WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011
EDITO
ACF AND THE HUMANITARIAN
REFORM (Souleymane Sow, Rapid
Response Team ACF – France)
Five years! This is the time elapsed since
the roll-out of the UN-led humanitarian
reform as the new software for
humanitarian crisis prepardness and
response. It is moulded around (i)
improving humanitarian leadership
through the reform Humanitarian
Coordinators system, (ii) better
coordination of humanitarian actions via
the cluster approach, (iii) faster, more
predictable and equitable humanitarian
funding, and (iv) more effective
partnerships among humanitarian
actors based on the principles adopted
by the Global Humanitarian Platform.
Aimed at addressing gaps in intra and
inter sector coordination, being the
interface with end-beneficiaries and the
mechanism via which aid reaches them,
the cluster approach acts as the
operational branch of the reform.
Five years! This is also the time ACF has
been on-board this reform. As we move
forward, it is appropriate, from time to
time, to look back and inventory our
involvement (not to say our time
investment) in this reform. Hence:

A posintionning paper vis-à-vis the
reform was issued in January 2007, then
revised and published in Jnauray 2010

A working group on the reform
established in September 2010 in ACF
France. This group (still active) which
includes Technical, Logistic and
©ACF International
Operations directors meet about 3-4
times per year to examine the evolution
of the reform and advise on strategic
actions to be taken by ACF

ACF France (which is now a member
of the strategic advisory group-SAG) and
ACF UK took active membership in the
Global WASH Cluster since the onset in
2006, leading on several projects and
initiatives such as (i) the Global WASH
Cluster Startegy 2011-2013, (ii) the
learning project, (iii) the human Right to
water and sanitation in emergencies
project. Furthermore ACf France actively
supported (taking a membership in the
sterring group) several other projects
such as (i) the WASH cluster coordinator
handbook, the hygiene promotion
project and the stockpile project

ACF-spain is an active member of the
regional Latin America and carabian
WASH cluster since its inception

The translation of ACF WASH book in
Spanish benefited support from regional
cluster funds

3 ACF France HQ staff benefited the
WASH Cluster Coordinator training in
2008 and 2010

Concerned ACF France HQ staff
benefited in training from OCHA Geneva
on the overall finance pilar of the
reform

ACF took membership in the
humanitarian country team (HCT) in
Haiti. As a mater of note, the HCT is
chaired by the humanitarian coordinator
and includes country directors of UN
agencies, IOM, the Red Cross movement
and NGO family.

In the perspective of the roll-out of
the Global WASH cluster strategy 2011-
2013, discussions are underway about
extending in time and expanding in
positions and number of WASH cluster
agencies involved, the RRT project and a
more regional approach.
Likewise, initiatives are ongoing about
establishing 6 NGos hosted regional
cluster advisors based in the 6 UN
regions to both strengthen regional
clusters and support countries
emergency prepardness and response.
ACF France is offering to host the
position to be based in Dakar which
covers the West and Central Africa
countries.
In the light of the above, ACF has been
playing a pro-active, increasing,
objective and acknowledged role in the
humanitarian reform process in general
and in the cluster approach in particular.
While this new busness model/software
has been used in about 40 countries
since 2006, it is yet at developing stage
as many grey areas and challenges
remain on how it operates in certain
contexts (Ivory Coast today).
Notwithstanding, the various
evaluations conducted since 2006 seem
to point out that this model, in its spirit
and concept, is beter than what we had
before.
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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

CONTENTS
• NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS 2
• DID YOU KNOW...? 3
• QUESTIONS ASKED TO 4
• ZOOM ON A PROJECT 5
• RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT 7
• WHAT HAPPENED? Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora… 9
• WHAT’S NEXT? Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora… 10
• WHAT CAN YOU FIND IN THE PREVIOUS & NEXT NEWSLETTERS? 12

This Newsletter was prepared in Madrid with the participation of all headquarters and missions.
Thanks to all for your contributions.

NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS

Madrid
WASH advisor José Luis Diago started in October 2010 replacing Julie Aubriot will finalise her PhD on “civil society and right to
Jean Christophe Barbiche, his is the referent for the same water, South Africa” on September 2011.
missions, Central América, Paraguay- Bolivia, Perú, Colombia-
Ecuador, Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Guinea Conakry. He has
worked previously with ACF-F in Afghanistan and with ACF-S in
Guatemala and Perú. Pablo Alcalde, is the Head of the WASH
department and following Occupied Palestinian Territories,
Philippines, South Caucasus, Lebanon, Syria and Lybian crisis.

Disaster Risk Prevention advisor position will be opened in June

2011.

New York
Recruitment is ongoing for a second permanent WASH advisor to
be based in the New York office. The new advisor is expected to
start in June 2011.

WASH advisor Nick Radin continues to follow WASH in DRC,

South Sudan, and Pakistan; and in addition will follow WASH in
the newly opened Nigeria mission. Youcef Hammache continues
to combine WASH duties with his desk officer responsibilities in
Uganda and Kenya.

Paris
ACF –France will coordinate the Pirority for Action 1-4 (protect
populations and economies from risk, respond to crisis) in the
World Water Forum 2011. Julien Eyrard is extended all over
2011 on this position plus support sanitation projects.

Souleymane Sow is extended as a Rapid Response Team up to

July 2011, for the moment.

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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

DIS YOU KNOW ?

ACF is using the CLTS approach: A field account from Solomon Teh – Community Development Supervisor – Liberia

On 26th June 2009, the ACF team carried a meeting with children and adults in a community in Lofa County of Liberia. A map of the village
was drawn on the ground, with the help of the ACF facilitator. Each family indicated their houses and preferred location for open
defecation (using sawdust to indicate the place on the map). A transect walk then took place with the villagers. Some of the faeces were
collected and brought back to the town. The ACF team calculated the amount of faeces produced by the community, and congratulated
them on the amount! Then the collected samples were placed near a bottle of water. Of course, no one wanted to drink it! At this point,
people were already ashamed and embarrassed of their practices. This feeling was only increased when the children started saying “papa,
mama, we tired eating popoo”.

A few weeks later latrine structures were erected. Unfortunately, most of them collapsed after a month (rains, poor quality construction
and insects). The challenge is now to move from the successful ignition phase to more durable latrine. Creating a market for low cost but
robust sanitation solutions is on its way!

Pakistan Emergency Update

Flooding due to unusually heavy rains initially hit Northern Pakistan in July 2010, and the Indus river gradually carried the flooding south
over the next month. ACF-USA responded in both Northern Pakistan (Lower Dir, Nowshera and Chasaddah districts of KPK province), and
in Southern Pakistan (Thatta distrct, Sindh province). Official estimates are that 20.2 million people have been affected by the floods, 7
million are in need of emergency shelter and 1.9 million homes have been damaged or destroyed.

The ACF WASH response was to provide hygiene kits to the displaced families, to provide water trucking to IDP camps, and to ensure
camp sanitation through implementation of latrines and showers as well as chlorine spraying and solid waste pits. Outside of the camps,
activities involved restoration of water points through disinfection and repair as well as environmental cleaning campaigns that included
removal of debris, removal of animal cadavers, unblocking of drainage channels and removal of pooled water. All activities were
underpinned with hygiene promotion activities. ACF-USA compiled outputs from the flood response activities are shown in the table
below:

Activity Number Achieved Number of beneficiaries

Hygiene kit distribution 17,408 kits 121,856
Water trucking 60,722 m3 distributed 157 731
Latrines implemented 755 latrines 35 285
Water points restored 146 water points 21049
Environmental cleaning campaigns 19 campaigns 70,162

In some areas the flood response only lasted one month, and in other areas such as Thatta district, Sindh, it is still ongoing as floodwaters
up to 2m deep still remain in some locations. However the focus has now principally shifted to early recovery where interventions focus
on restoring WASH services and facilities in flood affected villages in order to facilitate the return process. The subsequent phase of
programming will most likely focus on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) which will ensure that communities are made more resilient
against future disasters.

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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

South Sudan Emergency Update

Although the South Sudan referendum on independence in January 2011 passed better than many had expected, it still triggered
considerable population movement. In Warrap and Northern Bahr El Ghazal States on the “border” between North Sudan and South
Sudan ACF-USA provided access to clean water and sanitation for returnees coming back to South Sudan having previously been based in
North Sudan. Activites were carried out in camps and host communities and included delivery of over 70,000 liters of potable water on a
daily basis, as well as the installation of emergency latrines and the conducting of hygiene promotion sessions. This intervention remains
ongoing.

Libya Emergency Update

ACF-S is conducting an emergency response in the Tunisia-Libyan border to improve conditions of around 20.000 people gathered in
Tunisia, 7 km away from the border. Activities include water trucking, emergency sanitation, hygiene promotion and waste management
trough “Cash for Work” activities.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvzoHDUmsqM)

World Water Day

ACF-S launched the campaign “No me gusta” (I don’t like) aiming to advocate through the social networks for improving the access to
proper water, sanitation and hygiene.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF1rsXB7E-w
Web: http://www.nomegusta.com/

ACF – France world water day 2011: drinking directly from the urban sewage system!

©ACF International 4
 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

QUESTIONS ASKED TO…

Paul GINIES
Directeur Général de la fondation 2iE
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

M.Paul Ginies est le directeur général 2iE.

Questions Il est aussi l'auteur de l'ouvrage « l'Afrique forme ses visées : histoire

& Answers d'une réussite » aux éditions l'harmattan.

Introduction
La fondation 2ie est un centre bilingue d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche dans les domaines de l'eau, de l'environnement, de
l'énergie et du génie civil. La fondation a été créée en janvier 2007 et se veut aujourd'hui plate-forme internationale de formation des
élites scientifiques en Afrique de l’Ouest. Ses formations s’inscrivent dans le système LMD et sont accréditées en France et en Europe
par la Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur (CTI). Action contre la faim et la fondation 2iE ont conclu un accord de partenariat en 2008
visant à améliorer les compétences dans le secteur de l'eau et de l'assainissement en contexte humanitaire en Afrique. C'est ainsi qu'a
été créé en 2010 un Master WASH, partenariat pédagogique entre 2iE, ACF, et Bioforce. Les premiers étudiants ont commencé leur
formation en Octobre 2010. L'accord de partenariat a été renouvelé en Février 2011 et signé au siège d'Action contre la Faim par M.
Paul Ginies, Directeur Général de 2iE et Mme Catherine di Maria (Directrice des ressources humaines à ACF). C'est à ce moment que
l'équipe WASH d’ACF a profité de s'entretenir avec M. Ginies sur l'accord de partenariat.
.
1. Quels sont les enjeux du partenariat pour 3. Que propose l'institut 2ie pour les futurs
2iE ? ingénieurs?
L’institut permet de former de jeunes ingénieurs africains aux
problématiques rencontrées sur leur continent. Ces jeunes 2iE forme à entreprendre pour les futurs créateurs de richesse
ingénieurs permettront d’apporter une réponse aux urgences en Afrique, en mettant l’accent que la responsabilité sociale et
humanitaires rencontrées en Afrique par des Africains mais aussi environnementale. Nous espérons créer de nouveaux rapports
dans le monde entier. La formation met l'accent sur la capacité sociaux et professionnels en Afrique, basé sur des valeurs de
de résolution de problèmes, dans un environnement permettant diversité des cultures et de développement durable, en se
l'innovation technologique et développant les relations rapprochant ainsi des valeurs d'ACF.
humaines. Grâce à ses formations de haute qualité et en phase
avec le monde du travail, les diplômés 2iE trouvent très
rapidement un emploi, ils sont près de 95% à être embauché
moins de 6 mois après leur sortie. Aujourd’hui les ONGs sont des
acteurs économiques primordiaux en Afrique qui emploient un
très grand nombre de personnes, et cette tendance va sûrement
s’accentuer dans les années à venir. Le Master Wash permet de
combler un manque de formation pour les compétences
spécifiques liées à l'humanitaire.

2. Le Master WASH: une avancée pour l'eau et

l'assainissement en Afrique?
L’institut 2ie permet l'utilisation de technologies avancées et
visionnaires pour l'Afrique, comme l'utilisation de la
géophysique pour la prospection Hydro géologique, l'utilisation
de membranes de filtration, de techniques de lagunage, tout en
proposant des alternatives efficaces dans le domaine de l'eau et
de l'assainissement. Travailler avec ACF nous permet d'explorer
différentes options technologiques et de continuer à innover.
Dans le champ social, ce partenariat nous permet de travailler
avec des acteurs sociaux essentiels en Afrique et diversifie ainsi
nos partenaires

©ACF International 5
 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011
ZOOM ON A PROJECT
Piloting sanitation solutions for periurban UlaanBaatar
Since March 2009 ACF conducts an operational research
project in Mongolia that investigates sustainable water and
sanitation solutions for periurban UlaanBaatar, the so-called
Ger area. This article will focus on sanitation.
Context
The country is facing a massive and unorganised urbanisation,
with a rural population leaving their nomadic life style. Today
half of the population leaves in the capital, UlaanBaatar, with a
majority in the Ger area.
Ger area. Existing latrine.
Ger dwellers have precarious pit latrines in their yard. More
than 100.000 unsafe HH latrines are scattered in the Ger area.
When pit is full, people fill-up and dig new one next to it.
Access to water is limited and tough. They collect with a cart at
the closest kiosk. People use less than 10 l/day. On top of this,
people continue to use hygienic practice inherited from their
nomadic lifestyle, which reveals as inappropriate in high
population density area.
ACF has carte blanche for 3 years to study various technical
and management options. The extreme climate conditions
(half year below 0°C) represent unexplored technical
challenges while the particular socio-economic environment
requires inventive but sensible approach.
Approach
The project embraces simultaneously each steps of the faecal
sludge management chain, and all aspects, being technical,
social, environmental or economical. It is based on both the
ecosan and the ‘sanmarket’ approaches.
©ACF International
Storage and Collection
Conception of toilet is central to the project and conditions
its success. A constant process of R&D and testing within the
community aimed at developing a marketable product, with
following characteristics: safe, ecological (e.g. water free),
comfortable (e.g. odour free), appealing, practical (for
emptying) and affordable. The objective is to come up with a
catalogue of toilets, adjustable, that can suit different soils
and different users’ wish.
So far, ACF has been able to develop nice and comfortable
emptyable eco-toilets, with urine diversion (UD), accepted by
local people, with different options, such as raised or non
raised.
Raised eco-toilet. Intern features.
Sludge transport
On-site composting has been tried in the first place.
Conclusion was that a centralised composting was
preferable. But it requires emptying and transportation.
USUG, the Water&Sewage authority, already provides
emptying service, using heavy trucks that pour lots of water
before vacuuming up pit content. The system is neither
economic, nor practical in narrow streets of the Ger area.
The ACF toilets design integrated the easy-emptying aspect.
Raised toilet has of a vault-box, while non-raised model
(‘zipzap’) has a sliding superstructure that frees the access to
the pit, where a removable bag collects the excreta. UD
systems limit the volume of product to be transported. A
small truck equipped with a manual crane would be able to
provide an economic collecting service.
Zip-Zap toilet.
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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011
Treatment
ACF has opted for centralised composting. Taboo on reuse of
human excreta in Mongolia and extreme cold climate made it
challenging. However ACF believes that using marketing tools
(e.g. packaging) will help to overcome the cultural barrier.
The project team has set up a composting facility in a
container, using innovative approach for energy saving. This
is critical for producing affordable, hence marketable
compost. Composting tests are on going. Another
valorisation option, dessication of excreta for production of
fossil fuel will be explored.
Compost facility (left) with Canadian well technology
(schematically represented) for ventilation energy saving.
Reuse (soil conditioning and fertilisation)
ACF has launched a marketing study for Compost. Local food
production is extremely limited in and around Ulaanbaatar,
due to harsh climate, poor soil fertility and culinary habit
(meat). However, given the rapid urbanisation and adoption of
new lifestyle, one can foresee a significant increase in demand
for local production (greenhouse cultivation), offering a
market for Mongolian compost. But horticulture and public
gardens may offer greater markets.
Sanmarket (sanitation marketing)
San market approach.
Based on the above scheme, ACF tries to address the 3
elements of the San-market.
©ACF International
- Providing solutions. ACF pilots the local solutions (eco-
toilets, composting) and looks for entrepreneurs for
developing and making those solutions available on the
market.
- Creating demand based on Social marketing precepts, i.e.
using marketing tools for the public good (public health):
demo at events, at public offices, website, Com’, advertising,
Call number on eco-toilet…
- Social financing: collaboration with a local ‘green’ Bank is
under discussion to develop a financial product to enable the
Ger inhabitants to access the eco-toilets (i.e. micro-credit).
Smart subsidies for reducing production cost are yet to be
explored.
Communication campaign at festival.
Conclusion
This project is at the forefront of periurban sanitation in cold
climate and beyond. It tries to address the public health
issues, via an ecological and pro-poor approach, and within
market rules. It is pioneering on how ACF and other
organisations could address urban sanitation challenge and
ecosan failures.
Main lessons learnt so far:
-Health is not the selling point. Comfort, social status might
be.
-Eco-toilets should respond to an aspiration for progress, not
regress.
-Ecosan is not only about ecology, but about economy.
-Sanitation project requires new different skills, such as
marketing, design, sociology, com’
-Sanitation project takes time and requires formative
research
-Scalability is thought at the start, in the design of the
project, not at the end.
Finally, this project is all inclusive and works at cristallising
knowledge and interest among a range of partners and
experts: municipality, universities, research center, sanitation
network (e.g. www.susana.org), NGOs, Int. development
banks, local banks, technical donors… This is crucial for
getting the buy-in and making this pilot project a scalable
solution, not a ‘one more’ pilot project.
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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

Emergency sanitation: where are we and what needs to be done?
2010 have been a turning point for sanitation in emergencies. The earthquake in Haiti, the floods in Pakistan and the various cholera
outbreaks revealed the overall importance of the sanitation component in the WAter, Sanitation Health package. They also revealed the
strengths and weaknesses of the existing sanitation kits and ready-to-use solutions. This paper will focus on the solutions deployed in the
field and will examine future developments and needed improvements.

Emergency Squatting Slabs – KK NAG Magic

The KK Nag Magic slab was widely used in Haiti after the earthquake. We now have a good field test of
this product are awe are able to improve it directly with the provider in India. It is strongly advised to
install the slabs over a wooden frame rather than directly on the ground. This will last longer and will
reduce the risk of collapse. The frame should be anchored to the ground with masonry or concrete plots.
Various accessories are under development: potty for children, slabs for disable people, urine diversion,
etc.
Pro Con Comment
WASH Cluster standard No seat or “potty” for children (not yet!) Various developments
Light, easy to carry and transport Not accessible for disable people on going with KK Nag
on palettes (potty, disable
Functional, strong, self supporting Almost impossible to install directly on people…)
the soil (risk of collapse)
Easy to clean and no maintenance The slab is in the ACF
Can be the starting point of WASH catalogue
accessories / development kits

Peepoo bags
The peepoo bags are biodegradable plastic bags designed to be buried once filled. The production line is now fully ready to operate (which
was not the case after the earthquake in Haiti). There are still questions regarding the conservation of the biodegradable plastic and the
urea contained (to reduce smells).
Pro Con Comment
Easy to store and distribute as Conservation of the bag in wet / The “mass production” has not
“first kit” in case of emergency hot climates? started yet at times of writing
Can be kept “full” a few days (4- Bag to narrow. New model (should be ready very soon!)
5) without smell thanks to the should be larger, producer said Still a question mark on the
urea in the bag conservation
Good solution for local Dignity Otherwise promising product, to
emergency stocks in pre – be considered for emergency
identified shelters (DRR) stocks in countries where DRR is
Can be used for Eco San (burry it Not yet available in large at stake (Haiti…)
and plant a tree!) quantities
Production line will be in Nairobi :
reduce transport costs for Africa

Raised up latrines / tanked sanitation

Raised up latrines are using the same KK Nag slabs but instead of being at ground level the wooden frame is raised up to allow installation
of a tank under. This tank can be a plastic tank, a bladder or a metallic drum. In any case, the tank will have to be desludges on a regular
basis. This can be done with a pump or by exchanging full drums / tanks for new ones.

Pro Con Comment

Same setting with KK Nag magic slabs Accessibility for disable people ACF did not use this option in
Suitable for “no digging” areas Amount of logistic involved in desludging Haiti. We used port-a-loo
and transportation instead (see bellow)
Relatively fast to deploy Acceptance by users (steps…)

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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

Port-a-loo
Portable latrines are cubicles equipped with a 200 litres tank to collect the faeces and the urine. They need to be desludged on a regular
basis (every evening in Port au Prince). The best option for that is to deal with a sanitation company in charge of the rental, maintenance
and service of the cubicle. Prices are high but in some cases there is no other option. The highest the number of cubicles rented; the lower
will be the unit rental price. The port-a-loo option is to be considered only if there is a secured area for the final destination of the sludge. If
such an area is not available, the “less worse” option is to open one, far enough from the city and secured. This should be done in
collaboration with local authorities. To be efficient the project should also provide hand washing stations and cleaning material.

Pro Con Comment

Users friendly, comfort, dignity, safety
If available in the country, can be deployed
quickly
Good option where it is not possible to dig (urban
areas, high water table…)
Price
Almost impossible to stock and operate by an
NGO – need to rent via a commercial company
Final destination of the sludge needs to be
secured
A good option for urban areas.
It is better to have a stand by
agreement with a company for
a negotiated price in case of
emergency

Research and Development

The most active NGO’s in the field of sanitation (ACF, Oxfam, MSF…) as well as various private companies and designers are working
together in order to improve the design and tune up the various technical solutions. Here is a review of the most promising projects
currently under R and D.

On line decision support tool - There are a few basic questions one should answer before starting an emergency sanitation process:
distance to water point, flood prone area, water table height, etc. To ease this process, Akvo (www.akvo.org) is trying to develop a decision
support tool. Should be on line very soon!

Modular accessories for the KK Nag magic slab - This slab is already coming with few accessories: a pan, a water seal and a goose
neck for connexion to a pipe. This allows facing many situation and cultural habits (some population can’t use a toilet without a water seal).
Other accessories are currently under development: ventilation pipes and fly screens for VIP latrines, urine diversion bowls and potties for
children. Another improvement is concerning the accessibility for disable people. ACF France is in charge of the children potty and the slab
for disable people.

Foldable superstructures - The idea is to provide a faster solution for the implementation of the cubicles. The main constraint with the
existing technique (wooden poles and plastic sheeting) is the availability of building materials that can be a problem in some locations:
deserts, mountainous areas… MSF and Oxfam are developing kits. KK Nag is also working on a kit for their slabs.

Raised latrines kits - They are an option in flood prone areas. Several techniques are available, using scaffolding (developed by ACF
Spain) or wood. The sludge is collected in tank, bladder or any other available equipment.

Pit lining kits - The idea is to line the bottom of the pit, in order to stabilize it in soft or sandy soils. Various systems exist, with pre-
fabricated plastic rings or similar items.

Biological activators - There are two types of biological additives: some will accelerate the natural process by increasing the
bacteriological charge in the tank; the other type is new bacteria to be added in the tank in order to accelerate the process. This last type is
not yet 100% ready and more research needs to be done to reach a functional product.

Desludging kits - This is always a difficult and potentially dangerous job. Direct action manual desludging pumps have bee developed.
Diaphragms hand pumps are also available on the market and seems to work better. Mechanical diaphragms pumps are preferable for
intensive use. Diaphragm pumps are self priming, which is obviously a plus for desludging operations…

Mobile / portable treatment units or kits - These are the ultimate challenge in terms of emergency sanitation engineering. They would
be useful to deal with situations where digging is not possible and centralized treatment plants are not available.

All these products and concepts (and few others!) are under development. We will inform you as soon as significant steps are
th
done. ACF France is involved in various inter – agencies projects such as SuSanA (see www.susana.org) or the WEDC 35
international conference (see http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/ ).

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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

WHAT HAPPENED?
Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
DRM
ACF is in the process of mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management (DRM) into its programming and increasing DRM operational
opportunities. As part of this wider project, a WASH DRM workshop took place in November in Nairobi. It sought to explain how to
integrate DRM into WASH programming as both a mainstream and stand alone topic. The 4 day workshop was held jointly with
CARE, and Andrew Mitchell was the facilitator from ACF. It brought together ACF program managers and coordinators from
missions in Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Philippines, South Sudan, DRC, Somalia, Kenya, South Caucus, Afghanistan, Uganda and
Ethiopia as well as HQ staff from Paris, Madrid and New York.

Ground water research

ACF-USA presented its groundwater research project from the Uganda mission at the Hydrology Conference “The Changing
Physical and Social Environment: Hydrologic Impacts and Feedbacks”, held in San Diego in October 2010. The project was
carried out in collaboration with the University of Avignon.

Pastoral DVD
ACF-France produced a DVD (French and English) on humanitarian response in pastoral context. This DVD presents the pastoral
problematic, and the response methodology adapted to this specific and challenging context. It covers Nutrition, FSL and of course
the WASH sectors.

Global WASH Cluster meeting in NYork, November 2010

ACF-France contributed, as member of the SAG (Strategic Advisory Group) of the Global WASH Cluster, to a major meeting about
the governance of the cluster. This meeting involved high level representatives of UNICEF and UNOCHA (inclufing UNICEF
General Director). Objective was to make our common involvement in the Humanoitarian Reform more rational and transparent.

Partnership between ACF – France and Beijing Science and Technology University
ACF-France developed a partnership with the USTB (University of Science and Technology of Beijing) in order to launch a huge
research project (1 PhD and 8 masters) in Mongolia peri-urban area, about closing the sanitation loop. Our partener in Beijing is
Mr Heinz-Peter Mang, who is also one of the “fathers” of Susana Network.

The WASH humanitarian master is launched in Burkina Faso

ACF-France is associated with Bioforce to pilot the WASH Humanitarian Master, based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This year
was the first edition of the master, and 16 students coming from several countries (Ivory Coast, Chad, Togo, Niger, Cameroun,
Guinea, Benin, Burkina Faso, Spain and France) received 700 hours of classes and training on humanitarian projects and WASH.

The WASH policy 2011 is coming

The document has been finalised and translated in English and French. A peer group of 17 people revised it. It will be very soon
available at all levels of ACF.

The Hand Washing Day 2010

It has been celebrated on the 15th of October by 7 ACF WASH teams in Ethiopia, Liberia, Haiti, CAR, Bangladesh, Mongolia and
Indonesia. A summary has been sent to UNICEF in NYork to be shared with other partners promoting hand washing.

Waste management in urban context

ACF-S in Philippines has produced a capitalization report on Waste Management in urban context after three years of work in
Cotabato, including incoming generating activities on recycling. As well the mission has produced a manual to implement CLTS in
the country.

Household waste water treatment plant

Lebanon mission has developed a household waste water treatment plant to reduce burden of the costs of water at family level
(trough reusing). Rain harvesting pool for irrigation has been capitalized too.

Small irrigation infrastructures

ACF-S has tutored a student’s project jointly with the University Jaume I of Castellon (Spain). The project provides a tool for
designing the small irrigation infrastructures in Sahel, including solar pumping. The document also includes a practical case,
studying the implementation of one of ACF’s nutritional gardens in Mauritania.

Wash environmental policy and guidelines

ACF-S is developing the WASH Environmental Policy. The policy will be completed with the WASH Environmental Guidelines,
aiming at providing a practical tool for mainstreaming environment in our projects.

©ACF International 10
 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

WHAT’S NEXT?
Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
Next ACF France Publications

Self training module on Sanitation: the faecal hazard, the challenges of sanitation torday, sanitation in
emergencies, sanitation in development.

World Water Forum 6 Marseilles

The next World Water Forum will take place in March 2012 in Marseilles. ACF France is involved in the Key
Priority 1.4 “Protect People and economies from risk, insure humanitarian answer to crisis”. There are 12 key
priorities, 3 conditions for success, something like 140 targets and political, regional, themlatic and local
process. ACF will co – lead key priority 1.4 and should also be coordinator of a sanitation target.

35th WEDC conference

ACF France will be present at the 35th WEDC conference in Jully 2010. A paper about the use of the Port-a-loo during the
emergency operations in Port - au-Prince will be presented.

Hygiene Promotion group meeting 29-03-2011

More than 30 participants from all other the world met in Oxford for a 3 days meeting on the topics of hygiene promotion and
sanitation. ACF was present. Main topics were CLTS and SLTS approaches, hygiene in emergency, urban hygiene promotion.

Household desalinisation research up to restart

ACF-USA will restart its research into household desalinization in Pakistan. The project having been put on hold for 6 months due
to the flood response.

Summer ACF-IN WASH workshop

ACF-S is organizing a workshop for late June beginning July under the topic “Urban challenges in WASH” following the annual
monographic workshops that the network is conducting from 2005.

INTERNET RESOURCES

http://www.susana.org/
Acf is member of this sanitation network since September 2010. The web site is a usefull source of information and
shared experience. See also the page and the blog of WG8 “sanitation in emergency and reconstruction”
(http://susanawg8.wordpress.com/).

http://www.akvo.org/
In case you didn’t know it, “akvo” means water in Esperanto language! This Netherland based web site is trying to
improve water and sanitation projects through knowledge exchange on smart and affordable technical solutions and
effective approaches. Very soon the site will be upgraded with an online sanitation decision maker support tool.

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000367
A series of peer reviewed papers by S. Cairncross and J. Bartram: WASH, “forgotten foundations of health” and
“what needs to be done?”.

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 WASH ISSUE N°5 MARCH 2011

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