The WASH (Improving Access to Safe Water and Sanitation and Hygiene for Most Vulnerable Children and Residents in Herat, Afghanistan) is a Japan Platform-funded project implemented by the NICCO organization in partnership with the RSDO organization with a set of evidence-based practices for the sustained provision of safe water, dignified sanitation, and good hygiene practice across a variety of contexts.

A part of the WASH project was implemented in the Kushki Kohna district (at Khwaja Qalandar, Joyi Sultani, Kariz Zaman and Koklam villages) of Herat which aimed to improve access to safe water and sanitation for children and residents under these circumstances through the provision of water supply and sanitation facilities, distribution of sanitation supplies, and hygiene awareness training.

The WASH project activities are:

• Improvement of water supply and sanitation facilities:

Targeting schools with inadequately functioning water supply and sanitation facilities due to conflicts and natural disasters, the project improved access to safe water and promoted proper hygiene practices for approximately 4,000 children attending those schools by providing water supply facilities, toilets, hand washing facilities, water tanks, and other sanitation facilities.

• Hygiene Awareness:

The project Promoted basic hygiene habits by distributing hygiene products and conducting hygiene awareness classes for 400 households living near schools where water supply and sanitation facilities were not fully functioning due to conflicts or natural disasters.

• Establishing the school management committees

RSDO also established school management committees in all 4 schools of Khawaja Qalandar, Joyi Sultani, Kariz Zaman, and Koklam that are responsible for preserving and maintaining the school structure and rehabilitating the damaged structures. The committees also received capacity-building training seminars in which they received full instruction and guidance on fulfilling their duty to their community.

The WASH project started on 16/3/2023 and ended on 16/7/2023 which was implemented for 4 months. Now, by completion of the project, the school students and the residents of the school’s surrounding villages have access to safe drinking water with their knowledge regarding hygiene and sanitation practices. They will no longer suffer from acute diseases and will have a healthy and happy life.