Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in emergencies

Globally, over 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries, and an estimated 829,000 people die annually because of unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. FHI 360 works to ensure crisis-affected communities have access to safe and sufficient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and supplies — and the knowledge they need to mitigate the risks of WASH-related diseases.

We improve access to clean water during and immediately after the onset of crises by conducting rapid maintenance and disinfection of affected water systems as well as alternative service delivery options, including trucked water from alternative sources or promotion of household-level water treatment options. To ensure these interim measures are transitioned to more reliable ones, we restore affected water services to full functionality, including by expanding them to work even during increased service demands in emergencies and upgrading them to be more cost-efficient and less dependent on nonrenewable power sources. We also train and support communities to operate and maintain their water supply systems for the long-term, including by selecting, training and equipping water user committees.

Working with local community members, engineers, builders and vendors, we facilitate access to appropriate sanitation facilities by installing latrines, handwashing facilities and bathing facilities in communities and institutions. In health care settings, FHI 360 works to improve health care waste management through capacity strengthening for health facility staff, supply of consumables, and improvement of existing or installation of new waste disposal or treatment structures.

We strengthen environmental health by providing solid waste and drainage management and training and equipping volunteers from targeted communities (often including people who have been displaced, returnees or other crisis-affected individuals) with tools and resources for keeping their shelters and living environments clean.

Finally, we work with communities to use behavior-centered approaches to promote the adoption of improved hygiene behaviors. This includes educating communities on the transmission and prevention of WASH-related communicable diseases and encouraging people to immediately seek care in the event of sickness. Our hygiene promotion work focuses on the adoption of safe water chain, safe excreta disposal, hand hygiene, food hygiene, and care-seeking during outbreaks by community members. Our hygiene promotion work is complemented by distributions of nonfood items in camps and during outbreaks.