Community-led Accelerated WASH IV

Strengthening WASH Systems through On-the-Job Training in Berek Woreda, Oromia💧

The COWASH IV team recently concluded a comprehensive On-the-Job Training (OJT) mission in Berek Woreda, Oromia.👥Last week (May 29 - 30, 2026), the team engaged with two kebeles to reinforce the Community-Managed Project (CMP) approach and enhance local Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices.

Through household visits, community water schemes, school and health post facilities file assessments and site observations of WASH facilities, the mission focused on several critical pillars:

🔹 Water Safety Planning:🛡️ Conducted file reviews and on-site assessments to ensure water safety plans are integrated into water points and institutional latrines.

🔹 The WASH Implementation Approaches:📋 Verified that community water points and institutional WASH infrastructures were constructed according to CMP and Woreda-managed Project protocols respectively, reviewing documentation from the project application stage through to final approval.

🔹 Infrastructure Standards:🏗️ Conducted site visits to ensure facilities meet technical standards, providing immediate feedback on identified gaps to ensure long-term sustainability.

🔹 Sanitation and Hygiene:🧼 Assessed household and institutional practices while delivering awareness and behavior change sessions to promote sustainable sanitation and hygiene behaviours.

🔹 Water Quality Monitoring:🧪 Performed water quality testing on both community water point and health post water scheme to ensure safety and compliance.

🤝 The mission concluded with a consultation meeting involving the Woreda administration and COWASH focal persons. The discussion centered on addressing observed challenges and identifying specific opportunities to improve service delivery and infrastructure management moving forward.

Beyond Basic Needs: Turning Services into Local Economic Opportunities💧

Providing access to WASH infrastructure does more than meet a basic need; it paves the ground for promoting local economic opportunities. 🏗️🛍️

When a community leads a project through the Community-Managed Project ( ) approach, they don’t just gain access to water, sanitation and hygiene services, they also promote local . 🤵‍♀️ COWASH IV is bridging the gap between infrastructure and affordable service delivery by fostering economic opportunities such as:

🔹 Establishing local sanitation production and supply centers and training members on toilet slab and liquid soap production.🧼🏬

🔹 Training skilled artisans to maintain water infrastructure and provide essential repair and spare parts supply services.🔧👷‍♂️

🔹Training local tailors and school groups on reusable sanitary pad production.🧵

🔹Linking WASH Savings and Loan Associations, established for improved household latrine construction, directly with local sanitation product suppliers.💰🤝

By empowering local entrepreneurs and communities to provide affordable and accessible services, COWASH IV is ensuring the long-term sustainability of WASH infrastructure.✅

The Role of MHM Centers in Protecting Girls from the Psychological Stress of Social Misunderstanding👭🛡️

Menstrual Hygiene Management ( ) centers are often discussed in terms of infrastructure and school attendance. However, their impact goes much deeper. At Samre Primary School in Tigray, we see how these facilities serve as a vital shield against the psychological distress and social stigma that often hinder a girl’s development.🏫

The Reality of Social Stigma🚫

In many rural communities, the simple biological reality of menstruation is clouded by social misunderstanding. As Awetash Aregay, a teacher and MHM coordinator at Samre school, explains, the fear of being seen with soiled clothes was a source of deep anxiety for her students. This fear wasn't just about the mess; it was about being falsely judged by the community, as stains could be misinterpreted as a sign of sexual activity. They are also considered being unclean. This emotional weight often led to school absenteeism and severe stress.🙍‍♀️

The Impact of MHM Centers✅

By providing a private space and a dedicated counseling program, COWASH IV is addressing the root of this distress. The transformation at Samre school shows that:

🔹 Restoring Confidence: When girls are relieved of this psychological weight and equipped with the products and knowledge they need, they no longer fear the journey home or the judgment of their peers. 🙋‍♀️💪

🔹 Shifting the Narrative: With both male and female teachers providing active support and normalizing the conversation, the center is slowly moving the community from stigma toward understanding.🗣️🤝

🔹 Holistic Growth: Relieved of constant anxiety, students can focus on their academic performance and healthy psychological development.📚🧠

The Result: Dignity in Education🎓

The success at Samre is a testament to why MHM accessibility is a critical part of rural education. It is about protecting a girl's right to grow, learn, and develop without the unnecessary burden of social shame. It ensures every girl can pursue her education with dignity.

📽️ See the full story of Samre’s girls’ story and our MHM initiatives:

🎞️ Restoring WASH in Tigray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5g1Cp-rWLk

🎞️ Empowering Women: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZafNDyBUGc&t=5s

🎞️ COWASH IV Documentary Series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzpVY3jbFx4&list=PLj13Dv5oarutly1HMK4_yTNRsOV_BSKVD&pp=0gcJCbcEOCosWNin

Restoring WASH Services in Tigray The conflict in Tigray has ravaged communities, leaving a devastating mark. WASH infrastructure, vital for health and dignity, has been severely compromised....

Is accessible infrastructure "pointless" if the path to it is still blocked? ♿

In many projects, one of the common arguments against building accessible WASH infrastructure cost and existing environmental barriers. Some ask: "What is the point building a toilet block or a Menstrual Management Center ( ) with ramps and accessible features if the path leading to it isn’t ready yet?"🤔

📍 At Gorche Woreda Primary and Middle School, we saw exactly what the point is.

🔹 The Catalyst Effect: Four years ago, COWASH IV opened the first MHM center in the woreda along with toilet blocks. As part of its commitment to inclusion, the project ensured the construction of each of these facilities were accessible for persons with disabilities.🏗️ However, at the time, the physical path connecting these buildings remained a barrier for them.

📣Instead of seeing this as a failure, the school and Woreda CMP advisers used these buildings as a powerful advocacy tool. Their consistent push for full accessibility caught the attention of partners, leading to additional support from UNICEF Ethiopia to construct a concrete accessible ramp linking the facilities.

👩‍🏫 What we learned: Construction was completed last month (March 2026), proving that building to an inclusive standard matters, even when you cannot address every barrier at once.

Why we start, even when it’s imperfect:

🔹 It sets a standard: It shows what "right" looks like.

🔹 It creates visibility: Barriers become obvious once the building itself is accessible.

🔹 It strengthens advocacy: It gives local leaders a tangible reason to ask partners for support.

🔹 It sparks wider action: What began as one project investment became a district-wide push for full accessibility.

We may not be able to do everything at once, but inclusive infrastructure acts as a spark for government and partner organizations to finish the puzzle.🧩 What we saw in Gorche Woreda confirms exactly that. ✅