Celebrating Nepal

Antoinette Kome

When Kalikot moved from 8 or 9% coverage to ODF in 2013, we started to believe that achieving ODF, at scale, was possible [evidence and M&E]. Nepal has inspired the countries where SNV works (and still is), and has imparted a lot of lessons to all of us [learning]. 

Global Sector Coordinator, WASH, SNV

Peter Newsum

Walking through the villages, I was pulled into the compounds of people. They wanted to show me what they had achieved. They wanted to show me the latrines they have been constructing. What amazed me the most was the pride radiating from their faces.

Country Director, SNV Nepal

Ram Prakash Singh

Four strategies helped ensure the success of the ODF campaign: (1) a-no subsidy approach, which in turn promoted (2) transparency, (3) harnessing meaningful participation of all, and (4) starting our efforts from 'those who have' to 'those who do not have.'

WASH Advisor, SNV Nepal

Lek Bikram Shah

After piloting the ODF campaign across three districts... years later, we scaled up the strategy and took it region-wide. In the country, our experience in Nepal contributed to the development of the National Sanitation and Hygiene Master Plan 2011. Similarly, SNV's SSH4A approach also benefited from the lessons we've learned in rural sanitation implementation.

WASH Advisor, SNV Nepal

Ratan Budhathoki

To meet the (sanitation) challenges, we worked together with the District WASH Coordination Committees, local partners and media. Together, we made great strides. From districts to VDCs becoming open defecation free, Nepal is now an ODF country!

WASH Advisor, SNV Nepal

Harishova Gurung

Due to the country's intensive sanitation campaign, open defecation practice has been turned to access to toilet. To ensure that groups in the last mile would also benefit from the final push for ODF, we developed diverse user-friendly technological (toilet) options.

BCC and GESI Advisor, SNV Nepal

Krishna GC

We cannot underestimate the importance of households in achieving this success. Households invested their own time and resources to build their toilets. It's as important as government leadership and harnessing development partnerships.

WASH Advisor, SNV Nepal

Chiranjibi Koirala

I was born in the terai. Growing up in the terai, open defecaton was accepted. It was normal. Now, thanks to the campaign's success, if a person defecates in the open, it's  become a public concern. This shift in mind-set was achieved within five years, through government leadership and partnerships.

WASH Advisor, SNV Nepal

Hans Heijdra

What I saw was a kind of movement, proud people, and a strong willingness to bring (the ODF campaign) further. This, I think, is the strongest message that the people of Nepal and the government of Nepal is showing, not only to themselves, but to the whole world.

Managing Director, SNV 

Henk Veerdig

Beyond the Surkhet Declaration and the National Master Sanitation Plan in 2011, it was the people of Nepal that made countrywide ODF happen. Particularly, the women that worked hard to convince their husbands, their brothers and their neighbours to build a toilet. The role of women in the campaign cannot be overemphasised.  

Disaster Response Coordinator, NRC and former SNV Nepal WASH Sector Leader

Bimal Tandukar

A sound sanitation concept (referring to SSH4A), multi-stakeholder and sectoral consensus building, government leadership, and harnessing a sanitation movement were key to the ODF campaign's success.

Rural Sanitation Specialist and former SNV Nepal WASH Advisor