About Us – Swiss Water & Sanitation Consortium

Created in 2011, the Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium (SWSC) brings together eight Swiss NGOs – Caritas Switzerland, Fastenopfer, HEKS-EPER, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, Solidar Suisse, Swissaid, Swiss Red Cross and Terre des hommes – implementing jointly a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme in Africa and Asia. Besides providing access to WASH services, it also proved successful in experience-sharing and learning, as well as strengthening the Swiss profile in advocacy and policy dialogue.

After completing two successful phases, Phase III was launched in April 2020, with WASH in institutions as an entry point to increase water and sanitation coverage in 16 projects in 12 countries. The focus is on rolling out SWSC's signature approaches, Blue Schools and WASH in Health Care Facilities, and on building solid evidence of their success for further advocacy. The SWSC is co-financed by the the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as well as the consortium member organizations.

Overall goal

The SWSC aims to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable in developing countries, through increased use of sustainable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services at home, in schools and in health centers. The joint knowledge and expertise on achieving sustainable WASH services in institutions enables the SWSC to replicate good practices and influence policies and global frameworks. The SWSC thereby contributes to working more effectively towards the SDGs, i.e. goal 6 on water as well as goal 3 on wellbeing (health care facilities) and goal 4 on education (schools).

Strategy

Building on solid experiences, the SWSC will focuses on WASH in institutions through its two signature approaches Blue Schools and WASH in Health Care Facilities as a strategic entry point to have an impact in the communities (besides working directly in the communities). The added-value of the SWSC consists in combining practical field expertise in WASH, with knowledge sharing and learning, networking, partnership and a critical mass of projects to adapt, refine and build evidence of the signature approaches, as well as joining forces to influence sector policies and advocate at global level.

Structure

We are structured around three regions: Francophone Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa and South and Southeast Asia. In each of the consortium regions, a regional advisor supports the projects according to the needs and promotes knowledge sharing. The Consortium Steering Board – comprising representatives from the eight member organisations – determines the strategic orientation, whereas the Consortium Management Unit ensures the operational management of the SWSC.

Member Organisations

The eight member organisations (NGOs) - Caritas Switzerland, Fastenopfer, HEKS-EPER, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation, Solidar Suisse, Swissaid, Swiss Red Cross and Terre des hommes - form the core of the Consortium. The member organisations are represented in the Steering Board, the supreme body of the Consortium and are responsible for implementing the Consortium projects (planning, implementation, monitoring, quality control, backstopping, financial management, reporting at project level). The Consortium may tap on qualified expert knowledge from its member organisations through the pool of experts. Some projects are implemented through local partners organisations. Those partners are also involved in consortium activities as knowledge sharing, etc.

Steering Board (SB)

The steering board is the supreme body of the Consortium, comprising one representative of each member organisation. The Consortium Steering Board discusses and decides on strategic issues of the Consortium, oversees and monitors the effectiveness of the operations carried out by the Consortium Management Unit and mediates/decides on operational issues for which the involved parties may not find a consensus. An appointed person from the Consortium’s Steering Board chairs the Steering Board. The Steering Board meets in principle twice a year.

Consortium Management Unit (CMU)

The Consortium members mandate the Consortium Management Unit (CMU) to coordinate the Consortium programme on their behalf. The CMU reports to and is accountable to the Steering Board. The CMU staff are seconded by the member organisations and led by the coordinator. The CMU ensures effective coordination of the Consortium activities, facilitates knowledge exchange and provides backstopping to the projects. Overall coordination, financial management and knowledge management are conducted from Switzerland while the regional advisors are based in Ethiopia, Mali and Nepal.

Focal Points

Each member organisation appointed a consortium focal point representative. They are the primary contact person in the member organisation for the CMU. They ensure that information provided by the CMU is effectively disseminated to the organisation’s programme coordinators / project teams and feed information (reports), questions, comments and suggestions back to the CMU.