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| | CIWAS Newsletter March 2021
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Greetings,
With 2020 being a year faced with many changes and challenges presented by COVID-19, it was also a year of learning to adapt and adjust our work lives, professional lives, and daily lives. Innovative approaches became essential to communicate while collaborating safely from a distance. With the rapid spread of COVID-19, WASH practices became crucial to thoroughly educate globally in the prevention of spreading the disease. Through 2020, the Center for International Water and Sustainability (CIWAS) is continuing to work with our partners and its team members virtually to better minimize risk and prevent exposure until the pandemic is behind us. As we transition into 2021, the CIWAS will continue to raise awareness of WASH issues and practices for a brighter and safe year.
As always, the DRI/CIWAS team and I thank you for your interest and support of our work to improve lives.
- Braimah Apambire, Director
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| | WASH Capacity Building Program
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Cohort 5 of the WASH Capacity Building Program in early 2020
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| DRI, Drexel University, and University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) are continuing to collaborate to provide technical capacity building to World Vision field staff across developing world. The program trains staff through a one-year graduate certificate program on issues related to WASH and the environment. In late September, Cohort 5 of the WASH Capacity Building Program began their courses on Cross-Cutting Issues in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (CCI-WASH), and Water Supplies and Environmental Management in Developing Countries (WSEM) virtually and finished their fall semester strong amidst the pandemic in December. Although the thirty-six (36) students were not able to participate in the second face-to-face sessions, the students used a variety of virtual tools to stay connected throughout the semester.
CIWAS is excited to announce that Cohort 6 is currently scheduled to enroll 42 students in the WASHCap Program for the spring semester. Of the 42 students, 35 students are coming from sub-Saharan Africa, 3 from India and 4 students will be participating for the first time from Latin America and Caribbean countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Haiti. This cohort will be the most diversified in terms of educational backgrounds and the regions/number of countries participating in the program.
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Members of the circuit rider program working on maintenance repairs at local water pump
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| DRI CIWAS organized and facilitated a three-day Circuit Rider workshop in Tamale, Ghana with the support from the University for Development Studies (UDS) faculty and professionals from the Ghana WASH sector. The workshop, held from August 11 - 13, 2020 trained the participants on the Circuit Rider Methodology with specific focus on building community awareness regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The Circuit Rider Methodology consists of technicians who are trained to provide technical advice and support in three key areas while visiting a ‘circuit’ of communities: operations and maintenance, administration and finance, and promotion of best hygiene and sanitation practices within the community. The workshop had a total of 13 participants and consisted of two days of in-class instruction and one day of field work. During the in-person workshop, adequate precautions were taken to observe a safe learning environment and COVID-19 protocols.
In 2020, CIWAS extended the Circuit Rider program in Ghana to two new districts - North East Gonja District and North Gonja District. To ensure smooth implementation, CIWAS has established a “Circuit Rider Steering Committee” in Ghana to support and oversee CR program activities. The committee is comprised of the University for Development Studies (UDS) faculty, CIWAS team and local WASH professionals.
For more information, click here to see our “Circuit Rider Program Summaries, Stories, and Successes.”
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| | Fluoride Removal Technology
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| Despite continuing challenges and restrictions to travel due to COVID-19, we are moving forward with developing a Circuit Rider program in Rumphi, Malawi to support sustainable WASH systems in healthcare facilities. Working jointly with our partner Transform International (TI), we have identified a local NGO in Malawi to host the program and have begun the process of identifying potential Circuit Riders who will be trained by CIWAS and TI to be key providers of WASH support to healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, we are also refining our training workshop plan to include content on infection prevention and control, monitoring, and basic entrepreneurship skills in addition to WASH system operation and maintenance. Training will be delivered online and later supplemented with field training when it is safe to travel.
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| In July, Dr. Apambire participated in the Rotary International 2020 Virtual Convention as speaker. Dr. Apambire’s presentation was on “Learning From WASH Failures”. He discussed in detail the information and data that was collected through studies regarding WASH failures and discussed training efforts and how to mitigate damage by providing training on maintenance repairs.
Click here to watch the Rotary Convention Breakout.
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| | WASH in Health Care Facilities Program
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Meeting of our Circuit Riders in Malawi who are preparing for the start of the WASH in HCFs program
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| Despite continuing challenges and restrictions to travel due to COVID-19, we are moving forward with developing a Circuit Rider program in Rumphi, Malawi to support sustainable WASH systems in healthcare facilities. Working jointly with our partner Transform International (TI), we have identified a local NGO in Malawi to host the program and have begun the process of identifying potential Circuit Riders who will be trained by CIWAS and TI to be key providers of WASH support to healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, we are also refining our training workshop plan to include content on infection prevention and control, monitoring, and basic entrepreneurship skills in addition to WASH system operation and maintenance. Training will be delivered online and later supplemented with field training when it is safe to travel.
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