The project explores the concepts linked to sustainable WASH services across the different levels that contribute to service delivery (sector, services, and community levels), to help build a common understanding of these concepts. It is proposed various interventions be designed & can be undertaken for improved WASH sustainability to monitoring and adaptation for the new cycle.The interventions for WASH sustainability connect activities related to learning from past successes and correcting failures; maximizing the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of current activities; and building systems able to learn from this and sustain services over time for the future. Sustainability processes link planning, monitoring, assessment, and decision support activities into systems for programming and learning.

WASH -Sustainability aims to:

• Support the selected villages to sustain WASH status
• Ensure continuous usage of sanitation facilities and practice safe hygienic behaviors
• Ensure that assets created in GPs are operational and maintained and Used.

 The Approach will be:

• Follow the WASH-S guideline and work closely with SWACHA BHARAT MISSION (SBM) to help block to sustain WASH status.
• Continue awareness and behavior change and community/Institutions mobilization of usage of toilets
• Ensure WASH sustainability through IEC/SLWM.
• Improve Financing of WASH-S activities including Water.

In the last year, 2019-20 HDB Financial Services and YRA have provided safe and clean drinking water to more than 6500 rural households in 45 villages at affordable rates. There are continuous needs and demands from the neighboring villages for such a safe and easily accessible option. Hence we propose to scale up in 15 new villages of Washim, Akola, and Amravati as well. These villages will be within an operational radius of 25kms from the bank area.

Proposed 15 new villages are facing the issue of hard and contaminated water that is not safe for drinking. The project will now not only see the WASH components but will slowly address broader concerns relating to The Environment and health. This proposal is based on the short assessment of YRA done in the Vidarbha region in 2002. Therefore, YRA will focus on creating demand and increasing awareness of the interventions. Considering the importance of water conservation work in these regions affecting farmers and communities at large we propose to implement these activities in the third phase of 2nd year of the project with better planning and a feasible approach to seek stakeholder’s participation and inclusion in the project.

Since 2017 the project has supported Children to have the right to basic facilities such as school toilets, safe drinking water, clean surroundings, and basic information on hygiene. Water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools create an enabling environment that secures children’s dignity, safety, health, and attendance in classes. Children are more receptive and quicker to adopt and sustain change. They become agents of change among their peers, families, and communities. Teachers and parents as influential individuals, supported by the school management committees, play an important catalytic role.

In this phase, YRA is planning to do repairs to the Sanitation Units instead of constructing only new blocks which will focus on WASH in schools with the provision of water stations for hand washing and even community sanitation.

Project Objective:

 For selected 15 villages from the existing 45 villages

• To support 15 selected villages to be model villages including institutional WASH complaints to sustain WASH status
• To ensure continuous usage of sanitation facilities created and practice safe hygienic behaviors
• To ensure that assets created in the villages are operational, maintained, and used

For the remaining 30 villages from the existing 45 villages

• To follow up and ensure that assets created in the villages are operational, maintained, and used
• Support the creation of affordability mechanisms for access to services

For New 15 Proposed Villages

• To promote safe drinking water in project villages
• To improve overall sanitation in project areas towards better hygienic practices, especially for women and girls
• To promote sustainable models for water conservation in the project area

Interventions for selected 15 Villages from the existing 45 Villages

• Support all Gram Panchayats through IEC/BCC to ensure WASH Sustainability through mobilization, capacity building, and usage of toilets
• Prepare Solid Liquid Waste Management DPR & demonstrate a model Operation and Maintenance plan- a sustainable business model for institutional WASH & ensure to include in GPDP
• Identify and train Community leaders (“WASH Mitra”) to facilitate the sustainability of Gram Panchayats
• Orientation of PRI members on WASH-S plans
• Engagement with Govt line department for convergence
• Monthly Engagement with people’s representatives from Village, GP, Block, and District levels. Monthly Meetings for the WASH-S status and sustainability

Interventions for the remaining 30 villages

• Mechanisms at the local level for post-construction support and continued service delivery
• Regular monitoring of sustainability and discussion at the village level

Interventions for the new 15 proposed Villages

Water

• Awareness, Education, and Training for Behavioural Change in water, sanitation, health & hygiene as an important factors of life.
• Community R. O. Water Units with Solar net-metering
• Samvid Oxyuara Filtration units to hand pump
• Bore well recharge
• Roof Water Harvesting System
• Well Deepening
• Recharge Pits
• Water Storage Facility for the Saline Water Villages.

Sanitation & Hygiene

• Construction of new sanitation units in schools
• Health Camps
• Promotion of Kitchen garden
• Promotion of Child Parliament
• Repair of School Sanitation Units and Installations of Handwashing Stations
• Repair of Individual Household Latrines (IHHL)
• Soak pits.