WASHable Project

www.wash-able.org

About WASHable Project

The WASHable project, a collaboration between Lancaster University (UK) and the University of Buea (Cameroon) and the Catholic University of Angola, is developing a research network that provides knowledge exchange and capacity building, addressing the need for African academic organisations to open their doors and work with, in and for their communities.

This forms the first community-based research network on water, sanitation and hygiene in sub-Saharan, and especially Francophone and Lusophone Africa, and is a steppingstone for longer and deeper research collaborations that will be strengthened and sustained.

We welcome African as well as other International organisations and individuals with interest in WASH and/or design, community engagement to join and contribute to our network.

Project Aims

To understand how Arts and Humanities led research, particularly participatory design and community engagement methods, can address development challenges in the area of clean water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG6) in Lusophone and Francophone African countries, in order to promote the AHRC portfolio in under-represented areas and locations; 

to grow capacity and capability in Lusophone and Francophone African countries in participatory design and community engagement methods, in order to enable a fuller understanding of the role of local cultural, religious, linguistic, gender and other factors, on water, sanitation and hygiene practices and services; 

to establish a sustained transdisciplinary network that enables African and UK researchers, in order to co-design community-centred and culturally-sensitive and gender-mainstreaming projects aimed at delivering safe water, sanitation and hygiene services for Africa;