:      The selection process for the SBS 3.0 project started at the beginning of the year when the Phnom Penh Department of Education gave ESC-BORDA Cambodia & CfD a list of 19 schools in two districts of Phnom Penh. The project team decided to visit the 12 of these schools based on the number of students and the schools peri-urban locations. In each school ESC-BORDA Cambodia engineers and the social facilitator from CfD conducted Participatory Rapid Assessments (PRA). The PRAs consisted of interviews with the school directors and inspections of current WASH situations at the schools.

     As a result of the PRAs six schools were invited to a School Selection Meeting in March. The schools were asked to bring different documents to the meeting. For example, a letter of motivation; information about the school budget; and support letters from the local government. During the meeting, each school was asked to explain why their school would be most suitable for the SBS 3.0 project. All the information was analyzed and scored by members of the SBS 3.0 Technical Working Group resulting in a final ranking of schools.

     In April, the SBS 3.0 project was formally launched in the four schools, with the highest rankings, during meetings where the project facilitators explained in detail the SBS 3.0 project and its steps to school level stakeholders. Furthermore, all schools signed contracts for the SBS 3.0 project with ESC-BORDA Cambodia and local government offiacial to strenghten their commitment to project. 

    The SBS 3.0 project will continue at the schools with social and technical Needs Assessment Surveys to gain more detailed information about the current WASH situation at the schools in order to help effectively plan appropriate upcoming WASH interventions and project activities.