Projects
So far COBAGUAL's projects have been centered on the BioSand Filter (BSF), a simple method for purifying water at the household level. The organization understands that education and community participation are essential for long-term project success. COBAGUAL's projects in rural communities consists of the following elements, all of which are completed at a cost of approximately $100 (CDN) per family helped:
Initial Site Visits
After a community has indicated its interest in participating in a BSF project, COBAGUAL staff visit the town to confirm the need for the project and the community's willingness to participate. These visits include an initial explanation of the project and an investigation of the settlement's existing water and sanitation situation. Community Participation
COBAGUAL works with low-income individuals and therefore cannot charge the full cost of the filters. Instead it requires that community members contribute through their labour, and providing financing for a portion of the project (approximately 10% of the total cost). Each family must work to help COBAGUAL build the concrete outer casing of their BSF as well as wash the gravel that is placed inside their filter. Furthermore, two or more community members must be trained extensively in hygiene and filter maintenance in order to provide long-term follow-up and ensure that the project continues yielding benefits long after COBAGUAL has moved on to another community in the area. Finally the community must help out with project logistics, for example by providing a suitable work site, and helping to transport the filters from that work site to their homes. In return for this collaboration, project beneficiaries not only receive a BioSand filter, and training in hygiene and water treatment, but also an appropriate bucket for storing filtered water with a tight fitting lid, and a plastic tap so that filtered water can be stored and utilized without risking re-contamination. | Education Before the commencement of filter construction, COBAGUAL offers interactive workshops to interested members of the community in order to explain the filters, other methods of household water treatment, and basic hygiene training including proper hand washing techniques (a simple intervention that can yield significant benefits). This workshop is followed up during the filter installation, where COBAGUAL staff lead the family that is receiving the filter in interactive games to solidify their understanding of hygiene and proper filter use and maintenance Follow-up COBAGUAL has learned that good follow-up is essential to ensure that their projects yield long-term benefits. To this end COBAGUAL employees engage in two types of follow-up visits. Firstly, beneficiaries receive a visit from COBAGUAL staff a week or so after the installation of their filter to check for any malfunctions with the technology and ensure that beneficiaries understood the hygiene and filter use lessons they were taught. Four more visits of a similar nature are carried out in the first year after the installation by the community members trained by COBAGUAL (the community stewards). These visits by the community stewards are done in coordination with COBAGUAL staff to confirm their successful completion. The second type of follow-up visit occurs about a year after the installation, when a more in-depth visit is carried out to ensure that the filter has been properly maintained and documents changes in the health of family members since the project was initiated. Long-term follow-up will be carried out by members of the community who have already had extensive training from COBAGUAL - the community assistants. COBAGUAL is currently developing a system by which long-term follow-up and maintenance can be financed by the community members themselves. |