Entry points for change: WASH...
Access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene determines good health (WHO,...
Rates of access to improved water and sanitation in Vietnam are better than neighboring countries, however with a population of over 89 million people there remain enormous numbers without access. Furthermore, coverage is not equitable and is affected by income level, ethnicity and region. The Northern Mountains and Central Highlands, which are home to a large number of ethnic minority groups, especially face lagging development on hygiene and sanitation.
In 2008, SNV introduced Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) to Vietnam. The CLTS intervention drastically increased latrine coverage, but early experience showed that half of the latrines would still be classified as unhygienic. As this experience clearly showed that CLTS alone is not enough, SNV, together with local partners, developed a more integrated approach: Sustainable Sanitation & Hygiene for All (SSH4A). The SSH4A programme, which was implemented between 2010 and 2013, integrated 1) sanitation demand creation through community-led sanitation promotion, 2) sanitation supply chains and finance to increase access to affordable and appropriate sanitation hardware and construction services, 3) hygiene behavioral change communication and 4) WASH governance to develop a sustainable service delivery model. This integrated approach provided multiple benefits at the household, local and national level:
In Vietnam, the SSH4A programme started in 2010 with funding from the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and covered three North Western provinces: Lai Chau, Dien Bien and Lao Cai. In October 2011, the programme was extended to the central, coastal province of Nghe An, with funding from the UK Department of International Development (DFID). SSH4A improved the health and quality of life of rural people in Vietnam through enhanced access to improved sanitation and hygiene practices, with a specific focus on poor households, ethnic minority groups and villages with the lowest sanitation coverage. The SSH4A programme:
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Sanitation demand creation through community-led sanitation promotion and hygiene behavioral change communication
Sanitation supply chains and finance to increase access to affordable and appropriate sanitation hardware and construction services
WASH governance to develop a sustainable service delivery model