Mobile technology for improved governance, resilience and sustainability of water supplies in Ethiopia

The non-functionality of water schemes remains a major factor preventing climate resilient development. Communities most at-risk to the effects of climate change often rely on deep groundwater sources during times of drought. These water schemes rely on complex technology to extract water from the deep groundwater sources. When the water schemes fail, support from external service providers, typically the Woreda, Zonal or Regional Water Officers, is necessary for repairs. This paper examines the multiple dimensions of sustainability in rural, drought-prone Ethiopia. It focusses in on the intersection of the institutional, social and economic sustainability dimensions and the information management system needed to ensure downward accountability of service providers towards communities. The innovative WaterReport technology is introduced as a mechanism for enhancing these three dimensions of sustainability

A comparative analysis of the impact of hygiene promotion and sanitation marketing in rural Ethiopia

Access to good quality, safe-to-use sanitation in rural Ethiopia remains low. Implementation by WASH actors of sanitation marketing in rural Ethiopia is limited. Over four years, People In Need, in cooperation with government partners implemented a WASH project using a “local systemstrengthening” approach. This study compares two types of intervention to improve sanitation and hygiene behaviours: hygiene promotion and hygiene promotion in combination with sanitation marketing. The study found that the additional sanitation marketing component was associated with improved latrine quality and presence of a handwashing facility near to the latrine, compared to a hygiene promotion intervention alone. This demonstrates that sanitation marketing can add significant value to rural WASH programs