Cambodia School Based Sanitation (SBS) 2.0 Project Needs Assessment Surveys

At the end of March, 2011, BORDA-Cambodia (Bremen Overseas Research Development Association) in cooperation with CfD (Center for Development) facilitated Needs Assessment Surveys at two Phnom Penh Schools that will take part in the second School Based Sanitation (SBS) project in Cambodia.

Most school sanitation facilities in Cambodia are not adequate. For instance, while the existing ones are mostly in poor condition and due to poor maintenance, more than 30 % of Cambodia’s 9430 schools don’t have toilets or water supply access at all (Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports - MoEYS - 2007).

Therefore, the SBS 2.0 project aims to further develop an integrated intervention approach (social and technical aspects), inline with MoEYS School Health Guidelines, to improve health, hygiene and sanitation at the target schools by building School WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Institutions; Promoting Health & Hygiene Education; and Improving Sanitation Infrastructure, including on-site wastewater treatment with good operation and maintenance.

Needs Assessment Surveys are the second component of the SBS 2.0 project consisting of the following elements: the (pre-intervention) Health Impact Assessment (HIA); School Health Hygiene and Sanitation Assessment (SHHS); and Technical Feasibility Studies.

The purpose of the SHHS is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current SHHS situation at the target schools by using information from focus group discussions with School Supporting Committees, School Management, school shopkeepers, teachers and class masters. Based on the collected information targeted capacity building activities and training packages will be developed.

The HIA aims to assess the impacts of the SBS project intervention on certain indicators (Health, Hygiene, Environment, Socio – Economic) by using data collected from student and adult questionnaires. After the project implementation a follow-up HIA survey will be conducted to assess SBS 2.0’s success and sustainability.

From lively group discussions during the SHHS, for instance, the participants’ interest in health, hygiene and sanitation topics and their commitment to the SBS 2.0 project could be concluded. Therefore, BORDA-Cambodia and CfD are looking forward to further work together with the two SBS 2.0 project primary schools Kbal Chroy Sakoura and Bak Khaeng.

The next steps in SBS 2.0 project will be the Technical Feasibility Studies from which specific technical options for each school will be developed by BORDA-Cambodia engineers.