SuSanA News Mail May 2014 (Le Mail d'Actualités de SuSanA - Mai 2014; Correo de noticias de SuSanA - Mayo 2014)
Dear SuSanA members and partners,
This e-mail informs you about the latest news from SuSanA and the SuSanA partners. This e-mail is sent to 4939 subscribers and contains the following topics:
- New Head of the SuSanA Secretariat!
- SuSanA cities working group meeting in New Delhi, India
- BMGF Reinvent the Toilet Fair in New Delhi, India
- SuSanA "Breaking the taboo" sanitation cartoon competition
- Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting
- Update on sharing results from sanitation grants of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Forum news
- SuSanA welcomes eight new partners
- Monthly SuSanA discussion forum digest: What has been discussed?
- Sharing knowledge: Recently uploaded publications in the SuSanA library
- Upcoming partner events and training courses
1. New Head of the SuSanA Secretariat!
As of the 1 April 2014 (no April fools joke) the GIZ Sector Program “Sustainable Sanitation”, who executes the secretariat function of SuSanA, has new leadership in the form of Dr. Arne Panesar. The SuSanA secretariat is happy to welcome Arne back, as he was part of the group of founding fathers and mothers of SuSanA back in 2007 and was involved intensively with the SuSanA secretariat up until 2010. Arne moves back to the sector programme from his former role as Senior Country Manager in the department for Asia and Latin America where he dealt with India, Sector networks on water, energy, transport and rural development, as well as the GIZ climate portfolio in Asia. Welcome back Arne!
2. SuSanA cities working group meeting in New Delhi, India
On 23 March 2014, more than 40 people gathered in Delhi for a meeting of SuSanA’s cities group. The objective of the meeting was to bring together sanitation researchers with urban sanitation practitioners who work on the ground in India to allow for an exchange of knowledge and experience. Those present discussed the innovations presented at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Reinvent the Toilet Fair and identified which aspects of these projects had the potential to have a great impact on urban sanitation in developing countries, and which challenges or obstacles remain that prevent such breakthroughs. Participants largely agreed that no single sanitation solution will be appropriate everywhere, and that technology is important, but won’t solve everything on its own. In addition, it was discussed that attention must be paid to considerations such as local needs, affordability, and behavior as well as sustainable business models. For more information, please click here.
3. BMGF Reinvent the Toilet Fair in New Delhi, India
From March 20-22 the Reinvent the Toilet Fair was hosted by the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and featured innovations in toilets and sanitation around the world. The fair in New Delhi, India, was part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge (RTTC), a Gates Foundation initiative to fund research to develop innovative toilets without connections to sewer, electrical, or water systems towards bringing safe sanitation to those who need it most.
SuSanA has been utilised by the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge grantees since 2012, with an overview of the grants in the research section, as well as providing a platform to showcase the development and feedback processes of the innovations in the toilet designs. This collaborative exchange can be found here on the SuSanA discussion forum.
For more information and discussion on the Reinvent the Toilet Fair, SuSanA has several discussion and media channels which provide more information:
4. SuSanA "Breaking the taboo" sanitation cartoon competition
SuSanA and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) collaborated with Max Müller Bhavan (Goethe Institute), Green Wicket, Indian Institute of Cartoonists, and EAWAG/Sandec to hold a sanitation-themed cartoon competition. The spirit of the competition was to create cartoons which would get people to laugh and talk about sanitation - towards breaking the taboo around sanitation!
We received creative, funny, and profound cartoons from around the world, which highlighted humour around the subject, while also vividly displaying the seriousness of the issues. Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry and have made a contribution towards breaking the taboo around sanitation with their cartoons. We are happy to share with you a gallery of the top 20 cartoon entries.
The cartoon entries will continue to have a lasting impact through a display at the Indian Institute of Cartoonists premises in Bangalore from 24 May to 7 June 2014, and also a feature in the magazine Cartoon Watch, which has released a special edition on the cartoon competition and raising awareness for breaking the taboo around sanitation.
5. Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting
Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) held its High Level Meeting on April 11, 2014 in Washington, D.C. SWA is a global partnership of over 90 developing country governments, donors, civil society organizations and other development partners working together to catalyse political leadership and action, improve accountability and use scarce resources more effectively.
The 2014 meeting gathered representatives from 46 countries, including Margaret Chan (Director-General of the WHO) and Jim Kim (World Bank President), to discuss how to reach targets in water and sanitation towards a common vision of universal access to safe water and adequate sanitation. The recorded webcast of the meeting is now available online.
View the WASH services commitments made by 52 countries and donors and follow and contribute to the High Level Meeting discussion on the SuSanA Forum for more information, and perspectives from those who attended.
6. Update on sharing results from sanitation grants of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Between June 2013 and now, seven webinars have been carried out by the Stockholm Environment Institute in collaboration with SuSanA, during which grantees of the BMGF have discussed their research results with other grantees and with interested SuSanA members, using the online meeting environment Adobe Connect.
The most recent webinar was held on April 29th, 2014 on the topic of Adding missing links in sanitation value chains. This webinar featured presentations from:
- Francis de los Reyes (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA): Is a power auger "Excrevator" a suitable tool to empty pit latrines in South Africa and septic tanks in India?
- Daniel Yeh (University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA): A compact water recycling and energy harvesting system for off-grid public toilets in low-income urban areas: The NEWgeneratorTM anaerobic membrane bioreactor ready for field testing in India
- Brian von Herzen and Laura Talsma (Climate Foundation, California, USA): Community-scale facility to process faeces and faecal sludge into safe biochar by pyrolysis – field testing this year with Sanergy in Nairobi
The recordings of this webinar, as well as the past six webinars are available on the webinar playlist of the SuSanA Youtube channel. The topics and powerpoint files of the presentations from the webinars can be found here.
If you wish to take part in future webinars, either as a participant or presenter, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to have your name added to the respective mailing list.
7. Forum news
3500 Forum Users!
We are very excited to announce that the 3,500 member milestone has been achieved!!
Thank you to all members who have joined and contributed over the past years, and we look forward to welcoming new members, and the continuing involvement of SuSanA members!
Let us know why you joined the SuSanA Forum and how you have benefited here on the forum.
Forum User of the Month
We regularly highlight and interview a particular forum member who has contributed significantly to the sanitation community on the discussion forum. For the month of March, F H Mughal was selected as the user of the month.
After a lively discussion on the Forum, we have decided that the name ‘User of the Month’, will now be changed to ‘Featured User’ for our next featured users and interview series. Keep your eye out for our ‘Featured User’ in May!
User of the Month, March 2014: FH Mughal
Mughal from Pakistan is one of the first registered members of SuSanA, and currently an active poster on the SuSanA Forum with informative, helpful, and friendly posts and references. Mughal has a wide range of interests and writes about diverse topics such as wastewater treatment ponds, anaerobic systems, behavior change, nutrition, public attitudes, CLTS, microfinance and micro-credits, resiliency, and local construction materials. Although semi-retired, Mughal has decided to share his accumulated knowledge and experiences with the next generations and is often the first to make a reply when newcomers and students ask their first questions on the forum. Thank you Mughal for your active involvement on the forum and support to other forum users!
Click here for a detailed two-part interview with Mughal on the Forum.
8. SuSanA welcomes eight new partners
We welcome the following new partners who have recently joined SuSanA, bringing the total number to 230 partners.
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Global Communities (formerly CHF International) is an international non-profit organization from the United States that works closely with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. They take a comprehensive approach to water, sanitation and hygiene by integrating infrastructure development, community mobilization and behavior-change communication to improve sanitation and hygiene practices. |
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Horizon International works to find and advance solutions to vital concerns in the interconnected areas of health, the environment, population and economic well-being through its programs, websites, publications, lectures, conferences, and consultancies. Water, sanitation and hygiene have been a major focus of the organization for the past 6 years. |
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HEEALS is an acronym denoting their commitment to committing human and technical resources to achieve Health Education Environment and Livelihood Society for all. They are a research and advocacy based organisation from India, and do research on water and sanitation in schools, orphan homes, refugee camps and in rural and urban slums. Having been working in the WASH Sector for the last 3 years, they create awareness regarding toilet use, safe drinking water, and sanitation, and also work with menstrual hygiene and girl’s education in 5 states of India. |
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Jimma University (JU) is Ethiopia's first Innovative Community Oriented Education Institution of higher learning. JU is the largest and nationally first-ranked university in Ethiopia with over 40,000 students, 3,000 faculty, and 60 departments. JU is a pioneer in sanitation training in collaboration with national and international partners, including the Federal Ministry of Health. The university is engaged in promoting and realizing sustainable sanitation solutions through research and innovation. |
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Water For People is a non-profit international development organization from the United States that helps people in developing countries improve their quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities, and health and hygiene education programs. Their vision is a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation; a world where no one suffers or dies from a water- or sanitation-related disease. |
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Partners in Development (PID) is a civil engineering consulting and research group based in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. PID was founded by David Still in April 1993. PID works mainly in the water supply and sanitation field, and in that sector, in the areas of design, research, construction, and piloting of sanitation in urban and rural settings in South Africa. |
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Sanergy builds healthy, prosperous communities by making hygienic sanitation affordable and accessible throughout Africa's informal settlements. Sanergy uses a systems-based approach to tackle the sanitation challenge. They not only provide accessible, affordable and hygienic toilets, but also generate value from the waste by converting it into by-products such as fertiliser and renewable energy. |
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SaniWater Solutions is a joint partnership consulting firm providing services on contract and/or on commission basis in the area of environment, hygiene, Sanitation and Water. Their vision is to be a lead organisation in providing solutions for ensuring safe water hygiene and sanitation (WASH) amenities for all sections of the society ensuring environmental sustainability. Their mission is to promote synergy between private sector and civil society in finding appropriate solutions to the WASH challenges by introducing and supporting social ventures. |
9. SuSanA discussion forum digest: What has been discussed?
If you would like to receive the Forum Digest by e-mail, you simply need to register as a SuSanA member here and choose the frequency that you wish to receive the Forum Digest.
Do you need feedback on your publication from other sanitation experts or would you like to share your thoughts on a certain publication? Our new publication discussion section on the SuSanA discussion forum is just the right place for you!
Some of the NEW topics that have been discussed in the last months are:
- Legal barriers in the EU and other countries for using black soldier fly larvae as feed for farmed animals (375 views, 18 replies)
- We can do it - Teaching school girls how to build toilets (Blair VIPs) in Zimbabwe (293 views, 7 replies)
- Why is there pathogens in the first place? (508 views, 12 replies)
- Justifying composting toilets (446 views, 11 replies)
- Use of planning documents to guide the selection of sanitation technologies (362 views, 11 replies)
- 2014 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate: Professor John Briscoe (290 views, 3 replies)
Some of the ONGOING topics that have been discussed in the last months are:
- Moringa plant as handwashing soap (904 views, 17 replies)
- Designers, inventors, tinkerers... unite! (urine diversion squatting plates) - publication Compilation of contemporary toilet designs (3518 views, 20 replies)
- Self Sustained eToilet for households/ Urban-semi urban Public/ Community Sanitation (Eram Scientific, India) (7020 views, 27 replies)
- Using hydrothermal carbonization – or simply pressure cooking – to manage faecal sludge (Loughborough University, UK) (2969 views, 7 replies)
- Sol-Char Toilet: Using Concentrated Solar Energy to Treat Fecal Waste and Produce a Valuable Soil Amendment (Uni Colorado, USA) (3966 views, 12 replies)
New announcements under Jobs and Internships, Events, Publication Discussions, Call for Proposals (projects and awards).
10. Sharing knowledge: Recently uploaded publications in the SuSanA library
Since the last news mail, we have added another 59 documents to the SuSanA library bringing the total number to 1656 (see oour library where the most recently uploaded documents are shown at the top of the list).
We highlight the following publications to you:
- BMGF (2014). Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, Delhi, India - Program and Technical Guides. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA.
- BTAST (2013). SWASTH Learning Series: Building on Experience - Various documents. Bihar Technical Assistance Support Team, Sector Wide Approach to Strengthen Health (SWASTH), India.
- McConville, J., Wittgren, H. B. (eds) (2014). Peri-Urban Sanitation and Water Service Provision - Challenges and opportunities for developing countries. SEI Project Report 2014-01. Stockholm Environment Institute, Sweden.
- Shaw, R. (Ed) (2014). A Collection of Contemporary Toilet Designs - EOOS and WEDC. WEDC, Loughborough University.
- Vujcic, J., Ram, P.K. (2013). UNICEF Handwashing Promotion - Monitoring and Evaluation Module. UNICEF, New York, USA.
- Various Authors (2014). Presentations and documents on the topic of constructed wetlands (CWs), anaerobic baffled reactors (ABRs) and DEWATS. Various Publishers.
- Water Research Commision (WRC), Gezina ZA (2014). A low flush latrine for public schools - Lessons from two school pilots. WRC.
- WIN-SA (2014). Sanitation Matters - The sanitation research fund for Africa - A magazine for Southern Africa - Issue No.5 - March 2014. Water Information Network, Gezina, South Africa.
11. Upcoming partner events and training courses
Save Lives: Clean your hands, Worldwide.
05.05.2014
This annual global campaign to highlight the role of hand hygiene in combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) supports WHO's effort to improve hand hygiene in health care and thus prevent often life threatening healthcare-associated infections (HAI). It was launched in 2009 as a follow-up to WHO's First Global Patient Safety Challenge: Clean Care is Safer Care work.
Business Model Innovation for Sanitation and Water Services in Low-income Countries, Dübendorf, Switzerland
22.05.2014
This PEAK course offered by EAWAG will focus on how business model innovations oriented towards the sanitation value chain and water supply chain can make markets work. The course will look into how business model innovations enable organisations to provide sanitation and water services in more affordable and sustainable ways.
5-day training programme on DEWATS™, Centre for Advanced Sanitation Solutions (CASS), Kengeri, Bangalore, India
26.05.2014 – 30.05.2014
The objective of this training programme, organized by CDD Society, in collaboration with BORDA and RGRHCL, is to impart technical skills required for planning, implementing and managing DEWATS™ with special emphasis on civil design. The training approach adopts a participatory learning methodology combining lectures, illustrations and demonstrations with active participation of the trainees.
5th Africa Water Week, Dakar, Senegal
26.05.2014 – 30.05.2014
The Africa Water Week (AWW) is organized by the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) and represents a political commitment at the highest level with over 1000 participants to discuss and collectively seek solutions to Africa’s water and sanitation challenges. It is held biennially in keeping with the decision of the AMCOW to institutionalize AWW in order to build momentum on achieving the Millennium Development Goals’ (MDGs) water and sanitation targets by 2015, and the 2025 Africa Water Vision.
3rd ADB–DMC and Partners Sanitation Dialogue: 11th Hour to MDGs 2015, Manila, Philippines
27.05.2014 - 29.05.2014
This event will promote a comprehensive approach to sanitation among the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its developing member countries (DMCs). The dialogue aims to raise awareness and capacity of DMCs on sustainable sanitation and to enhance DMCs' preparedness to conceptualize, plan and implement sanitation strategies and projects that increase access to sanitation and promote effective wastewater management.
Menstrual Hygiene Day, Worldwide
28.05.2014
In May 2013, WASH United pioneered May #MENSTRAVAGANZA, a 28-day social media campaign cycle to generate awareness around menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) within WASH initiatives. Out of this campaign came the idea to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May, starting in 2014. The date was chosen because May is the 5th month of the year, which represents 5 days, or the average number of days (between 2-7) spent menstruating, and 28 represents the average number of days in a menstrual cycle.
World Water Summit 6, Sydney, Australia
30.05.2014
This year, Wasrag World Water Summit is focusing on the benefits of effective collaboration. Topics to be addressed include: How do you ensure you are bringing the right people to the table? What makes a great program team? What are NGO implementers looking for from Rotary Clubs? Learn practical skills about the development and implementation of sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene education programs.
2014 Tech4Dev International Conference: What is Essential?, Lausanne, Switzerland
04.06.2014 - 06.06.2014
The third International Conference on Technologies for Development will focus on the theme ‘What is Essential’. Topics will include public health and livelihood improvements with regard to access to safe water, e.g. for regions affected by geogenic groundwater contamination and Payments for water services for improved accountability of water through remote metering and permitting / controlling.
- Call for Papers -
The 2015 International Water Association Faecal Sludge Management 3 Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam (January 18-22) call for abstracts of papers, workshops and case studies deadline is coming up! The call is open until May 31, 2014.
You can find more information on events, jobs and news on the SuSanA website. We invite you to send us information on events and news items for publication on the SuSanA website. To provide comments and questions, please e-mail us or use our discussion forum www.forum.susana.org.
Kind regards from Eschborn (Germany),
Rahul and Trevor
Rahul Ingle and Trevor Surridge
on behalf of the SuSanA secretariat
Website: www.susana.org
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(For IT reasons, GIZ staff members need to use this address instead: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Skype: susana.secretariat
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Discussion forum: www.forum.susana.org
