Promoting Sanitation and Hygiene

Challenges

In many developing countries appropriate sanitation infrastructure is either non-existent or is failing to cope with rapid population growth. Additionally, inadequate hygiene awareness results in severe health problems and environmental hazards. Access to sanitation is a human right that safeguards health and human dignity. Every person deserves to be protected from problems caused by poor disposal of excreta. Unless immediate action is taken, the number of people without adequate sanitation will rise to more than 4.5 billion in just 20 years. Hardest hit will be the poor living in densely populated urban areas.


GFA Approach and Services

GFA’s approach to sanitation is holistic and characterized by adherence to sustainability aspects, paying attention to users’ preferences and the services they want and for which they are willing to pay. GFA puts household at the centre and includes hygiene and sanitation promotion as well as social marketing. Sanitation systems have to be economically viable, socially acceptable and technically and institutionally appropriate to ensure that they protect both human health and the environment.

  

Support to Sewerage Utilities   The organizational development of public sewerage utilities is necessary to foster a response to changing demand. Under this condition only, public sanitation infrastructure can be operated and maintained efficiently.

GFA supports service providers in improving service provision considering functionality, asset ownership, finances and operations as well as regional clustering in order to benefit from economies of scale. Management systems that address effective operations and customer services serve as a basis of tailor-made and needs-based training and support programs.

Reuse of Greywater and Wastewater   For water stressed countries, the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation is an important measure to stabilize agricultural production. Current farming practice often does not comply with regulations that prohibit the reuse of untreated effluent. As a result, high levels of nitrates and toxic substances contaminate soils and aquifers, and local populations are exposed to tremendous health hazards. GFA conducts feasibility studies and develops concepts that facilitate technically and financially feasible and environmentally sound wastewater reuse in agriculture and horticulture.

Onsite Sanitation   On-site sanitation is the main form of excreta disposal in developing countries and will remain the most appropriate level in the medium term. Despite heavy public investment in sewerage systems, typically only 10 to 15 % of the population benefit from access to the sewer network. GFA has extensive experience in developing on-site sanitation concepts combining participatory tools with technical excellence for informed decisions at all levels.