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• (Journal Article) The Bishesta campaign: a menstrual hygiene management intervention for people with intellectual impairments and their carers

  01.07.2021
  This paper describes the components of the Bishesta campaign: a behaviour change intervention for menstrual hygiene management (MHM), targeting young people with intellectual impairments, and their carers in Nepal. The campaign uses two fictitious characters: Bishesta (a young person with an intellectual impairment) and Perana (her carer), and consists of three group training modules. ‘Period packs’, designed to make MHM behaviours attractive and easy to adopt, are given to the young people. Packs include storage bags, a bin, and stories about Bishesta menstruating and learning to manage as independently as possible, with Perana’s support. Carers receive a calendar to track the young person’s menstrual cycle. A Bishesta doll, with removable clothes, underwear, and a miniature ‘period pack’ is used in training to demonstrate MHM. Evaluation findings show the intervention is feasible at small scale, so further research on how to scale up the intervention in an evidence-based way is required.

• (Journal Article) Financing and design innovation in rural domestic rainwater harvesting in Madagascar

  01.04.2019
  Rural water supply interventions in low-resource settings often suffer from poor functionality. The use of technologies and financing approaches, that are out of step with the communities that they target, are primary drivers of this breakdown in supply. This paper describes a pilot study from south-east Madagascar that provides rural households with access to a water source at the home through the sale of rainwater harvesting systems. Results from the pilot show that households were prepared to pay a significant contribution towards establishing a household water supply despite being located in a low-resource, water-abundant region. Over a payback period of six months, zero households defaulted on loans that covered 57 per cent of the costs for materials and transport. Water quality tests demonstrated that the systems were capable of providing water with low levels of microbial contamination (median CFU/100 ml = 7). High levels of adherence to operation and maintenance schedules suggest that people were capable and motivated to maintain and use their systems.

• (Journal Article) Building frontline market facilitators' capacity: the case of the ‘Integrating Very Poor Producers into Value Chains Field Guide’

  01.06.2014
  Utilizing the case of the Integrating Very Poor Producers into Value Chains Field Guide, the article provides its strengths (extensive tools and worksheets, case studies from recovery and development settings) and limitations (very brief overview of market systems, only focuses on the implementation phase of market development, only focuses on integrating the very poor into markets). The knowledge assessment results of two workshops lead the author to question how much is learned in workshop settings. The online survey showed that the most used section of the Field Guide was ‘Linking Very Poor Producers with Buyers & Suppliers’. The 70 per cent experiential, 20 per cent from others, and 10 per cent formal ratios regarding learning led the author to recommend more on-the-job learning. Extensive feedback from the users provided lessons on improved tool design and capacity building for tool users. The article concludes with a number of recommendations: frontline workers need written guides; translate guides; include a monitoring and evaluation system; get organizational commitment to build frontline market facilitators' capacity; more research into the different methods of building capacity (workshops; written guides; a monitoring and evaluation system; and online and in person training events are likely the most effective combination).

• (Journal Article) Mainstreaming menstrual hygiene management in schools through the play-based approach: lessons learned from Ghana

  01.01.2015
  The study objective was to identify and document the effectiveness of the play-based approach in promoting menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in schools and share lessons learned. The study used a mix of study approaches including qualitative and quantitative techniques. The writer carried out an exploratory evaluation on the promotion of MHM activities as part of WASH in Schools programmes in 120 public schools in Ghana. Comparison was drawn between 60 schools currently using the play-based approach in promoting MHM, and 60 other schools which are not using the play-based approach. Data were gathered through interview, focus group discussions, observation, and from field level reports over a six month period. The study showed that there is much potential in play-based approaches, which could accelerate and sustain the implementation of MHM in schools. More teachers and school children participate in and demonstrated considerable knowledge and were confident discussing MHM. The play-based activities also served as point of attraction for the primary school children. The study indicated positive attitudes in boys towards menstruating girls and improved personal hygiene among adolescent girls.

• (Journal Article) Bringing together push and pull through local entrepreneurs

  01.03.2015
  Despite significant efforts in agriculture market development, millions of smallholder farmers remain isolated from markets, due to remoteness and low farm productivity. Push/pull approaches to market development suggest a dual strategy for bringing smallholders into agricultural markets: 1) reduce producer vulnerability and build capacities, based on market requirements; and 2) facilitate relationships for producers to deal in consistent, growing markets. While simple in concept and effective as an approach, the execution of push/pull is complex. In particular, it is difficult to connect push (producer capacity) and pull (market) elements, resulting in unsustainable market linkages. When applying a push/pull approach in areas where the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) works, AKF has noted that local entrepreneurs can link push and pull effectively and for the long term. This case study reviews how entrepreneurs link push and pull in AKF's market development programme in southern Tanzania. It outlines learning on how local entrepreneurs bridge gaps between producers and firms, taking the case of remote farmers accessing inputs (seed, fertilizer, implements, and pesticide) from larger suppliers. The paper describes the challenge of linking push and pull, outlines AKF's experience in southern Tanzania, and follows with points for discussion on incorporating local entrepreneurs into push/pull programmes.

• (Journal Article) Mission drift between the balance of social mission vs. financial performance of microfinance institutions

  01.09.2022
  Recently, many researchers have highlighted the imbalance between the financial and social missions of microfinance institutions (MFIs), which is considered to be the main objective of the research. Hence, the objectives of the current study were to identify the roots of mission drift and the reasons for high interest rates. In addition, the article was focused on the examination of the most efficient products of the sector. The research paper is conceptualized and based on primary data collection through field work, which has been analyzed using SPSS software. Secondary data has been collected mainly from peer-reviewed articles. As an improvement strategy, representatives of the sector should plan strategic campaigns to solve the situation. According to the results, though the strict regulations of the sector lead to stability in the market, changes regarding micro-savings or microinsurance regulation should be developed for future enhancement of MFIs in Armenia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.

• (Journal Article) Impacts of emergencies on water and wastewater systems in congested urban areas

  01.01.2022
  The impacts of emergencies on society and structures are often reported in the media, but the impact of these emergencies on the water and wastewater system is less publicized. The safe operation of these systems is critical during hazardous events and the recovery process to ensure safe and clean water for the public. This need is magnified in congested urban areas where the number of people affected is greatest. A critical aspect to the safe operation of these systems during emergencies is a timely response by municipal leaders. Municipalities must develop plans to prevent and/or mitigate the damage to water systems during emergencies, which will speed the recovery process when these events occur. This paper discusses the impacts of hurricanes and flood events on the water and wastewater systems of densely populated urban areas and presents measures that could be taken to prevent and mitigate the impacts of these events in the future.

• (Journal Article) Contributions of savings and small loans made in Iringa Hope Joint SACCOs towards improving household welfare in Iringa region in Tanzania

  01.12.2021
  This study evaluates the small loans and regular savings deposits by members of Iringa Hope Joint SACCOs (IHJS) towards improving household welfare in Iringa region in Tanzania. Primary data were collected using a questionnaire from 170 SACCO members. The sample was chosen from each SACCO using a simple random sampling technique. The analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS ver. 20, IBM, USA). The results revealed that Iringa Hope Joint SACCOs household welfare in Iringa region is improving due to increased household income, decision making, and capacity building that influences regular savings deposits by members. Furthermore, the study also revealed that employment has been increasing due to SACCOs’ financial access and it becomes sustainable as income increases. Therefore, IHJS should consider offering financial services at low interest rates to enable poorer smallholder farmers and small businesses to access finance. It should continue supporting the SACCOs' members with training to enable them to improve governance and performance of financial services.

• (Journal Article) Between water stewardship and independent global water certification: learning from smallholder rice farmers, Karonga, Malawi

  01.01.2021
  Cooperation and locally driven water management are at the forefront of food production water management for smallholder farmers in low-income countries. The aim of this paper was to critically reflect on the experiences of 5,819 smallholder rice farmers in Karonga District, Malawi, who were members of a farmers’ organization that achieved improved water stewardship, but could not achieve Alliance for Water Stewardship certification within a three-year project. The data for this paper were obtained through farmer and stakeholder interviews. The partnership attempted to bring together four parties: academics, farmers, local government, and a non-governmental organization. The farmers were trained by combining stewardship and certification topics through a train-the-trainer approach. The farmers’ organization primarily focuses on agribusiness; therefore, they did not have any water-related data or detailed farm boundaries from the large and dispersed group of farmers and could not obtain a collective water permit. Understanding water governance was difficult for many farmers. Furthermore, moving from stewardship to certification presented some financial challenges. Critical thinking and questioning are required, along with a deeper understanding of the local context, logistical hindrances, priorities, alternatives, culture, and science, to evaluate how projects are designed and partially succeed or fail from the perspective of low-income farmers in the Global South.

• (Journal Article) Incontinence in Zambia: initial investigation into the coping strategies of sufferers and carers

  01.07.2018
  There is little information on the management of incontinence in low-income settings. This article provides some initial insights, of particular relevance to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health practitioners, into the coping strategies used by sufferers and carers in Zambia. Incontinence is rarely reported to medical professionals in Zambia, possibly due to a reluctance to disclose as a result of the stigma associated with the condition. Management and treatment of incontinence is subsequently limited, and both coping strategies and treatment received are determined by affordability and accessibility. If the global community is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of universal sanitation (Goal 6) and well-being (Goal 3), future studies and programmes on incontinence in Zambia will need to involve collaborations between WASH and health practitioners that investigate how to reduce the stigma associated with the condition and increase awareness, and how to improve the availability and affordability of management and treatment, considering the potential preference for traditional medicine in rural communities.

• (Journal Article) Incentivizing clean water collection during rainfall to reduce disease in rural sub-Saharan Africa with weather dependent pricing

  01.04.2022
  In much of rural sub-Saharan Africa, households tend to shift water collection during rainfall periods away from cleaner groundwater sources, which they often have to pay for, towards free alternative sources. This increases disease risk and decreases sustainability of service provision. New approaches are needed to incentivize households to maintain clean water use and mitigate this environmental health challenge. We propose a pricing mechanism for ‘water ATMs’ – now possible with their pre-payment and remote monitoring capabilities – derived from measured reductions in collection over rainfall periods. Appropriate price elasticity ranges (−0.5 to −1) and relative risk of diarrhoeal disease from this intervention (0.4 to 0.8) determined from the literature are used to estimate the cost per capita and cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted. These are estimated to be between US$5 and 50 per DALY averted in the scenarios studied here, which would compare favourably against other water quality interventions. Cost and value would depend on elasticity of demand and potential health gains across different communities. Considerations for implementation are discussed. The potential for accurate subsidy transfers to service providers is outlined, along with the added resilience to climate change.

• (Journal Article) The new reality: perspectives on future integrated WASH

  01.01.2022
  Over the next 10 years, the humanitarian and development fields will face significant changes as new skills, expanded technologies, and shifting funding streams prompt innovation in order to maintain impact. As the length of humanitarian crises expand relief response can no longer be viewed merely through the humanitarian lens, but current and future crisis responses increasingly require long-term development considerations. Integration across the humanitarian-development nexus will be vital to future emergency response. The interdisciplinary nature of the WASH sector makes it ideally placed to lead further integration with sectors like health, nutrition, livelihoods, child protection, and education. Integration of the WASH sector is not only possible but essential to face the challenges of future crises. COVID-19 is a wake-up call showing how quickly global humanitarian needs can change and the need for a more integrated response to emergencies. Tomorrow’s WASH practitioners will need to be proactive in developing new hard and soft skills and have broader multi-sectoral experience to succeed. Future integration will require stronger relationships between multi-mandated organizations, governments, and the private sector as well as new innovative funding sources, including impact investing, blended finance, and development impact bonds. We argue that there is a unique window of opportunity to bridge these gaps as COVID-19 brings the value of effective WASH programming forward as a foundational part of long-term resilience building. To indeed provide life-saving interventions as humanitarian works claim to do, we must start with a clear focus on the long-term developmental ends in mind.

• (Journal Article) Value chain development for rural poverty reduction: A reality check and a warning

  01.03.2012
  Over the past decade, the value chain development approach has increasingly been adopted by governments, donors, and NGOs to reduce rural poverty. The design of related interventions often assumes that poor households: 1) have sufficient resources to effectively participate in value chain development; 2) do not face substantial trade-offs when using these resources; and 3) are able to assume higher risks when reinvesting capital and labour. However, insights from our own experiences and the literature show that these assumptions often do not reflect the realities and the needs of the poor. We argue that value chain development with poor and vulnerable populations, particularly in rural areas, requires additional conceptual frameworks, analyses, and interventions. In particular, we encourage donor agencies and development practitioners to adopt an asset-based approach to the design, implementation, and assessment of target value chains and to identify the non-market interventions needed for enabling particularly disenfranchised groups to meet the minimum asset thresholds for their successful participation in value chain initiatives.

• (Journal Article) Global assessment of grant-funded, market-based sanitation development projects

  01.07.2020
  Evidence on the performance of market-based sanitation (MBS) interventions is needed to support renewed focus on using them to deliver sanitation services at scale. We conducted a comprehensive review of WASH grant-funding since 1980 to identify household sanitation supply projects using an MBS approach, assessed project characteristics and outcomes (population impacted), and reviewed project strategies against three key factors for scaling MBS (customer and business finance; availability and viability of local entrepreneurs; appropriate toilet product and business models). For a subset with higher outcomes, we assessed project strategies more fully against nine MBS strategies considered good practice, and the programme’s ability to leverage household investment. Of 103 sanitation supply projects in eight global databases, 49 qualified as MBS and occurred in 22 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, South/Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Cumulatively, 27.6 million people, nearly all rural, gained access to basic sanitation via markets across these projects. ‘Large-scale’ MBS projects exceeding 50,000 people gaining basic sanitation (n = 27) compared with those that did not (n = 22) were longer and significantly more likely to address all three key factors (74 per cent vs. 41 per cent; p = 0.019), but on average applied only six of nine good practice strategies. Outcomes and programme leverage were higher in South/Southeast Asia than in sub-Saharan Africa. However, African projects tended to have shorter duration, fewer reached ‘large-scale’, and rarely employed a sales and marketing strategy. We discuss implications for improving the design and performance of MBS interventions globally and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

• (Journal Article) Turning the COVID-19 crisis into entrepreneurial success: an exploratory study on women innovators of Pakistan

  01.06.2021
  The COVID-19 pandemic has not only created significant havoc in the world but has also opened doors to new opportunities for women entrepreneurs. The objective of this study is to examine case studies of women entrepreneurs to determine how they have taken advantage of the circumstances offered by COVID-19 to expand their businesses. To gain deeper insights about lived experiences of women entrepreneurs, the study uses semi-structured interviews to identify the strategies women entrepreneurs have adopted during times of social and economic upheaval. The findings indicate that women entrepreneurs responded to this crisis by accessing finance and using their innovative and creative skills to leverage e-commerce, often in the face of economic hardship. This study aims to contribute to policymakers’ and practitioners’ development of appropriate response strategies that focus on strengthening women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

• (Journal Article) Handwashing for menstrual hygiene management among primary schoolgirls in rural western Kenya

  01.10.2015
  Good hand hygiene contributes to the health and educational attainment of schoolchildren. Poor menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is recognized to impact on girls’ health, education, wellbeing and dignity, particularly in low-income countries. Identifying practical, affordable, and comfortable menstrual products to improve girls’ MHM is needed. One potential cost-effective product is the menstrual cup; however, provision of this insertable MHM product, in schools in low-income countries with challenging water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions, increases the need for assurance of good hand hygiene. This paper uses data from a randomized controlled feasibility study evaluating the acceptability, use and safety of menstrual hygiene products provided to schoolgirls in rural western Kenya. Here, we explore girls’ handwashing practices in school when using menstrual cups, sanitary pads or traditional items, examining the availability of WASH and the reported frequency of handwashing. Data generated from interviews with adults, girls’ private surveys, narratives from focus group discussions, and observational WASH surveys are explored. Reported presence of WASH was higher than that observed during random spot-checks. Overall, 10 per cent of girls never washed before, and 7 per cent never washed after, emptying or changing their menstrual item at school. Girls in cup schools were twice as likely to wash prior to emptying, compared with girls using other items. Handwashing among girls using traditional items was low, despite the same hand hygiene training across groups and a comparable WASH presence. Data highlight the need for sustained mechanisms to support schoolgirls’ handwashing practices for MHM.

• (Journal Article) Beyond building: how social norms and networks shape mason construction practices in incremental homebuilding

  01.09.2021
  How do low-income households and masons make house construction decisions? A three-country study examined social norms, networks, and information flows that influence construction practices in Kenya, India, and Peru. The study used a suite of qualitative research strategies, including desk research, site observation, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews, to examine households and informal construction service providers, and the interactions between them. The research sought to answer the following questions: 1) How do households and individuals make housing decisions? 2) What are the information flows, key influences, and social norms that steer these decisions? and 3) How can programmes leverage knowledge about norms to improve the quality of home construction? Findings covered areas of gender, disaster resilience, and construction labour – this article focuses on the latter. Ultimately the paper argues that designing impactful programmes for low-income housing markets requires understanding and incorporating these social norms, networks, and information flows.

• (Journal Article) Exploring the complex relationships between food loss and waste, climate change, and the environment to support informed sustainable food system transformation decisions with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa

  01.12.2022
  Food loss and waste (FLW) reduction is key to transforming food systems to deliver food security, while responding to climate change and reducing other environmental impacts. Food production and postharvest systems differ with location, reflecting the diversity of agroecological and socio-economic environments and the drivers influencing them. The interactions between drivers and environments, practices and products influence food systems and their greenhouse gas emissions and other related environmental impacts. These factors also influence the level of food loss during or after harvest, or food waste at retail or consumer level. This think-piece examines the relationships between climatic change, the environment, and FLW within a broader food systems framework. We use the case study of maize in Malawi to explore these relationships. This analysis unpacks the issues and suggests an approach for supporting decision-makers in making a more informed assessment of how to reduce FLW, taking into account the complexity of food systems, their multiple drivers of change, diverse stakeholder interests/influence, and the need to operate with very incomplete knowledge.

• (Journal Article) Towards a sustainable solution for school menstrual hygiene management: cases of Ethiopia, Uganda, South-Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe

  01.01.2015
  African schoolgirls face considerable challenges as a result of the real biological phenomenon of menstruation and its management. Menstruation is seen as a secret and is regarded as taboo. As a result girls are not receiving adequate support from home, schools, or the community. They are left on their own to address the challenge which consequently affects their school performance. Development interventions that deal only with the supply of materials cannot resolve the problem in a sustainable manner. We need to have a comprehensive approach that can improve: knowledge, attitude, and practice of girls, parents, and the community; sanitary materials supply; the policy environment; and the physical infrastructure. The issue of menstrual hygiene management is gaining recognition as part of the development agenda for improving girls' school participation. But there is little research and few practical case studies have been conducted to inform policy and practice. SNV Netherlands Development Organization is addressing menstrual hygiene under its WASH in School programme in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This article highlights baseline survey findings of the current menstrual hygiene management practices in the project areas of Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe and recommends the approach piloted.

• (Journal Article) Taking stock: Sanitation sector needs to take greater responsibility to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions

  01.10.2021
  In the run up to UN Climate Change Conference 2021 (COP26), various position papers have been published on climate change and sanitation (and broader WASH) (WaterAid, 2020; IRC and Water For People, 2021). For logical reasons they have largely focused on climate resilience and adaptation strategies. There is a clear need to adapt sanitation systems to deal with climate impacts and to provide high quality sanitation services to underpin societal resilience.