CAPOOP Alliance has launched an online collaborative platform, which aims to share knowledge and expertise of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) between experts across Africa.
The new platform by the Communications, Advocacy & Policy Opportunities and Outreach for Poop (CAPOOP) will allow members and partners to share resources and best practices, consolidate knowledge, and showcase innovative solutions to improve sanitation across the continent.
The platform will provide a series of tailor-made, user-friendly tools and resources to catalyze the work of key sanitation professionals and advocates working on fecal sludge management and non-sewered sanitation in Africa.
Today, 1 in 3 people still live without adequate sanitation in facilities in Africa, with this number rising to 75% in the West African region. To advance sanitation across the continent, late last year the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and its member states launched the Africa Sanitation Policy Guidelines (ASPG). The ASPGs are designed to provide African countries with guidance for updating and developing inclusive sanitation policies that are tailored to each country’s context, as well as the legal frameworks necessary for implementation. The new guidelines will ensure that sanitation policies are consistent across the continent.
Yacine Djibo, Founder & Executive Director of Speak Up Africa, says: “Improving access to better sanitation and hygiene across the continent is one of Africa’s greatest challenges, but we know that we are stronger when we work together. Through this new online platform, we will be able to share knowledge and expertise which will allow CAPOOP members to better understand the challenges and opportunities we have to improve sanitation across the continent.”
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Secretary of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), said: “It is great to see the WASH sector working together in such a collaborative way, and by sharing our resources and knowledge we will only strengthen efforts to improve sanitation across Africa. As we roll out the new Africa Sanitation Policy Guidelines, to improve sanitation across the continent, this new online tool will bolster our partnerships and find like-minded partners committed to supporting Africa’s sanitation journey.”
CAPOOP is an alliance of like-minded organizations committed to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations by 2030.
Earlier this year, the CAPOOP group launched its first ever sanitation media fellowship. On the side-lines of the 20th AfWA Congress in February, eight reporters from across Africa participated in a sanitation media training workshop before participating and documenting key events during the Congress. For the duration of a year, CAPOOP will support these fellows, connecting them to key spokespeople in the sector and increasing their capacity for reporting on sanitation issues across Africa.
