On August 6-8, USAID IUWASH PLUS conducted a training on gender responsive urban WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) promotion for KOTAKU (Kota Tanpa Kumuh/city without slums) in Ternate city. The event aimed to leverage KOTAKU field facilitators’ knowledge on gender responsive principles in urban WASH promotion.
This three-day training was conducted as part of USAID IUWASH PLUS technical supports for KOTAKU (the Ministry of Public Works and Housing’s program to remove urban slums and to achieve the 100-0-100 targets). Thirty-one field facilitators participated in the gender responsive urban WASH promotion training, which was held for the first time for KOTAKU field facilitators from Ternate and Tidore city. They were enthused over learning various topics related to WASH and gender principles, such as roles of gender in water and sanitation, gender mainstreaming in the urban WASH promotion, WASH regulation and alternative finance scheme, concept of safe water and safely-managed sanitation, and case study on WASH promotion at household and community level.
“This training helps us implement our activities better. I hope the collaboration with USAID IUWASH PLUS continues after this training,” Fitriyanti Selang, the KOTAKU City Coordinator of Ternate shared her impressions about the training. Similar to Fitriyanti, Sanaji Guru Sangaji, the Independent City Coordinator Associate of Tidore said that the training increased his technical knowledge on water and sanitation, and gave him an opportunity to meet new people working in the same sector.
After participating in the gender responsive urban WASH promotion training, the participants are expected to gain good understanding on gender responsive principles in urban WASH promotion, and be able to develop gender responsive urban WASH promotions plan, and implement it at community level. Further, the participants are expected to be able to lead community members in the areas that receive BDI (Bantuan Dana Investasi/Investment Fund Assistance – the Ministry of Public Works and Housing program for infrastructure quality improvement in villages/urban villages), and USAID IUWASH PLUS supported areas to include gender responsive principles into the community action plan to solve WASH issues. This community action plan will be developed following the WASH promotion.
Following this training, USAID IUWASH PLUS will continuously supports KOTAKU to adopt gender responsive principles into their programs, including WASH promotion, and infrastructure construction.