Evaluation ORIO South Africa

Sustainable Water and Sanitation for Indigent Communities

Objective

This project evaluated the impact of a water and sanitation programme in eThekwini municipality, South Africa.


Description

The evaluated intervention concerns the construction of containers with sanitary facilities (showers, toilets, wash basins) in informal settlements throughout eThekwini municipality, which has the city of Durban at its center. These facilities are known as CABs: Community Ablution Blocks. The program is partially funded through the ORIO fund, which is implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). AIGHD acted as external evaluator of this contribution, together with PwC and Progressus.


Outcome

The evaluation found that the ablution facilities are popular and generally satisfactory: more than half of the beneficiaries use them at least once a day. However, cleanliness and defects are a challenge, especially in the older facilities. The quantitative analysis failed to connect the facilities to reported better health outcomes, but case studies suggest they did make a difference to health, hygiene and cleanliness of the surrounding area. The report helps RVO to account for the effects of its investment in these water and sanitation facilities to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Dutch general public.

AIGHD Research Lead

Prof. dr. Chris Elbers


Partners

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Progressus Research and Development


Funders

RVO – Netherlands Enterprise Agency


Countries

South Africa