Liberia | Countywide Sanitation Activity (CWSA)

Activity Description

The Countywide Sanitation Activity aims to eliminate open defecation and achieve universal adoption of basic sanitation throughout five counties in Liberia (rural Montserrado, Nimba, Lofa, Bong, and Grand Bassa). The populations in these counties represent more than 60 percent of those currently practicing open defecation in Liberia. The Activity works to sustainably move everyone currently practicing open defecation in the five counties to a basic level of sanitation.

Activity Objectives

• Improve sanitation governance at the national and county levels, and improve sector coordination, monitoring, reporting, and evidence-based planning and budgeting for sanitation
• Ensure the adoption of key sanitation behaviors, including eliminating open defecation and supporting sustainable construction of latrines and toilets
• Catalyze a new market for high-quality, affordable sanitation products and services, and create an enabling environment for lasting market growth, economic opportunity, and health impacts
• Build capacity of small businesses involved in sanitation
• Increase financing for sanitation at the national, county, and household levels, through improved resource mobilization and tracking

CWSA applies market-based approaches that strengthen local economies and the WASH sector while meeting community sanitation needs. It also uses behavior change communication to support the adoption of key sanitation practices and foster sustainable change.

Relevant Links 

• Athena’s Activity page
• Story: Market-Based Sanitation Driving Community-Level Change
• Liberia | Globalwaters.org