Quarterly Progress Report October1– December 31, 2014: Sila Water Innovations- Sand Dams and Hygiene (SWISH)

The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) under Grant No. AID-OFDA-A-14-00022. The program's goal is to increase access to safe water and sanitation, as well as promote hygiene practices among the target population. The program's activities are focused on the construction of sand dams, which are designed to provide a reliable source of water for drinking, cooking, and hygiene. The program also includes hygiene promotion activities, such as training on hand washing and water treatment. During the reporting period of October 1 to December 31, 2014, the program made significant progress in planning and preparation for the construction of sand dams. An agreement was reached with village chiefs, traditional leaders, and government officials regarding the ownership, management, and construction of the dams. Tender documents for the technical consultant were published, and Utoni Development Organization (UDO) was selected and qualified to carry out the design and survey measurements for the sand dams. The program also made progress in hygiene promotion activities, with 80% of the target population receiving direct hygiene promotion, and 60% of households having soap and water at a hand washing location. However, the program faced challenges in hiring a technical consultant, which delayed the start of construction. The upcoming quarter will focus on the design, siting, procurement, and delivery of materials for the sand dams, as well as the construction of the dams under the supervision of engineers. The baseline for progress against indicators will be completed, and the program will continue to work towards its goal of increasing access to safe water and sanitation in Sila Region. The program's collaboration and coordination with local authorities and stakeholders have been positive, with the DONG Director expressing support for the program and affirming the government's commitment to facilitating its activities. However, the program's challenges in hiring a technical consultant and administrative formalities have affected other activities, such as procurement and delivery of construction materials. The program's indicators for the reporting period are as follows: * Indicator 1: Number of people directly benefiting from the water supply infrastructure program - 0 * Indicator 2: Average liters/person/day collected from all sources for drinking, cooking, and hygiene - 0 * Indicator 3: Average liters/person/day collected from all sources for livelihoods - 0 * Indicator 4: Number of households with soap and water at a hand washing location - 316 (80% of 395 HHs) * Indicator 5: Number of households who store their drinking water safely in clean containers - 237 (60% of 395 HHs) * Indicator 6: Number of village water user committees active at least three months after training - 2 * Indicator 7: Number of water points that are clean and protected from contamination - 2