Sanitation: WaterAid, RUWASSA train 44 WASHCOM members in 3 Abuja communities

By Stanley Onyekwere

As part of efforts to mitigate the menace of open defecation, WaterAid Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Directorate otherwise known as FCT-RUWASSA trained 44 WASHCOM members on effectively managing water, sanitation and hygiene activities across three rural communities in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils of Abuja.

The trainees, whom their respective communities selected as WASHCOM members were empowered during a WASHCOM step down training at Agora, Byazhin and Dnako communities of Gwagwalada and Bwari Area Councils, FCT.

Also, the WASHCOM members, comprising 50% female representation were trained on community management of WASH facilities; at the end which they developed their action plan.

According to the FCT RUWASSA  community WASHCOM Step Down Training Report, part of the training’s specific objectives include  to guide WASHCOM members, explain what community WASH program means and how it relates to community health; help WASHCOM members identify their roles and responsibilities as managers of the community WASH program; and to equip WASHCOM member with the skill, knowledge and tools they shall use for their various duties.

It added that the training  activity which took place between 19th – 28th April, 2024, identified two major challenges; low hygiene practice across households in Agora community and absence of local area mechanics for quick repairs of water facility in the event of a break down.

“As the nation races against time to achieve an open defecation Free (ODF) status come 2025, there cannot be a better time to deepen engagement at the community level for better results.

“WaterAid Nigeria secured fund for Abuja from the Cummins Inc. to simultaneously strengthen water and sanitation delivery in schools, communities, and healthcare facilities in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils.

“The project is a multi-million-dollar commitment to strengthening communities through sustainable water and addressing the global water crisis.

“Cummins Water Works extends the commitment to environmental sustainability, focusing on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water in communities.

“The Project will primarily focus on strengthening government systems, advocating for WASH prioritisation, and influencing relevant authorities/persons to achieve hygiene-related behavioural changes through the provision of improved WASH infrastructure that will enable increased and affordable access to clean water, safely managed sanitation, and improved hygiene.

“Community stakeholders have overtime demonstrated the crucial role they can play in helping mobilize their communities to adopt better hygiene practices such as ending open defecation. From community leaders to youth groups and persons with disabilities, community members have immense potential in driving change in their communities.

“ There is no doubt that the high successes achieved by the RUWASSA during community WASH events across the Area Councils, especially four LDSC communities at Bwari Area Council where WaterAid is providing support to improve access to WASH services for thousands of families, have been because of strategic engagement with the community stakeholders”, the Report  added.