Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium

Project completed

The Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium (SWSC) contributes to improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities in least developed and developing countries by increasing drinking water and sanitation coverage with a specific focus on WASH in schools and health care facilities. It also contributes to triggering innovation and knowledge sharing between the Swiss NGOs as well as strengthening the Swiss profile in advocacy and policy.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Water
Health
Water sanitation
Water supply
Health systems strengthening
01.04.2020 - 30.09.2023
CHF  9’560’000
Background Despite considerable progress globally in the last 20 years with regards to access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), the GLAAS report 2019 clearly states that we are still far from achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 and 6.2 of reaching universal access to WASH by 2030. Concretely, there remain large funding gaps between what is needed to reach WASH targets and what is available (funding gap up to 61% to reach national WASH targets in 20 countries) and that a dramatic increase in performance will be required to achieve these targets. WASH in institutions has gained greater prominence with SDG6, especially WASH in Schools and Health Care Facilities (HCF). Concretely, 2 billion people use HCF that lack basic water services, 1.5 billion use HCF that have no sanitation services and 43% of HCF do not have hand hygiene stations at point of use. This leads to 17 million women in Least Developed Countries giving birth in HCF with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene each year. A systemic approach is needed to build robust institutions that are able to deliver reliable and accessible WASH services.
Objectives Improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable in least developed and developing countries, with the aim to make a significant difference in the living conditions of those leaving behind by improving sustainable access to drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene services. 
Target groups The SWSC will focus its activities in 12 countries and three regions: Francophone Africa (Burkina Faso, Benin, Madagascar, Mali, Niger), East Africa (Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan) and Asia (Cambodia, Nepal, India, Myanmar). The programme will focus on strengthening the capacity of local governments– ministries of education and ministries of health (national, district and local level), school stakeholders, HCF staff, local communities, local service providers such as NGOs and private sector. Improved capacity of the key actors to deliver sustainable water and sanitation services combined with increased access to improved water and sanitation infrastructure will benefit households, school pupils and health centre patients in rural areas and small towns in the project regions.
Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1: Increased use of sustainable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services

This phase will allow to provide access to WASH to approximately 60,000 school pupils, 350,000 health centre patients and 81,000 people in communities. By putting a strong focus on WASH in institutions (schools, HCF) as a strategic entry point to have an impact in the communities, SWSC will contribute to bringing schools and HCF up to a basic service level as defined by WHO/UNICEF.

Outcome 2: Replication of good practices and policy influencing and advocacy

This phase will allow to further scale-up the two most promising approaches (Blue Schools and WASH in HCF) by building the evidence of success regarding effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability. 

Results

Expected results:  

- Drinking water, adequate sanitation and hand washing facilities are constructed/ rehabilitated in communities, schools and HCF.

 - Key local actors (local communities / civil society, private sector, local government) are mobilized and trained to effectively plan, implement, manage, operate, maintain and monitor WASH services.

- The population in the target area is aware of the importance of good sanitation and hygiene practices, and good environmental practices (blue schools).

- SWSC innovations are tested and contribute to SDG 6 in terms of effectiveness and/or efficiency.

- SWSC increases the evidence base for the signature approaches (Blue School, WASH in HCF) and complement the existing work of WHO and UNICEF on these issues.

- Thematic knowledge consolidation between Swiss NGO actors, and SWSC experiences are shared, compiled, documented and disseminated.


Results from previous phases:   The SWSC achieved significant results in its first and second phase and also proved to be an appropriate vehicle for mainstreaming innovations and scaling up promising approaches, facilitating knowledge sharing (e.g. further development of the Blue School approach) and joining forces to advocate and influence policies. The SWSC model proved to be an efficient mechanism to considerably increase water and sanitation coverage and providing access to water, sanitation and hygiene to approximately 836,000 people in communities, 167,000 school pupils, 1.3 Mio. health centre patients and 37,000 small-scale farmers during phase 1 and 2. 


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
Private sector
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Other Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Swiss Private Sector


Coordination with other projects and actors UN-Water, WHO, UNICEF, EAWAG, Sanitation and Water for All, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Rural Water Supply Network, Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership, SIRWAS, Global Water Partnership.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    9’560’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    9’232’920
Project phases

Phase 3 01.04.2020 - 30.09.2023   (Completed)

Phase 2 01.07.2014 - 31.12.2018   (Completed) Phase 1 01.08.2011 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)