PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE USAID/BANGLADESH WASHPLUS ACTIVITY MARCH 2016 This publication was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared independently by Kathleen Webb, M.A. Sekendar, Shireen- 1 - Akhter, Muhammad Maksudul Hannan, and Nathan Cutler. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE USAID/BANGLADESH WASHPLUS ACTIVITY MARCH 2016 Performance Evaluation Task Order: AID-388-TO-15-00002 WASHplus Cooperative Agreement Number: AID-OAA-A-10-00040 Photo, page 1: Tube well in Kalapara (K. Webb, 2016) DISCLAIMER: The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. - 2 - TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 8 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 13 Development Problem & USAID Response ........................................................................................ 14 WASHplus Activity Overview ................................................................................................................ 14 PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION .............................................................................. 16 Purpose & Audience ................................................................................................................................. 16 Evaluation Questions ................................................................................................................................ 16 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 17 Data Collection .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Limitations ................................................................................................................................................... 22 FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 23 Q1: Achievement of objectives, IRs, and sub-IRs ............................................................................... 23 Q2: Sustainability of WASHplus activities............................................................................................ 40 Q3: WASH and Nutrition Integration .................................................................................................. 42 Q4: Gender Strategies & Equitable Participation ............................................................................... 44 Q5: Best Practices & Lessons Learned ................................................................................................. 46 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................. 48 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 51 ANNEXES ........................................................................................................................ 55 Annex A: Evaluation Statement of Work ............................................................................................ 55 Annex B: Documents Reviewed ............................................................................................................ 62 Annex C: Data Collection Tools ........................................................................................................... 64 Annex D: Communities Visited & Individuals Interviewed .............................................................. 72 Annex E: Additional Data Tables ........................................................................................................... 74 Annex F: WASHplus Final Evaluation Photos ..................................................................................... 88 - 3 - FIGURES & TABLES Figure 1: WASHplus Results Framework ............................................................................................................................15 Figure 2. Map of households surveyed in WASHplus upazilas .......................................................................................20 Figure 3. Use of improved drinking water source, baseline and end-line, by upazila................................................26 Figure 4. Use of improved sanitation facility, baseline and end-line, by upazila ..........................................................28 Figure 5. Percent (%) of children <5 with diarrhea in the two weeks prior to survey, by upazila ........................29 Figure 6. Percent (%) of households with functional handwashing point with water and soap..............................30 Figure 7. Percent (%) of households practicing safe disposal of child feces, by upazila ............................................32 Figure 8. WASHplus-installed hand washing stations and sanitation facilities, by upazila ........................................82 Table 1. Data Sources ...............................................................................................................................................................17 Table 2. Household survey sample in WASHplus unions within each upazila............................................................19 Table 3. Summary of qualitative interviews conducted ....................................................................................................21 Table 4. WASHplus indicators, targets, and actuals ..........................................................................................................24 Table 5. WASH-allocated budgets across all WASHplus unions, FYs 2012-13 through 2014-15.........................36 Table 6. WASH-allocated budget (Tk), by union and FY .................................................................................................37 Table 7. WASH-allocated funds out of total UP budgets (%), by union and FY ........................................................38 Table 8. WASH plans in place, by union and FY ................................................................................................................39 Table 9. Household survey sample sizes by upazila and union .......................................................................................74 Table 10. Household survey sample sizes by upazila, union, and village ......................................................................75 Table 11. GOB Sector Development Plan (SDP) definition of improved water and sanitation facilities .............77 Table 12. SDP and JMP estimates of access to improved water and sanitation .........................................................77 Table 13. Household water fetching time and distance, by upazila ...............................................................................78 Table 14. Sex disaggregation of individuals who fetch water for the household, by upazila ...................................78 Table 15. Ownership of main source of drinking water, by upazila ..............................................................................78 Table 16. Perceived quality of drinking water, by upazila ................................................................................................79 Table 17. Percent (%) of households that use an improved or unimproved sanitation facility, by upazila ..........79 Table 18. Percent (%) of households with latrine installed above flood level or on higher ground, by upazila .79 Table 19. Maintenance or repairing since main household latrine was installed, by upazila ...................................80 Table 20. Percent (%) of children <5 with diarrhea in two weeks prior to survey, by upazila ..............................80 Table 21. Percent (%) of children <5 with diarrhea in two weeks prior to survey, by water source..................80 Table 22. Percent (%) of children <5 with diarrhea in two weeks prior to survey, by sanitation ........................81 Table 23. Availability and type of handwashing point, by upazila ...................................................................................81 Table 24. Prevalence of open defecation (OD), by upazila .............................................................................................83 Table 25. Prevalence of open defecation (OD) when household latrine is flooded, by upazila .............................83 Table 26. Perceived reasons for washing hands with soap, by upazila .........................................................................83 Table 27. Hygienic behavior while fetching containers, by upazila ................................................................................83 Table 28. Placement of water containers, by upazila ........................................................................................................84 Table 29. Handwashing with soap, by upazila .....................................................................................................................84 Table 30. Use of soap for different purposes, by upazila .................................................................................................84 Table 31. Main sources of water for cooking and washing utensils, by upazila ..........................................................85