Innovative Finance
August 1, 2024
Context and Problem
In low-income settings, school-aged children face significant risks from water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related infections like diarrhea and respiratory issues. Poor WASH conditions lead to increased disease transmission, reduced school attendance, and affected learning outcomes. Only about two-thirds of schools worldwide have access to basic water and sanitation. The WASH HELPS program in Lao PDR was launched to address these gaps by improving school WASH infrastructure and promoting hygiene behavior change.
Solution
The WASH program was multifaceted. First is infrastructure improvement, which involves the installation of functional water points, gender-separated toilets, handwashing stations, and drinking water filters. Second behavior change promotion, which involves hygiene education and daily group hygiene activities. Third, monitoring and evaluation, which involves regular assessments to ensure adherence. Moreover, student attendance, health outcomes, and STH prevalence through surveys and stool sample analyses were carried out.
Impact
Absenteeism was reduced by 23% in schools, achieving high commitment to the delivery of the intervention. Moreover, diarrhea rates dropped in dry seasons among schools with high adherence. However, the overall impact was minimal. In terms of implementation, only 30.9% commitment was showcased and 29.4% adherence to recommended behaviors. The long-term findings highlight the need for The long-term findings highlight the need for complementary community and household WASH improvements to maximize benefits.