Summary of Study Session 7

In Study Session 7, you have learned that:

1. Frontline WASH workers are people working closely with the users of WASH facilities. Their role focuses mainly on mobilising communities towards improved practices of WASH. They also work with the community to provide adequate care and maintenance of the WASH facilities for sustainable service.
2. The key frontline workers in WASH for urban areas include Urban Health Extension Workers (HEWs), members of the Health Development Army, woreda water experts and both public and private WASH facility operators.
3. The roles of HEWs are to promote the health extension programme among families and communities and to ensure communities have adequate and proper understanding about WASH issues.
4. HDAs are groups of families that plan, implement and review actions to improve WASH situations in their neighbourhood. They are led by model families under the guidance of the HEWs, to construct and use improved latrines with handwashing facilities and adopt safe sanitation and hygiene practices.
5. Woreda water experts provide technical support in maintaining water supply facilities for utilities and WASHCOs, provide training on operation and maintenance, conduct water quality checks.
6. Private operators or service providers play key roles in making WASH services accessible to communities, supplying commodities, providing spare parts and equipment for construction and maintenance. MSEs are one type of private operator and provide solid waste collection service in most towns.
7. All frontline workers need to have good facilitation skills, so that they can effectively encourage and promote change.