How were participants selected?

WSUP mobilised local community-based organisations to identify potential intervention sites, conduct compound-level training, and promote hygiene at the household level.

To be eligible for the WSUP intervention, sites and households had to meet several key criteria: they needed to be within the project’s geographical scope, residents had to be using shared sanitation in poor condition, and the site had to have access to a piped water connection.

Additionally, residents needed to express a clear demand for improved sanitation and commit to covering part of the costs. WSUP engineers inspected each site to ensure it had adequate space and was accessible for both construction and maintenance.

Once these conditions were met, sites were ranked based on factors such as cost recovery potential, gender and disability considerations, environmental suitability for septic systems, and the community’s willingness to manage the facilities long-term through formalised committees. This thorough selection process ensured that the intervention targeted those most in need, while also fostering local ownership and sustainability.