Final evaluation report of Care International Indonesia's water and sanitation for a healthier environmental setting (WASHES) project

CARE/International Indonesia's WASHES project began in 1985 and was completed in September 1991. The project operated in West Java, East Java and Nusa Tenggara Barat. WASHES constructed an average of 25 gravity fed piped water supplies each year, with secondary efforts to install handpumps, build rainwater cathment tanks and install a small number of hydraulic ram pumps. WASHES also built sanitation facilities, including public taps with bathing and washing facilities and sanitary latrines. The first project phase (WASHES-I) had as its goal the reduction of waterborne disease. The second project phase (WASHES-II) modified this to providing access to reliable, adequate water supplies and facilities for rural villagers, stressing the community participation approach by maximizing community input and encouraging community financial responsibility. Women were encouraged to take decision-making roles. Design standards, technical training, operation and maintenance systems and financial management are discussed with their successes and failures. A brief discussion of the effectiveness of the community participation approach is included. In several cases, the expectations of the project's intermediate goals were surpassed. Recommendations include more sociological training for field officers as well as recruitment of more female field officers, training more women, collaborating with the local women's groups and clearer methodological guidelines.