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Adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools are vital, especially for girls. This study addresses a gap in assessing the adequacy of WASH facilities' repair at schools affected by natural hazards. Central Sulawesi was used as a case study where principal interviews were conducted at 26 schools, and structured observations were made at 18 schools, 3 years after the earthquake in September 2018. Ten of 26 principals reported no damage to the toilets from the events of September 2018. Among those who did, a third felt that the fixes insufficiently met basic needs and that they did not deliver WASH services as well as they used to. Not all WASH inadequacy stemmed from the earthquake. Structured observations revealed that most toilets lacked soap, open water reserves were placed next to non-flush latrines, posing a high potential for vector-breeding, and there were inadequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management, including no bins. Recommendations include ensuring a supply of soap, adding lids to water storage containers, and providing sanitary napkins and lidded bins. Observations suggested that private schools provided a better level of WASH service than state schools, and schools in more hazardous zones did not take longer to recover. HIGHLIGHTS Structured observations and interviews with school principals were used to assess WASH facilities, 3 years after the 2018 earthquake in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.; Coping mechanisms for damage to main pipelines include storing water in buckets in toilets.; State schools lagged behind private schools in WASH facilities.; Inadequate menstrual hygiene management in schools.;

The UN High Level Panel on Water notes that a total annual capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $114 billion of $129 billion is required globally to meet the safe drinking water and sanitation targets 1 and 2 of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). Annual operation and maintenance expenditure (OPEX) will increase, averaging $129 billion by 2030. In Sub-Saharan Africa, $36 billion is required and UNICEF estimates $15 billion is required to meet these targets in 21 countries in East and Southern Africa. Currently, only 15% of the financial investments in the sector are accounted for, which falls significantly short of delivering SDG 6. Consequently, innovative finance tools that maximise taxes, tariffs and transfers (3ts) are required to mobilise finances for the region's sector. This paper presents a diagnostic methodology for identifying bankable and blended finance projects in East and Southern Africa's water and sanitation sector. Potential projects were identified in Malawi, Mozambique and Ethiopia. Findings from applying the AHP (analytical hierarchy process) analysis recommend the use of the decision-making tool for prioritisation and selection of water and sanitation projects in the context of multiple projects requiring blended finance. The methods are applicable to other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa to enhance project pipelines whose collective cost and revenue mitigate investment risk. HIGHLIGHTS A shortfall in finance in East and Southern Africa is a significant barrier to realising equitable water and sanitation services for all.; To address the financial gaps, the sector will need to apply innovative finance mechanisms such as blended finance.; Multicriteria decision-making tools such as the AHP provides a valuable technique for evaluating countries’ potential for blended finance in the region.;

As factors influencing the health and well-being of children are complex and cross-sectoral, integrated interventions are required to improve child health and hence address the Sustainable Development Goals. This paper explores linkages between environmental factors, feeding practices and potential infection pathways in India. The PANChSHEEEL project is a participatory interdisciplinary study, designed to explore HEEE (Health, Education, Engineering and Environment) factors influencing Infant and Young Child Feeding practices. This study uses data from observational transect walks and 445 household interviews from nine villages in Banswara district in India. Using the socio-ecological model, this study demonstrates how the lack of access to and quality of water resources, poor access to sanitation and hygiene practices, access to cooking fuels and flooding can influence feeding practices. The study finds that access to water, sanitation and cooking fuels can affect the preparation of food, contaminate water and food and place added time burden on caregivers. For infants, insufficient and contaminated water can lead to a higher risk of infection, diarrhoea and ultimately malnutrition. Recommendations include efforts to address waterlogging, promote safe storage of water, establish a water quality regime with stakeholders and develop appropriate, affordable and acceptable sanitation solutions. HIGHLIGHTS The use of observational transect walks to better capture linkages between environment and feeding practices.; The socio-ecological framework is used to map links between built environment and feeding practices at the village, household and individual level.; Opportunities to improve child health through linkages to SDG 2 (Hunger), SDG 3 (Health), SDG 6 (Baby WASH) and SDG 7 (Energy).;