Case Study of Local Ownership of Outcomes: Indigenous Initiatives in Curbing slippages in ODF Communities in Echumofana council ward, Yala LGA Written by: James Edu (Edited by: Shadrack Guusu) The Community-led Health Improvement through Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (CHISHPIN) project aims to support 3 LGAs in Cross River state to end open defecation and enjoy the related improved health benefits. Using a demand driven approach, Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), the project successfully supported all communities in Yala LGA to end open defecation and were undergoing the mandatory 3 months verification process of the National Open Defecation Free (ODF) Verification Protocol. The improved sanitation and hygiene outcomes achieved and the hopes of the entire LGA being declared ODF was under threat as slippages were observed in some communities in Echumofana council ward of the LGA. 5 communities in this ward showed evidence of slippages – open defecation was found in some places in the nearby bushes, latrines were filled up and new ones not constructed. This happened at the same time when the council ward was expecting a visit from the State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) - the final stage of certification of those communities to be ODF. On noticing this, 6 natural leaders; Alfred Aboyi, Moses Akwaji, Vera Odey, Francis Ogar, Raphael Ogar and Joseph Agebe (who had supported their communities end open defecation) took the initiative to call for a meeting of stakeholders in the entire ward and put in place systems and structures that ensured slippages are handled appropriately and the communities never return to the practice of the open defecation. The Natural leaders investigated and found out that the WASHCOMs were no longer active in supporting households, as they were losing motivation to continue to champion the sanitation work. The LGA WASH Unit had also not visited the communities in that area. The meeting had in attendance Chiefs, elders and natural leaders from all the communities in the ward and a clear roadmap and strategy was drawn on how the council ward will achieve and sustain their ODF status; i.
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a task group of WASHCOM members was set up to carry out periodic monitoring of all communities and households within the ward to ensure cases of slippages were handled properly. People with collapsed toilets were given a grace period of 2 weeks to reconstruct their toilet or the face a panel of elders while the disadvantaged persons were supported to have their toilets through the community support systems. A fine was agreed upon to be imposed on anyone caught defecating in the open within the community which was to be enforced by the task group. An accountability structure was set up where the task group give periodic report of their activities to the chiefs, elders and WASHCOM members. All WASHCOMs were charged to carry out immediate follow up in their communities and work with their chiefs to sort out issues that existed.
They all swung into action immediately in implementing the points agreed upon at the meeting. The STGS came for certification shortly afterwards and all communities in Echumofana were certified ODF. The National Task Group on Sanitation carried out the final level of verification in December 2018 and Yala LGA was declared ODF.
6 people made the difference for Echumofana council ward and indeed the entire Yala LGA. They were happy with the new learning on improved sanitation and hygiene introduced to them by the implementing partners of the CHISHPIN project but they soon realized that the project can only succeed with sustained outcomes if the people of Echumofana took ownership. This is indeed true of development everywhere.
A Cross section of Clan Heads and Chiefs who attended in the meeting.
Angry youth speak out! NO MORE SHIT IN THE OPEN.
A Cross section of Clan Heads and Chiefs who attended in the meeting.