Skip to main content

This publication relates the experiences in the sanitation programme of the Socio-Economic Units (SEUs), which began in 1989 as a component of the rural water supply programme financed by the Indian, Dutch and Danish governments.

TitleThe community-managed sanitation programme in Kerala : learning from experience
Publication TypeProgress Report
Year of Publication1996
AuthorsKurup, KB
Secondary TitleProject and programme papers / IRC
Volumeno. 4-E
Paginationxiii, 80 p. : 14 boxes, 22 fig., 10 tab.
Date Published1996-01-01
PublisherIRC
Place PublishedThe Hague, The Netherlands
Keywordscommunity management, costs, drainage, evaluation, financing, health education, impact, india kerala, maintenance, monitoring, pour flush latrines, programmes, public standposts, schools, use of facilities, women
Abstract

This publication relates the experiences in the sanitation programme of the Socio-Economic Units (SEUs), which began in 1989 as a component of the rural water supply programme financed by the Indian, Dutch and Danish governments. It is one of the relatively few comprehensive descriptions of an Asian experience with community-managed sanitation programmes. The four SEUs carry out the socio-economic activities in water with the Kerala Water Authority and design and implement the sanitation programme on their own. The programme goal is to provide poor households with permanent, good quality latrines, in such a way that they appreciate the facility and use it properly. Learning from experience was one of the major thrusts of the programme.

The publication begins with the background of the SEU programme and its justification in densely populated states such as Kerala. The policy framework at the national and state level are reviewed along with their implication for implementation of community-based strategies. This is followed by strategies and the historical development of the SEU programme. The programme included design and construction of double-pit pour-flush latrines, standpost drainage, well chlorination and hygiene promotion. Full-scale implementation, community organization, school sanitation and community monitoring are then described, before examining costs, cost containment mechanisms and local financing. Next comes a focus on results and impact in terms of physical achievements, latrine maintenance and use, environmental pollution, and human capacity building and gender. Thereafter ongoing experiments in latrine design and operation, the training of women masons and reduction in subsidies are described. Finally potential for sustainability, replication, self-reliant coverage, maintenance, use and institutional integration in the future is discussed

The target group of the publication includes policy makers, planners, social scientists and social transformers.

Notes

13 ref.

Custom 1

305.1, 822

Disclaimer

The copyright of the documents on this site remains with the original publishers. The documents may therefore not be redistributed commercially without the permission of the original publishers.

Back to
the top