Explore the COWASH IV Database: Streamlining Performance Monitoring and Data Management
The COWASH IV web-based Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Sanitation Databases (PMRWFDB) website has been officially launched. The name of the website is cowasheth.org.
The main purpose of the database is to bring together the two COWASH III databases and to gather quick information on COWASH IV performance, manage data effectively and prepare quick performance reports.
The database includes project regions, zones, districts, partners, project activities, indicators and their measurement units, planning and implementation. Any COWASH stakeholder and partners can download current data from the database and use it for planning and performance monitoring.
You are kindly invited to use the Data Base by type in Google Chrome URL address space and bookmark the tab as displayed below so that you can easily get a tab (cowasheth.org) whenever you want to visit the Database.
The COWASH IV web-based Planning, Monitoring, Reporting, and Sanitation Database website has been officially launched. The name of the website is cowasheth.org.
The main purpose of the database is to build on the previous work conducted under COWASH III, provide a facility to quickly gather information on COWASH IV performance, manage data effectively and rapidly facilitate the preparation of performance reports.
The database includes project regions, zones, districts, partners, project activities, indicators and their measurement units, planning, and implementation. Any COWASH stakeholder and partner can download up-to-date information from the database and use it for project planning and performance monitoring.
You are kindly invited to view the database at cowasheth.org by clicking on the dashboard or Wash Facility Data.
Commencement of COWASH IV Operations in Tigray
The MoU between the MoF and the Tigray Bureau of Finance was signed on 02 June 2023 in the presence of the Ambassador and officials of the Embassy of Finland. The FTAT supported discussions between the MoF and the EoF to develop a mechanism to make salary back-payments to the RSU from the remaining COWASH III funds. This work was successfully completed and the team were paid on 30 June 2023.
News from the FTAT team
In May and June 2023, the FTAT team liaison with regions to advise on measures being taken to improve the project funding process, carried out social and behaviour change on-the-job training in SWEP and Sidama Regions and conducted on-the-job sanitation Marketing MSEs training for selected woredas in Oromia Region. Also, the FTAT team further RSU training on the use and operation of the COWASH IV database in Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz Regions, conducted on-the-job WSP4+ training in Benishangul-Gumuz Region and Saving and Loan Association (SLA) on-the-job training in Sidama and Oromia Regions.
COWASH IV Annual Review and Core Planning Meeting
The COWASH IV Annual Review and Core Planning Meeting was held in Arba Minch from 09 to 11 May with full participation of six regions. The meeting comprised presentations by each region on the third quarter project status together with discussions on the EFY 2016 core plan preparation process. The meeting was supported by representatives of the MoF and the EoF who presented an oversight of Finland’s development policies and the important role COWASH IV has in achieving the targets.
Enhancing Education through Access to Clean Water: COWASH IV's Impact on Warerso Keta Primary School
During 2014, the Community-led Accelerated WASH (COWASH) Project, Phase IV supported the construction of a shallow well in the compound of the Warerso Keta Primary School in Sululta Woreda, Oromia National Regional State at a cost of 400,000 Birr.
During a recent follow-up visit, the teachers and the school community expressed their happiness with the outcome. The principal of the school, Ato Teklie Seifu, said that since the school was built in 2008, there had been no available clean drinking water near the school and that students and teachers would waste more than an hour searching for water and that their health was adversely affected through water-related diseases. Furthermore, there has been a negative impact on the quality of education due to the time lost.
Ato Teklie stated that the school is serving 323 males, and 267 females, a total of 590 students, of which six have disabilities. With this investment, the water problems of the students and the school community will be eliminated and they will be able to have a better education program for the 2015 school year. He said that the school community will work together with the relevant bodies to ensure the sustainability of the water facility built for them.
In addition to the provision of clean water supply to schools, COWASH IV is also working on the provision of clean water supply and the construction of latrines for education and health institutions.
Ethiopia Celebrates 2023 World Water Day with Focus on Accelerating Change to Solve Water and Sanitation Crisis
The 2023 World Water Day was celebrated in the meeting hall of the Ministry of Water and Energy with the theme of "Accelerating Change to Solve Water and Sanitation Crisis" in the presence of COWASH IV and other WASH partners.
His Excellency Ambassador Asfaw Dingamo, the State Minister of Water and Sanitation Sector in the Ministry of Water and Energy, opened the meeting with an official speech stating that when we celebrate World Water Day, we should think about the citizens who are having problems with water and sanitation both in the world and in our country, and focus on strategic issues that can solve our problems and looking for solutions.
His Excellency Ambassador Asfaw added that Ethiopia is conducting encouraging work to solve the problem of water and sanitation for its citizens, but the sector's high investment demand, high population growth, urbanization, climate change, and are obstacles to achieving the desired level.
Governmental and non-governmental organizations including UNICEF, Water Aid, Japan International Cooperation Agency, IRC WASH, Ethiopian Water Technology institute and others involved in the water and sanitation sector participated in the forum. Senior professionals representing a variey of organizations made presentations titled Water Resource Management Implementation in Ethiopia, Accelerating Water Supply and Sanitation in Ethiopia, Filling the Capacity Gap in Water Sector to Accelerate the Change and Accelerating Change through Partnership to meet SDG 6 which were widely discussed by the participants.
World Water Day has been celebrated since 1993 based on the decision of the United Nations to create global awareness on water and sanitation.
COWASH IV and Amhara RSU Collaborate to Train Implementers on Water Safety Plan for Sustainable Water and Sanitation Facilities
The Community-led Accelerated WASH Project, Phase IV (COWASH IV) Federal Technical Assistance Team in collaboration with Amara RSU started Training of Trainers on Water Safety Plan (WSP) in Bahir Dar city.
Ato. Abrham Mengesha, Advisor for the Amhara Water and Energy Bureau Head who opened the training, said that the implementation of WSP in the construction and management of any water and sanitation facilities has a significant contribution to the sustainability of the projects.
Ato. Abrham Mengesha added that the main objective of the training is to increase the skills of the region's COWASH IV implementers in WSP implementation in order to make COWASH IV water and sanitation facilities resilient to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. He urged participants to have an appropriate awareness that would enable them to cascade the training and to provide technical support for woredas and the community.
The training will be mainly provided by Mussie Hailegiorgis, FTAT Climate and Environment Risks and Water Safety Specialist together with the Amhara regional support unit.
Participants are from the water & energy and agriculture departments of COWASH IV zones of the region and relevant bodies from the region. The training will continue for three days from 21-23 March 2023.
COWASH IV conducts gender and disability inclusion workshop in Benishangul-gumuz Region
The Community-led Accelerated WASH Project, Phase IV (COWASH IV) has commenced a gender equality, women empowerment, and disability inclusion review workshop in Bambassi City, Benishangul-gumuz Region.
The primary objective of the workshop is to evaluate the work done in empowering women, gender equity, and disability inclusion in order to strengthen the best performances and correct the gaps to improve the participation and benefit of women and persons with disability.
The COWASH IV regional support unit members, regional COWASH sector bureaus and partners who are working on women empowerment, gender and disability inclusion are participating in the workshop and it will continue for two days from 14-15 March 2023.