Vision of a Healthy Village
Vision of a Healthy Village
Vision of a Healthy Village
Transformation is Possible: Water for Good’s Evidence-Based Model of Change
Transformation is Possible: Water for Good’s Proven Model of Change
Vision of a Healthy Village (VHV) is Water for Good’s unique holistic model for solving the global water crisis by transforming communities one by one.
Developed from over 45 years of experience in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) work, VHV provides more than just new water point installations. Local villagers are empowered to become health heroes as they receive training to champion, construct, and advocate for sanitation and hygiene in their own communities.
In each area we serve, an average of 150 facilitators dedicate more than 50,000 hours to teach communities about safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Read more about the process below.
Over a three-year process, this model transforms behaviors and improves daily life – reducing cases of childhood diarrhea by a median 90% in the communities that we serve.
The 3 Components of a Healthy Village
Water for Good’s grassroots approach to solving the global water and sanitation crisis is called “Vision of a Healthy Village.” It operates from the belief that real, lasting change takes all of us—donors, local communities, and Water for Good staff—working in partnership with one another so that no one is left behind.
New Water Access
Building safe water and sanitation infrastructure.
To ensure that every community has a reliable foundation for health, we:
- Ensure active participation of communities and local governments in the assessment, planning, design, and construction of water and sanitation infrastructure.
- Conduct comprehensive, project-wide assessments, planning, and design of water and sanitation infrastructure to effectively serve communities, schools, and health facilities.
- Install safe and reliable water points and sanitation infrastructure in communities, schools, and health facilities.
Community Health
Training and empowering communities in healthy sanitation and hygiene practices.
Infrastructure alone isn’t enough; in order to drive behavior change to eliminate diseases, we:
- Implement household sanitation and hygiene through WASH education, community engagement, and Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) to eliminate open defecation and reduce disease.
- Mobilize WASH facilitators, volunteers, churches, and community partners to drive behavior change and support vulnerable households through training and home visits.
- Track the progress of Healthy Homes and Open Defecation Free (ODF) status using community-led monitoring tools to maintain achieved status and momentum.
- Certify healthy homes and villages and sustain progress through social groups that reinforce safe sanitation and hygiene practices.
Operations & Maintenance
Maintaining safe water and sanitation infrastructure for the long term.
To ensure the water keeps flowing for generations, we:
- Ensure active participation of communities and local governments, promoting ownership, financial sustainability, and institutional capacity.
- Strengthen supply chains for spare parts and improve repair readiness to minimize downtime.
- Establish and equip professional operations and maintenance service providers to ensure systems remain safe, functional, and sustainable over time.
The 5 Pillars of a Healthy Village
Water for Good’s grassroots approach to solving the global water and sanitation crisis is called “Vision of a Healthy Village.” It operates from the belief that real, lasting change takes all of us—donors, local communities, and Water for Good staff—working in partnership with one another so that no one is left behind.
Healthy Homes
Local sanitation and hygiene facilitators train households door-to-door, helping families adopt and maintain vital health and hygiene standards. Families adopt these critical WASH behaviors to earn certification:
DRINKING SAFE WATER
IMPROVED LATRINE WITH DIGNITY
HANDWASHING
SAFE WATER STORAGE
WASHING DISHES AND DRYING RACK
BATHING SHELTER
CLEAN COMPOUNDS
Healthy Schools
With guidance from local, trained facilitators, schools integrate WASH infrastructure and education to create a safe and healthy learning environment providing:
SAFE WATER POINTS
APPROPRIATE LATRINES
PERMANENT HANDWASHING STATIONS
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT
CLEAN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
Healthy Health Facilities
Rural health centers need reliable access to safe water, improved sanitation, and proper hand-washing facilities to effectively provide health education and primary health care services in their communities. This includes:
DRINKING SAFE WATER
IMPROVED LATRINE WITH DIGNITY
PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL
PERMANENT HANDWASHING
OPERATION & MAINTENANCE
Sustainable Safe Water Services
Water For Good is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural water systems by addressing financial, technical, institutional, and technological spheres at every water point. To support this goal, each site must meet the following standards:
DRINKING SAFE WATER
MONEY IN ACCOUNT
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICE IN PLACE
UPTIME AT LEAST 90%
FUNCTIONAL WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS OR COMMITTEES
STRONG LOCAL GOVERNMENT WASH SYSTEMS
Healthy Churches
In regions where churches are present, Water for Good partners with local congregations to model healthy WASH practices and support vulnerable households.
CHURCH LEADERS TRAINED
WASH LESSONS INTEGRATED
CLEAN CHURCH COMPOUND
IMPROVED LATRINE WITH DIGNITY INSIDE CHURCH PREMISES
FUNCTIONAL HANDWASHING FACILITY
