Systems Strengthening: WaterSHED Case Study

This case study assesses:

• the depth of key system changes by assessing how much performance has changed (both in key system factors, and at service delivery level);
• the sustainability and scale of system changes by assessing the ownership, scale and resilience of the behaviour changes that drove performance changes; and
• the attribution of system changes by examining the relationships between changes, and by looking at what else might have caused changes that occurred.

It was commissioned by Agenda for Change, and conducted by The Springfield Centre and Aguaconsult as the first in a series of case studies.

Download the paper: WaterSHED Case Study

Download the accompanying: research brief

Original blog post: Agenda for Change website

WaterSHED has demonstrated that prioritising sustainability and scale need not come at the cost of high impact numbers. The depth of performance changes achieved in leadership development, targeting and information, and ultimately in latrine affordability and sales, is remarkable.

In 588 communes across 8 provinces in rural Cambodia, WaterSHED’s system strengthening efforts have contributed to remarkably improved sanitation coverage in a way that is scaled and likely to be  sustainable. WaterSHED implemented two key programmes over a decade long period from 2010 to 2021: their Hands-Off sanitation marketing programme, and the Civic Champions leadership training programme.