CLTS IN THE GAMBIA.
The Gambia, with an estimated population of 1.6 million inhabitants is unlikely to meet MDG 7 and 4 for sanitation and under five mortality reductions respectively. Although the under-five mortality has decreased from 131/1000 live births to 112/1000 live births over a period of five years (MICS III and IV), too many children continue to die, in particular in the most vulnerable regions of the country, as a result of diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. These diseases, which are also associated with poor sanitation and hygiene account for 56% of the national under five deaths (WHO, 2010).
The 2010 Water Supply and Sanitation estimates show that, over 547,800 - 33% of the population do not have access to basic sanitation (WHO and UNICEF JMP 2010 Update).Open defecation is practiced by some 66,400 people - 4 per cent of the total population (WHO and UNICEF JMP Report, 2010 update). Rural areas present the greatest challenge, where 53,452 people (7%) practice open defecation compared to only 1 percent in the urban areas. Kuntaur and Janjanbureh Local Government Areas, also among the most vulnerable areas with the highest Under five mortality rate , register the highest rate of open defecation- 13.6% and 8.2%, while Banjul registers the lowest – 0.1% (MICS IV1) Furthermore, rural and peri-urban areas also have the highest percentage of inappropriate disposal of faecal matter from children under two years.
1 Data collected in 2010
2 Data collected in 2005
However, despite the above situation, there is also some progress made regarding open defecation and improved sanitation practices in The Gambia. The piloting of CLTS in 2009 and the gradual expansion of the approach through targeting of communities in West Coast Regions, particularly along the Gambia –Casamance Border, Central River, Upper River, and Lower River Regions have further reduced the rate of open defecation. Data shows 36% decline of open defecation from 4.4% in 2005 (MICS III2) to 2.8% in 2010 (MICS IV). The proportion of caregivers practicing appropriate disposal of children faeces has risen from 81.2% in 2005 to 88.1% in 2011 (MICS III and IV).
The strategies used by the Country Programme 2007-2011 for these achievements included scaling-up Community Led Total Sanitation; engagement of community volunteers and structures to deliver intensive community and school based hygiene education; training of artisans and cross fertilization of community experience. The current low rate of open defecation, coupled with the small size of The Gambia, is an opportunity for the country to attain ODF status in the very near future. In the 2012-2016 Country Programme CLTS is also an integral part of the plan developed with partners in the area of WASH. As such, the additional contribution will support the Gambia to be of the few countries to achieve Total Sanitation –i.e. open defecation free communities by use of safe, affordable and user-friendly solutions/technologies by 2015.
1.1 Overall objective, location and strategies
As part of the Country Programme 2012-2016, the Country Office and partners have developed a set of interventions in WASH that include the implementation of CLTS in vulnerable districts of The Gambia -i.e. Central River North and South, Upper River and North Bank Regions of the country. The overall objective of the CLTS work plan is to contribute to accelerate the elimination of open defecation in The Gambia by 2015.
Out of the total 1875settlements in The Gambia, open defecation was found to be practiced in 759 settlements (CLTS Assessment, 2009/ 2010). From 2009 to 2011, a total of 159 communities were triggered, out of which 63 are ODF. For this proposal, CLTS activities will be implemented in 600 communities, representing 86% of the open defecation communities in The Gambia. The target population is 53,120, which represents 80% of the population practising open defecation. It is envisaged that the remaining 20% of population practicing open defecation will be reached by the ongoing CLTS activities by NGOs and Government in the other regions.
Key strategies of the project will include:
1. Bottleneck analysis to identify barriers to abandonment of open defecation and adoption of improved sanitation practices
2. Identification of OD areas for targeting purposes
3. Training of community facilitators, and natural leaders on CLTS skills and community triggering.
4. Training of artisans/masons on sanplat construction techniques and entrepreneur skills including promotion of the use of the products through public sensitization and sanitation marketing strategies..
5. Capacity building of community structures for implementation of CLTS Action plans and sustaining ODF status Monitoring and follow-up
1.2 Expected Outcomes
One main outcome is to be achieved:
By 2013, about 53,120 rural populations practising open defecation have access to basic sanitation and practice proper disposal of faeces of young children and hand washing with soap at critical times.
ODF status achieved for at least one district in Kuntaur Local Government Area of Central River North by 2013.
1.3 Expected Outputs
1. National level plan for ODF in place including mapping and targeting of OD communities and Monitoring and Evaluation system
2. 600 Communities triggered for abandonment of Open defecation practice and ODF status achieved for at least one district in Kuntaur Local Government Area
3. Capacity of 200 facilitators from Health, Community Development, Water Resources, NGOs and Red Cross volunteers built to deliver sustainable CLTS interventions in selected communities and support the expansion of the approach in other regions
4. 150 artisans trained on construction of Sanplat and products available to communities at affordable cost
5. Regular monitoring and follow-up conducted in 600 triggered communities to sustain ODF status
1.4 Description of activities
Output 1: National level plan for ODF in place including mapping and targeting of OD communities and M+E system
Key Activities
Undertake bottle-neck analysis to determine barriers to improved sanitation practices including abandonment of open defecation (this will entail assessment of social norms, legislation/policy, social and cultural beliefs, continuity and sustaining of ODF as well as Quality Assurance mechanism)
Reinforce CLTS taskforce and ensure coordination meetings at regional and central level to review progress and share experiences
Advocacy with other stakeholders, particularly NGOs working in the field of sanitation, to adapt CLTS approach and join the national efforts.
Output 2: 600 Communities triggered for abandonment of Open defecation practice and ODF status achieved for at least one district
Key Activities
Identification and assessment of communities for open defecation
Conduct community triggering,
Develop Community CLTS Action Plans
Verification and certification of communities
Output 3: Capacity of 200 facilitators built to deliver sustainable CLTS interventions in selected communities and support the expansion of the approach in other regions
Key Activities
Training on CLTS skills for 200 facilitators: extension workers, natural leaders from the communities, Red Cross Community Volunteers and NGOs in the field.
Logistics support for monitoring and follow-up by the facilitators
Community-based hygiene education and promotion, in village meetings and in focus group discussions with village elders, teachers, women, and young people including discussion of a choice of sanitation technologies and hand washing techniques
Output 4: 150 artisans trained on construction of Sanplat and entrepreneur skills
Key activities
Training of 150 local masons on latrine construction techniques.
Production of latrines slabs to scale up sanitation through promotion of products
Output 5: Regular monitoring and follow-up conducted in 600 triggered communities to sustain ODF status
Key activities
Development of appropriate monitoring tools and training of 200 facilitators on the use of the tools
Conduct forth-nightly follow-up and monitoring for at least a year
Establish community based structures for follow-up and sustainability of the project