USAID Transform WASH project – Learning notes overview

Published on: 19/10/2020

USAID Transform WASH aims to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) outcomes in Ethiopia by increasing market access to and sustained use of a broader spectrum of affordable WASH products and services, with a substantial focus on sanitation.

Transform WASH achieves this by transforming the market for low-cost quality WASH products and services: stimulating demand at the community level, strengthening supply chains, and improving the enabling environment for a vibrant private market.

USAID Transform WASH is a USAID-funded activity implemented by PSI in collaboration with SNV, Plan International, and IRC WASH. The consortium is working closely with government agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, the One WASH National Program, and regional and sub-regional governments.

A number of publications have been written to document the lessons learnt.

Learning notes by theme

Strengthening the supply chain:

The supply chain is about designing and introducing desirable and affordable sanitation products and services. The following learning notes have been published on this topic:

• Public-private collaboration in sanitation markets-global scan and potential for Ethiopia (2017)
• Financing for improved sanitation: case study from SNNPR, Ethiopia (2017)
• Assessment of field performance and acceptance of the SATO Pan in Ethiopia (2018)
• An assessment of sanitation financing options for enterprises and households (2020)
• Women as business leaders (2020)
• USAID Transform WASH business models (2022)
• Approaches to sanitation business development support at district level (2024)

 
Stimulating demand:

If there is no demand, there is no selling, no matter how many sanitation products and services are available. The following document goes into this:

• An assessment of demand creation of sanitation products and services (2019)
• Reaching universal access with market-based sanitation (2024)

 
Improving the enabling environment:

There needs to be a focus on improving the regulatory and institutional framework of the business climate.

• Facilitating the introduction of new sanitation products into the Ethiopian market (2019)
• Should sanitation be taxed? (2019)
• Building Government of Ethiopia capacity to manage effective WASH programming (2018)
• Case study: strengthening the One WASH National Program for effective WASH implementation, Aleta Wondo Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia (2019)
• Ethiopia's business environment and how it influences WASH Market Development - Updated edition (2021)
• Piloting smart and targeted sanitation subsidies (2023)