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Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium (SWSC)


The Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium includes 10 non-governmental organizations and contributes to improving the livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities in least developed countries in West and East Africa and Asia by increasing drinking water, sanitation and hygiene coverage in schools and health care facilities. It also contributes to triggering innovation and knowledge sharing between the Swiss NGOs as well as strengthening the Swiss profile in advocacy and policy.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Global
Water
Health
Water sanitation
Water supply
Primary health care
01.03.2023 - 31.12.2027
 CHF  12’114’000
The project in brief
Background Despite the progress made in achieving SDG 6 since 2015, significant gaps still persist: worldwide, over two billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, around 3.6 billion people do not have access to safe sanitation, and 2.3 billion people do not have access to handwashing facilities with soap. Furthermore, the above data mask significant variations among geographies, urban-rural divide, wealth quintiles, and vulnerable groups. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in institutions has gained prominence in recent years as a critical area where progress is particularly slow while of serious importance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and other key health and educational concerns.
Objectives Improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable in least developed and developing countries, contributing to inclusive and equitable quality education, universal quality health care and availability and sustainable management of water, sanitation and hygiene services for all.
Target groups The interventions will benefit people in 16 projects across 13 countries in three regions (West and East Africa, Asia). The programme will focus on strengthening the capacity of local governments– ministries of education and ministries of health (national, district and local level), school stakeholders, healthcare facility staff, local communities, local service providers such as nongovernmental organizations and private sector. Improved capacity of the key actors to deliver sustainable water and sanitation services combined with increased access to improved water and sanitation infrastructure will benefit house holds, school pupils and health care centre patients in rural areas and small towns in the project regions. 
Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1: Increased use of sustainable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services. (Target : approximately 1 million people)

Outcome 2: Strengthened WASH service provision through capacity building, advocacy, innovation, knowledge management and adopting a WASH systems strengthening approach. (Target : approximately 1 million people) 

 
Results

Expected results:  

1.1 Drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and water treatment systems; 

1.2 Capacity building on management, operation and maintenance of water supply and sanitation services and infection prevention and control; 

1.3 Stakeholder actions on WASH, menstrual health and hygiene/gender and sustainable land/water/waste management;

2.1 Tangible advocacy, capacity building and innovation initiatives and investments;

2.2 Knowledge Management: evidence building, national and global events; 

2.3 Adopting a Systems-wide approach: accompanying system actors to enhance and fulfil their roles thereby strengthening the system;

2.4 Collaboration and learning among SWSC members and partners.


Results from previous phases:   Access to WASH services brought to approximately 1,000,000 people in communities, 330,000 school pupils and 1.6 million patients in healthcare facilities during the first two phases.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
Private sector
Swiss Academic and Research Institution
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Other Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • Swiss Private Sector
  • SANDEC EAWAG
  • Swiss Water and Sanitation NGO Consortium: Fondation Terre des Hommes, Swissaid, Helvetas, Solidar Suisse, Fastenopfer, HEKS-EPER, Caritas, Swiss Red Cross. Affiliate members: Water for Water, Antenna Foundation.


Coordination with other projects and actors UN-Water, WHO, UNICEF, EAWAG, Sanitation and Hygiene Fund, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Rural Water Supply Network, Social Entrepreneurs.
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    12’114’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    5’237’454
Project phases Phase 1 01.03.2023 - 31.12.2027   (Current phase)
  • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION
    WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION
    HEALTH
    Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
    Basic sanitation
    Basic drinking water supply
    Basic health care
    Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
    Project and programme contribution
    Project number

    7F10884

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Last update 23.01.2025