Access to safe water and sanitation is essential to alleviate and improve the conditions of health in vulnerable populations. Myanmar Red Cross Society plays a supportive role with identified communities to address the need for improved water, access to sanitation facilities, development of water management strategies with local communities and promotion of effective hygiene practices with local community. Working auxiliary to the Department of Health the WatSan activities of MRCS aim to reduce poor hygiene thereby improving the health status of populations in ordinary times as well as in emergencies.

Components and Activities

Specific Objective
To improve access to safe water and sanitation in priority areas reducing water, sanitation and hygiene related illnesses.

Activities
- Capacity building of communities to manage basic water system operation and maintenance, sanitation facilities.
- Conduct ‘Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation’ activities (PHAST)
- Advocate and support improved water facilities and sanitary latrine construction
- Support safe drinking water supplies and community education for environmental sanitation, hygiene promotion and disease prevention in disaster affected areas.

Target beneficiaries
General population in identified areas

Timeline
2004 – 2009

Target Areas (location)
- Mandalay Division/Magway/Keng Tung as part of Community based Health projects
- Selected disaster prone areas

Partners
Funding – IFRC, ARC, Finish RC, DRC

Collaborative – DoH, UNICEF

Trained RCVs
38 RCVs