Replicating WES in schools for education of girls in Sokoto State, Nigeria

The water and sanitation sector in Nigeria has many donors as key contributors since water supply has linkages with many other development indicators. The donor funded programmes are usually on a small scale compared to the size of the country; therefore, replicating the tested models while scaling up is key to reaching the unserved populations. In Sokoto State (NorthWestern Nigeria), in an attempt to bridge the gap between girls and boys in primary schools, the 3-year Girl’s Education Project (GEP) funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) is being implemented in partnership with UNICEF Nigeria and this includes cash contribution from the State Government. The Rural Water and Sanitation Project is utilizing this money to replicate the programme in other schools within the State simultaneously with the implementation in the GEP schools. This has been achieved because it fitted with Government priorities and ensured clarity among the stakeholders involved.This paper draws out the learning on replication from implementing the water and sanitation components of the GEP project in Sokoto State.