SARAR/PHAST: A participatory

approach for building human

capacity and empowering
communities
RON SAWYER
Planning and Implementation of Sustainable
Sanitation in Urban/Semi-urban settings
A need for development of existing tools
STOCKHOLM
25-26 August 2008

THE CHALLENGE
It is not easy to
shift from
conventional to
ecological
sanitation systems.
Toilets are deeply
ingrained
within a specific
cultural and
personal context.

ITS NATURAL
The natural functions of
urinating and defecating
are frequently referred to
with euphemisms:

number one and number two

answering the call of nature
taking care of necessities
using the toilet
going to the bathroom
taking care of business
relieving oneself
doing

SANITARY BEHAVIORS
Toilet behaviors are learned at a very early age,
assimilated into daily routine and then
simply not spoken about.
The school toilet experience is often traumatic!
Shame

Disgust

Ridicule

Abuse

WHY CAN TALKING TOILETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

To raise awareness about the
serious risks to human health, to
the environment and the survival
of human societies.
To share ideas on workable
alternatives to conventional
practices.
To stimulate attitude change
among peer group members.
Conversation provides a context
for testing new concepts and
positions a kind of rehearsal for
initiating change itself.

TALKING TOILETS
Is it really so difficult to talk about toilets?
Once basic taboos are broken,
people tend to be fascinated by
the subject.
THE CHALLENGE:
HOW to get people talking
about toilets in a
meaningful and
constructive manner?

SARAR METHODOLOGY

Self-esteem
Associative strengths
Resourcefulness
Action planning
Responsibility
Participatory methodologies can play
a crucial role in overcoming
resistances, making decisions and
changing behavior.

SARAR - Historical Highlights

Dr. Lyra Srinivasan - Humanistic psychology, concientizacion, Gandhi.
Asia (VERC), Africa, Latin America (Sarar Capacitacin SC) and USA
(World Education).
1983-1989 - PROWWESS/UNDP --adapted to W&S sector.
UNICEF MOH/Mexico - Diarrhea control package
2000-2005 - WSP/UNDP-WB /PROWWESS
PHAST Initiative: Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation
with WHO and collaboration of UNICEF, etc.
SANRES - EcoSanRes = SARAR + Ecosan : El Salvador / Bolivia / Mexico
UNDP / WaterAid / UNICEF / WHO etc. -- S Af, Mozambique, Kenya,
Central Asia, China, Mongolia

SARAR PARTICIPATORY
METHODS & TOOLS
Assessment
Planning
Didactic/
Information
Monitoring

For Training and

Community Promotion and
Education

SARAR
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
CONTINUUM
5

CAPACITYBUILDING
4

AWARENESSRAISING
3

Yes, there is a problem,

But I have my fears.

There may be a problem,

But it is not my responsibility.

There is no problem.

I'm ready to try

some action.

I see the problem

and I want to know more.

Yes, there is a problem,

But I have my doubts.

I would like to
demonstrate the
solution to others.

RESISTANCE TO CHANGE CONTINUUM

Diagnostic tool to assess the psycosocial context of a community or

group, in order to determine what
communication strategy or approach
is most appropriate.

WATER AND NUTRIENT FLOW MAPS

A community mapping exercise helps the community to identify critical problems

and posible interventions, including toilets, greywater and solid waste
management.

Unserialized Posters

Creative/expressive needs
assessment tool for
externalizing interpersonal
social dynamics and cultural
values and taboos.

Pocket Chart

Quantitative qualitative
assessment of toilet use and
preferences including gender,
socio-economic and territorial
variables.

NURSE TANAKA

To identify common local health

problems and determine which
could be prevented through
WASH interventios.

CONTAMINATION ROUTES

Raise awareness feacal-oral

infection vectors and identify
possible barriers.

THE SANITATION LADDER

Permits the community to identify and compare the range of basic sanitation
technologies available to them -- and to decide which options would be most
appropriate given the particular local context.

ECOSAN PUZZLE

Increases understanding of
sanitation as a system and
stimulates reflection on relative
risk, gender roles, etc.

3-PILE SORTING

To assess and compare hygiene and

sanitation related behaviors
according to risk criteria and
relative feasability to modify or
imporave.

STORY WITH A GAP

PLANNING POSTERS

Planning tools for visualizing and setting goals and priorityzing

the steps leading to the desired change.

PROGRAM EXPERIENCES

KYRGYZSTAN
August 1999 --SARAR /PHAST Workshop in Osh, Ferghana Valley
-UNICEF - SIE/IWS (Secrtariat International de l'Eau ). -Development of local tool kits and trained trainers.
April 2003 -- Ecosan Workshop Village leaders from Kyrgyzstan and
Uzbekistan. Central Asian Alliance for Water (CAAW), SIE/IWS,
UNDP/BDP
2008 WECF - CAAW HfH :
Empowermnent and Local Action
Program

Village Water Committees

Village Youth Parliament
Hygiene and sanitation promotion
Construction of household & school
ecosan toilets
Reuse: Training of biofarmers'
communities
Demonstrations on safe sanitation
and water usage

Toilet siting:
DRIVERS = Fertilizer and convenience

MOZAMBIQUE
March 2000 - Lichinga, Niassa
Province, Bringing Environmental
Sanitation and Hygiene Into the Mix
WaterAid UNDP ESTAMOS
Govt.
Sanitation ladder Sanitation
matrix (scoring) + PHAST = Entry
point for fossa alterna and arborloo
program (P. Morgan)
September 2002 - WaterAid
Stakeholder workshop, Zambezia,
Mozambique.
2008 - Feliciano dos Santos Goldman Prize Winner, Moambique
http://www.hesperian.org/Santos.php

Fossa Alterna:
Permanence convenience - fertilizer

REACHING THE MDGS:

EQUITY AND JUSTICE AS WELL
AS RESULTS

Though less than expected, resources are available for

simple, cheap interventions that can accelerate progress
towards the MDGs. Results based management has been the
key to increasing access to education and health care, but it
does little to change the political, social and economic
conditions that make people poor. Unless there is a better
balance between the drive to achieve measurable impact,
investments in long-term poverty-eradication measures, and
the creation of space where poor people can discuss and
develop strategies for achieving equality and social justice,
it will not be as easy to make poverty history as many
people think.
Reaching the MDGs: equality and justice as well as results
REF Thomas Franklin Development in Practice, Vol 18, No 3, June
Senior policy advisor HIV/AIDS UNICEF
2008-08-06

IN OTHER WORDS, THE HOW MATTERS.

Rapid impact is biased in favour of short-term responses to

specific problems
People living in extreme poverty face a bewildering array of
more complex issues deeply engrained within the fabric of
society.
The international community has a commitment to the humanrights principles of self-determination, participation and
inclusion.
Pursuit of the quick-fix can distort the relationship between
the rich and those in need of assistance.

TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS
adult <-> adult
parent <-> child
child <-> child
- Adult: more balanced, mature,
communication between equals,
respect
- Parent: critical (authoritarian),
protective (overprotective).
-Child: obedient, submissive,
rebellious, dependent
Contexts:
Family
Work
Community

- Nio/nia: playful, creative,

mischievous

Subject: warmest greetings

Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008
From: teshome regassa tregassa@hotmail.com
DEARRON SAWYER
HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS? HOW IS EVERYTHING?
MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER AND MYSELF AREFINE
I COULD NOT GET YOUR ADDRESS / DID NOT HEAR FROM YOU FOR LONG TIME.

I AM WORKING FOR THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF ETHIOPIA AS TEAM LEADER FOR

THE TRAINING OF HEALTH EXTENSION WORKERS.
RON WHAT YOU DID AS PHAST IS FANTASTICALLY ATTRACTIVE TO EVERYBODY IN
ETHIOPIA. IF WE MEET OR COMMUNICATE, WE CAN DO SOME MIRACULOUS THINGS.
WE CAN MERGE WITH HEALTH EXTENSION WHICH IS INNOVATIVE AND FLASHIP
PROGRAMME IN ETHIOPIA. I DID MY MSC IN UK IN HEALTH EDUCATION AND
PROMOTION/ HEALTHCOMMUNICATION/ WHICH IS REALLY VERY HELPFUL TO WORK
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOOLS OF THIS TYPE.

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU VERY SOON,

WITH VERY BEST REGARDS

GOD BLESS YOU
TESHOME REGASSA

Gracias por su atencin!

rsawyer@sarar-t.org

SARAR TRANSFORMACIN S.C.

AP 8, Tepoztln Morelos 62520 Mxico
Tel: +52 (739) 395-0364 /+52 (739) 395-7505
sarar@laneta.apc.org
http://www.sarar-t.org