The WASH SDG Regional Learning and Sharing Event of Asia was a two-day event held in Dhulikhel, Kathmandu, Nepal. It brought together 26 participants from three consortium members in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Indonesia to learn and share with one another.

Focus on sharing and best practices

The first session of the workshop focused on sharing experiences and best practices. Each organisation presented the tools and approaches they have adopted across various pathways, which immediately generated a lot of interest and led to questions and discussions among the participants during and after the presentations. A much-discussed topic was the community-based monitoring tool, implemented by the WASH Alliance in Bangladesh and Nepal. This tool puts the communities at the centre of monitoring their own progress on the JMP ladder, in areas of water, sanitation and hygiene. In the end, participants were able to conclude that there is a good possibility of integrating this tool in their BCC (behaviour change communication) approaches. The second half of workshop included a group activity to reflect on the different pathways and visions of the consortium members, encouraging participants to consider the presentations from the day and identify any current gaps.

How to ensure that programmes have a lasting impact

Programmes need to consider sustainability beyond the implementation period in order to ensure that their initiatives have a lasting impact and continue to benefit the target population even after funding and support have ended. This requires careful planning and consideration of the long-term resources and support needed to maintain the program's activities and outcomes. Therefore, on the second day of the event, the discussions focused on the sustainability of program interventions. Presentations during this session highlighted how each sub-programme is taking a long-term approach to sustainability and identified any remaining gaps. A specific sustainability challenge identified during these discussions was the importance of considering who would own and maintain the digital tools, developed during the programme period beyond implementation phase. This is particularly important to ensure that the tools will remain accessible and functional over time. Additionally, it is also necessary to consider the cost of hosting and maintaining the digital tools.

Overall, the WASH SDG Regional Learning and Sharing Event in Asia was a successful and informative gathering. The event provided an opportunity for participants to share their experiences, best practices, and tools across the various pathways and to reflect on the vision of these pathways. The programme provided valuable insights and strategies for improving the sustainability of WASH programmes in the region, while demonstrating the importance of collaboration and sharing in achieving the WASH SDG goals.