Increasing local participation in monitoring and learning to improve WASH services in schools

Implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and financed by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Kom-Yilma (happy, healthy child) project promotes improved hygiene practices throughout 108 “WASH-friendly” schools in the provinces of Bam and Sanmatenga in Burkina Faso. In order to effectively involve local stakeholders, including teachers, students and parents, CRS has incorporated innovative participatory practices into the Kom-Yilma project’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) system. The local communities and government stakeholders play a central role in assessing the school’s progress towards project goals (through community self-assessments and joint monitoring visits), which not only increases local ownership of the project, but also contributes to sustainable behaviour change.