Academic rigor, better data needed for WASH programs

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and community-led total sanitation (CLTS) programs are coming under increased academic scrutiny, Darren Saywell, the WASH/CLTS technical director at Plan International USA and vice-chair to the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) initiative, writes in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, adding, "I personally see this trend as positive. It's long overdue; and in its absence the WASH sector has lost ground to competing interests which have understood that the way to a donor or politician's heart and head is through compelling evidence, simply told." He outlines several steps international non-governmental organizations can take to improve data and cooperation to reach their output goals (11/19).