In 2011, the Government-led Programme Coordinating Mechanism (PCM) in Tanzania submitted its final Country Programme Proposal (CPP) to WSSCC. The overall goal of the programme is to see “Communities with increased access and use of improved sanitation facilities and with changed sanitation and hygiene behaviours at scale.” This goal it to be realized through interventions at two levels – i) Strengthening national knowledge, skills and systems to support further scale up of sanitation and hygiene; and ii) district level implementation at scale. The programme aims to have a significant impact on coverage and demonstrate a districtwide approach, and will also provide a ”magnifying glass” for learning on the process of taking to scale specific sanitation and hygiene interventions.
The GSF, through its partners on the ground, will focus its programme in three districts in the region of Dodoma – located in central Tanzania. Dodoma region has been selected because of its poverty levels (being one of the lowest in the country); low sanitation coverage; high under five mortality rate due to poor sanitation, hygiene and unsafe water supply; and proximity to initial trials of the WSP supported TSSM programme in two other districts of the region. Also, its central location in the country is expected to contribute to scalability, with the three districts becoming centres of learning for expanding the implementation for improved sanitation and hygiene at scale across Tanzania. Its ultimate aim is to achieve total sanitation coverage. In addition, the programme is designed to stimulate an increase in coverage in the remaining districts of Dodoma and neighbouring districts across the Singida, Iringa and Morogoro regions, through improved capacity and demonstration effect.
The GSF in Tanzania will work together with and through local governments and civil society partners to promote sanitation and hygiene practices. Following the approval for the Country Programme Proposal, the process of identifying and contracting a Country Programme Monitor and Executing Agency should be complete by the second half of 2012.
To enable the programme to commence implementation activities swiftly and effectively once the Executing Agency is signed, a small grant of US$ 200,000 has been provided to implement select elements of the CPP from early 2012. These elements include, firstly, capacity building of national and local level government officials on total sanitation approaches and sanitation marketing, in order to train trainers at varying levels; secondly, mapping existing WASH facilities in schools, as well as assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices towards sanitation and hygiene technologies and behaviours in one GSF focus district; and thirdly; supporting the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop and pilot improved monitoring systems and tools for the sanitation and hygiene sector. The small grant will be managed by UNICEF.
