COWASH IV is currently conducting on-the-job training sessions in Bale Zone, Oromia Region, to establish and strengthen Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Saving and Loan Associations (SLAs).

From October 29th to 31st, the COWASH IV team is in Dinsho and Goba Woredas, training community water scheme beneficiaries, WASH Committees, SLA groups, and regional, Woreda, and Kebele level stakeholders on SLA establishment and sustainability. In Dinsho, the focus is on establishing new SLA groups, while in Goba, the team is providing supervision training to existing groups to ensure their continued progress and sustainability.

Last week, similar training sessions were conducted in Central Ethiopia and South-West Ethiopia People’s Region. In Lemu, Geta, and Fofa Woredas of the Central Ethiopia region, 51 participants, including health extension workers, took the training. In South-West Ethiopia, training was provided for SLA groups in Mari Mansa and Kechi Woredas, focusing on increasing savings, accurate record-keeping, and investing savings in improved household sanitation.

Through these trainings, COWASH IV aims to establish strong and sustainable SLA groups, promote behavior change in sanitation practices, strengthen WASH committees and their collaboration with SLAs as well as cascade the project’s WASH SLA methodology to Kebele WASH teams, health extension workers, and WASH Committees.