Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology

Published purpose

On April 25, 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal and was followed by a series of large aftershocks. The earthquakes resulted in over 8,700 deaths and 22,000 injuries, 2.8 million displaced and 3.5 million in need of food assistance. In response to the earthquake, Canada established the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund that committed the Government of Canada to matching eligible private donations to approved Canadian organizations. With funding from the Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund, the project improves the wellbeing of 260,000 people by increasing access to and use of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in severely and crisis-hit earthquake affected areas in Nepal. The project trains local government officials and community organizations to respond to the current and future WASH needs of these communities, building resilience for the long-term. Beneficiaries are people unserved or under-served by adequate WASH services and include women, children and people of lower castes. Local governments and community organizations educate over 250,000 people, at least half of whom are women, on how to use WASH services and practice healthy hygiene behaviours. The project advances women's participation as decision-makers on critical WASH and health issues, and ultimately reduces gender inequalities in access to and control over WASH-related resources and benefits of development. The project focuses on the districts of Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot and Kavrepalanchok. Activities are implemented by a national Water Expertise and Training Centre, hosted by the Environment and Public Health Organization.