This work on Rural Sanitation Supply Chains and Finance is part of the SNV/IRC Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All programme, which aims to improve the health and quality of life of rural people in five Asian countries (Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal and Vietnam) through enhanced access to improved sanitation and hygiene practices. It has four integrated technical components, strengthening local capacities for a rural sanitation service delivery with a district-wide approach. An additional cross-cutting regional component of the programme focusses on analysis, dissemination, and learning. This Brief shares some of the lessons learned from working on the Rural Sanitation Supply Chains and Finance. It also introduces the thinking behind its design and its main activities. End monitoring of 2011 has shown that indeed more SME’s are now engaged in rural sanitation business, sales have increased and SME’s are providing a broader range of products. Outreach is still a challenge, as is female engagement in sanitation enterprises and services. Open defecation has reduced and improved sanitation has increased among households in programme areas, with a 100% coverage of basic sanitation in some sub districts. Whether this progress proves to be sustainable and whether the coverage of improved sanitation will continue to increase, is something that only can be seen next year. We are cautiously optimistic that a first step has been made towards market-based solutions for rural sanitation supply chains and finance, but we are also aware that there is still some way to go.

Bibliographic information

SNV (2012). Rural sanitation supply chains and finance Progress brief SNV, Hanoi, Vietnam

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Market development (WG2)RuralEnglish

Related Countries

BhutanCambodiaLao Peoples Democratic RepublicNepalViet nam

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