3rd International Rainwater Cistern Systems Conference
Khon Kaen, Thailand - January, 1987

Section B: Planning

Paper B.4

Drinking Water and Sanitation: A Village in Action

Dr. Anant Menaruchi
Provincial Chief Medical Officer
Mahasarakarm Province

This study on methodology for village based sanitation development program is research to test for an appropriate model for sanitation development work in the future.

An experimental design was used as one approach for the study. Two villages that are similar in terms of geographical location, socio-economic status and culture located in Banphai district, Khon Kaen province were selected for the study. Ban Can Nua served as the experimental village and Ban Nong He was the control village.

In Ban Can Nua, 3 craftsman training programs and village cooperative funds were set up. Regular supervision and follow up of the program were carried out. Ban Nong He was left alone as a control village. Before project implementation a survey for baseline data, knowledge, attitude, and practice of the people was conducted as a pretest. The same survey was repeated again eight months after the project implementation as a posttest. Theresults of data analysis show that there is a significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice among the people of Ban Can Nua as compared to the Ban Nong He people. In addition, it was found that water and sanitation systems work when the number of cement water tanks, jars, latrines and garbage cans have reached the set goal.

The second approach used in this study was the anthropological approach. .The anthropologist went to live in the village for two months to learn about the development process from the three main factors that have an effect on sanitation development in the village. These factors include:

1. A strong village organization especially a leader who understands community development concepts 
2. An establishment of a village health development fund (sanitation cooperative fund) 
3. An effective training of village sanitation craftsman

It can be concluded from the analysis of data from the survey and from the anthropological study that the success of community sanitation development work depends on the above three factors as well as other supporting factors such as an effective monitoring and follow up method, potentials of the village, economic condition of the people, power structure in the village, social relationship among villagers, characteristic of community leaders, and an effective community preparation.

PDF of full document available to members (17pp, 420kb)