Title:
WASH Intervention Effects and Implications in Rural Schools and Communities of Georgia

Authors:
Metreveli Levan, Kuparadze Khatuna, Gabunia Luiza, Baramidze Levan, Gumbaridze Lia, Georgia

Abstract:

The present article is a combination of research and policy analysis around Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions implemented by Georgian Medical Group (GMG) in the period of 2015-2021 in rural schools and communities in two regions of Georgia: Adjara and Guria. The mentioned WASH efforts have been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola Foundation through Global Water Challenge, New World and CARE International in the Caucasus. The shares in funding have been distributed as 85% USAID and 15% the Coca-Cola Foundation.

All three components of the effort proved to be quite successful i.e. 4,202 school children in the target regions have substantially improved water supply, toiletry, sanitation and hygienic habits and skills. Additionally, 330 teachers and 330 peer educators have been trained around WASH issues. Although we had no specific means to measure the long-term outcomes of the community mobilization component, the scale of project’s media production outreach exceeded the initially planned limits (local and regional) as opposed to the dissemination at national level. The research attempted to measure the effectiveness of WASH interventions by applying the following methods: published evidence review, observation and participant survey.

The documented success of our WASH intervention approach as well as the available international evidence prompt us to consider the "Triple Element" (infrastructure, education and community mobilization) WASH in Schools principle as the optimal modality for implementing in low and middle income countries. Exclusion of any of these elements will adversely affect intervention's overall impact and importantly enough-its long-term sustainability. The "Triple Element" model seems to be easily scalable in Georgia and we also foresee the good prospects for its transferability to the countries with the similar socio-economic characteristics (the former Soviet Union states).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijmshr.2021.5312