Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All in Rural Communities (SSH4A)

Location: Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Nghe An Provinces

Duration: 2011-2013

Programme Overview 

The Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All (SSH4A) aims to improve the health and quality of life of rural people in five Asian countries (Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PRD, Nepal and Vietnam) through enhanced access to improved sanitation and hygiene practices, with specific focus on poor households, ethnic minority groups and villages with the lowest sanitation coverage.

In Vietnam, the SSH4A programme started in 2010 with funding from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and covered three North Western provinces: Lai Chau, Dien Bien and Lao Cai.

In October 2011, the programme was extended to the central, coastal province of Nghe An, with funding from the UK Department of International Development.

By the end of 2012, the SSH4A programme had benefited 17,000 households (approx. 85,000 people) in 226 villages of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Nghe An provinces. The programme aims to ultimately benefit 200,000 people by the end of 2013.

The approach

In 2008 SNV Netherlands Development Organisation introduced Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) to Vietnam. SNV quickly learned that CLTS alone is not enough to achieve Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All.

Together with partners in Vietnam, SNV developed a more integrated approach. SSH4A integrates best practice in sanitation demand creation, strengthening

of sanitation markets, implementing hygiene behavioural change communication, and strengthening governance, with special focus on gender and social inclusion.

SSH4A programme focuses on building the capacity of partner organisations at provincial, district and commune levels to plan, implement and monitor the sanitation and hygiene interventions.

The comprehensive SSH4A Programme includes four components:

SNV is actively working with partners on scaling up SSH4A within and beyond the current provinces under the programme in Northern and Central Vietnam.

Contact:

Jorge Alvarez-Sala Torrean

Programme Leader WASH

Email: jalvarezsala@snvworld.org