter A rapid assessment suggests two key design modifications. Both of these should be taken into

consideration for the next iteration of the design, as well as any other modifications that are

suggested through monitoring the existing filters.

Diffuser plate: Most slow sand filters designs include a diffuser plate (see example below). The

function of the plate is to ensure that water poured into the filter does not “crater” the top sand

layer and disrupt the schmutzdecke (the term for the biological layer formed on the surface of the

slow sand filter’s sand media that is essential for the operation of the filter). In subsequent designs,

the filter should include some form of diffuser plate.

Wide top opening: The current design does not have a wide opening. This is necessary for periodic

maintenance of the filter, including cleaning (see more below).

Slow sand filter design showing diffuser plate

(no. 3) (from the infonet-biovision.org site)

Plastic barrel filter showing wide opening (from

Biosandfilter.org)

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2. Maintenance (cleaning) and operation

Maintenance: All slow sand filters must be cleaned periodically to ensure good operation and

adequately purified water. This is a simple process that can be carried out at the schools, but only if

school staff (and students) are aware of the maintenance procedures. It is thus necessary to carry

out this training and provide an instruction sheet/pamphlet to leave at the school.

The filter must be cleaned when the rate of water flow is reduced to such an extent that water flow

is no longer adequate. It is not necessary to clean the filter before this point is reached. The water

flow is reduced because dirt accumulates in the top portion of the sand filter media. The

recommended way of removing the accumulated dirt is called “wet harrowing”, which simply

loosens the dirt enough to increase the flow. Done correctly, this process doesn’t disturb the

schmutzdecke and the biological layer remains intact.

Below is a description and photo of harrowing from

biosandfilter.org:

“The recommended cleaning method is called 'wet harrowing'.

This is done by filling the filter with a bucket of water, after

blocking the spout (for instance using a cork). Following

removal of the diffuser plate, water is slowly swirled around by

hand inside the filter. Try not to touch the sand while doing so.

The movement of the water loosens accumulated dirt, which

comes into suspension. This muddy water can then be carefully

decanted, using a cup. The process is repeated until most dirt has been removed. Remove the cork and the flow

rate should have increased dramatically.

The advantage of wet harrowing is that it does not disturb the biologically active slime layer that has grown

within the sand and around the individual sand grains. Therefore the cleaning action of the filter is only slightly

affected compared to for instance removing sand, washing it and returning it into the filter.”

If harrowing doesn’t work, it may be necessary to remove the top few centimetres of sand, wash it,

and put it back inside the filter. This should only be done if absolutely necessary because this action

destroys the schmutzdecke, which will take time (possibly weeks) to re-establish itself. When the

schmutzdecke is not present, the filter will not be working properly.

Note that for either method of cleaning the filter, good access to the inside of the filter is required,

and thus the current design must be modified to include a wider opening.

Operation: Operation is simple, but a few key points should be kept in mind and transmitted to

schools (and included in the instruction pamphlet). The first point is that the water should be poured

into the filter carefully to not disturb the schmutzdecke. The second and most important point is

that the school should know that the filter is not working fully until the schmutzdecke establishes

itself after the filter is installed initially and after cleaning that involves sand removal/replacement.

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Annex 4: Steps in setting and managing standards for WASH in Schools

(extract from: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings, WHO/UNICEF, 2009)

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Annex 5: Key Resource Documents for the New Strategy

General and Advocacy

WASH in Schools site on the UNICEF Intranet [UNICEF Intranet] Call to Action for WASH in Schools Raising Clean Hands, Call to Action for WASH in Schools Advocacy Pack, and Call to Action for WASH in Schools Communication Package, UNICEF NY, 2010 [available on the UNICEF Intranet] Strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools: A WASH guidance manual with a focus on South Asia, IRC and UNICEF, 2010. http://www.irc.nl/redir/content/download/149102/493695/file/TP53_WASH_in_Schools_10.pdf WASH in Schools Standards

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Standards for Schools in Low-cost Settings, WHO/UNICEF, 2009 www.unicef.org/wash/files/WASH_in_schools_manual_cover.pdf Monitoring

UNICEF EAPRO WASH in Schools Monitoring Package, UNICEF EAPRO, 2009 [available from WASH Section NYHQ, or from G. Keast] Point-of-Use Filters

Biosand filter website (variety of resources) www.biosandfilter.org Going to Scale with Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) UNICEF WASH Training Module, Nov. 2009 (webinar training notes and presentation) [available from WASH Section NYHQ, or from G. Keast] VIP Latrine Design

Design and Construction Manual for Sanitation in Primary Schools, UNICEF Ethiopia, 2009 [available on the UNICEF Intranet] On-site sanitation in areas with a high groundwater table, WELL Factsheet, 2005, http://www.lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/fact-sheets/fact-sheets-htm/lcsahgt.htm Fact Sheet on VIP Latrines, WHO, 2006 http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/emergencies/fs3_5.pdf Menstrual Hygiene Management

Menstrual Hygiene Mgmt webinar presentation, UNICEF, 2010 [available on the UNICEF Intranet]