I am still hoping that some of the people who attended this conference could give us some feedback about their own personal take-home messages and the general consensus if there was one? That would be great. Please share.

Some of the presentations have in the meantime been uploaded to the conference website here:
whconference.unc.edu/verbal-presentations/

This list of presenters and presentations from the 2013 Water and Health Conference: "Where Science Meets Policy" will be expanded as presenters submit their presentations. So it may be good to check back again after a few weeks.

The presentations are not yet ordered by subject which is a little bit annoying.

With my interest in sanitation in particular, the following four presentations caught my attention:

(1)
Kenan Okurut: Improved sanitation in low-income informal settlements – A case of Eastern African cities: Is it a myth?

The authors documented that what is counted as "improved" (in the MDG sense) is often far from hygienic and safe... This was part of the 3K-SAN project that is funded by European Union under the SPLASH Sanitation programme.

(2)
Rishi Rattan: The UN + Cholera in Haiti

Unusual presentation (it starts with a font that one knows more from crime stories); I am not totally sure what the message was, but it sounded pretty controversial. did it lead to a heated discussion?

(3) + (4)
Jan Willem Rosenboom: Sanitation Marketing: What are we learning and what more should we do?
Jan Willem Rosenboom: FSM in the Foundation’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy

I was curious about these as Jan Willem works for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I found them pretty interesting.
The second presentation contains a video about manual pit emptying in Kenya (there is no sound nor music in the video, and no descriptions; but it is still rather impressive because it's all so unhygienic and eerie):



The video look like they went to the same or similar place to where Doreen Mbalo once went and gave us this photo report:
www.flickr.com/photos/gtzecosan/sets/721...662/with/6829313498/

Of course the collected faecal sludge is simply dumped in the nearest water course - which is like a few thousand people practising open defecation into this stream all at once...

Regards,
Elisabeth

We would like as many of you as possible to participate "virtually" in the side event, see previous post for details and times. Outlined below are three ways you can:

1. Join a live Google "Hangout" where you can follow the discussion and ask your own questions. Limited spots available. Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2. Watch the live "tweet chat" on twitter: tagboard.com/KM4WASH. Anyone can participate - just include hashtag #KM4WASH in your tweets!
3. Answer these four questions about knowledge management for WASH in our brief 5-minute survey. Click here: unc.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5Asrth4uRmFDyrX

Hope you are able to join us and enjoy the event.
Rgds
Trevor

UNC WATER AND HEALTH CONFERENCE SIDE EVENT

Putting Knowledge Into Action - Tools, Tips and Approaches to Support WASH Learning and Communication

For those of you attending next week's 2013 Water and Health Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, we would like to invite you to a session on sharing practices for translating water, sanitation and hygiene knowledge into action.

Successful organizations make good knowledge management (KM) and communication practices part of their everyday work. WASH organizations and others are using social media and KM tools and approaches to share resources and information; support networks to increase collaboration and learning; improve organizational performance; highlight program results; and support advocacy. Join us to listen, discuss and share about the use of learning, collaboration and communication to put WASH knowledge into action.

This half-day learning and networking event will include presentations, small group discussions, and hands on learning opportunities. Participants will learn how some WASH organizations and networks are using KM and communication tool and approaches, engage in peer discussions in a knowledge café, learn about new WASH resources and networks, make new connections, and build networks for future collaboration and learning.

Small group discussion topics will include: Making the most of Twitter; Managing knowledge across diverse boundaries (distance, technology, and language); Nurturing networks and communities of practice; How to measure and show results for communication and KM; Learning from failure, and more.

Convening organizations for this side event include: Rural Water Supply Network, Stockholm Environmental Institute; USAID WASHplus Project; Sustainable Sanitation Alliance/GIZ; WASH Information Consortium/IRC (via virtual participation); and the Water Institute at UNC (as Communications Lead for the International Network on Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage).

When: Tuesday, October 15th

Time:
8:30am – 12:00pm Eastern Standard Time (same as New York)
13.30pm - 17.00pm BST (London)
14.30pm - 18.00pm CEST (Berlin)
15.30pm - 19.00pm EAT (Kampala, Nairobi)
18:00pm - 21.30pm IST (Bangalore)
18.15pm - 21.45pm NPT (Kathmandu)

Where:
Dogwood Room, The Friday Centre, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

On Monday, October 14th Population Services International and Water For People will be jointly hosting the interactive panel discussion, "Market-Based Approaches to Sanitation: Lessons Learned, Pathway Forward" as a side event at the 2013 University of North Carolina Water and Health Conference.

The goal of the event is to establish a common vision of success for market-based approaches to WASH, specifically focused on sanitation, including exploration of how this success should be measured. This shared vision will support advocacy and the implementation of quality projects that aim to make markets work for the poor.

Panelists from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, International Development Enterprises, PATH, Plan International, PSI and Water For People will lead the discussion.

Event details:
Monday, October 14th 1:15-5pm
UNC Friday Center, Chapel Hill, NC
The Bellflower Room

Cocktail hour to follow, at 7pm at Top of the Hill's Back Bar (100 E Franklin St), ask for 'Sanitation Networking.'

2013 Water and Health Conference, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Side event on “Putting Knowledge into Action – Tools, Tips and Approaches to Support WASH Learning and Communication” Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, 8:30 am – 12 pm



Successful organizations make good knowledge management (KM) and communication practices part of their everyday work. WASH organization and others are using social media and KM tools and approaches to share resources and information; support networks to increase collaboration and learning; improve organizational performance; highlight program results; and support advocacy. Join us to listen, discuss and share about the use of learning, collaboration and communication to put WASH knowledge into action.

• This half-day learning and networking event will include presentations, small group discussions, and hands on learning opportunities. Participants will learn how some WASH organizations and networks are using KM and communication tool and approaches, engage in peer discussions in a knowledge café, learn about new WASH resources and networks, make new connections, and build networks for future collaboration and learning.

• Small group discussion topics will include: Making the most of twitter; Managing knowledge across diverse boundaries (distance, technology, and language); Nurturing networks and communities of practice; How to measure and show results for communication and KM; Learning from failure, and more.

• Convening organizations for this side event include: the International Network for Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage/UNC Water Institute; Rural Water Supply Network, Stockholm Environmental Institute; USAID WASHplus Project; Sustainable Sanitation Alliance/GIZ; and WASH Information Consortium/IRC (via virtual participation).



Interact pre-event, during and post-event via twitter with #KM4WASH

[Posted by Hector and Trevor]

Early Bird Registration Deadline for the 2013 Water and Health Conference

Take advantage of the early bird registration rate for the 2013 Water and Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy by registering today. The early bird rate of $395 ends on August 9. This year’s Conference will have a wide range of learning and networking opportunities including more than 200 verbal and poster presentations and various side events , as well as the chance to interact with a diverse group of international leaders in WaSH, health and development. The Conference takes place October 14-18 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

Extended Abstract Deadline for 2013 Water and Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy

We’ve received many requests for late abstract submissions for this year’s Water and Health Conference from people who could not meet the original deadline of April 30. So we’ve decided to extend the abstract submission deadline to Tuesday, May 7 at 11:59 p.m. United States Eastern Standard Time, to allow more time for participants to submit their work.

Abstract submissions can be made online at whconference.unc.edu/sign-up-to-submit-an-abstract/ .


Enelda Butler
Communications Support Associate
The Water Institute at UNC

Call for Abstracts – 2013 Water and Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy





The 2013 Water and Health Conference: Where Science Meets Policy, organized by The Water Institute at UNC, will consider drinking water supply, sanitation, hygiene and water resources in both the developing and developed worlds with a strong public health emphasis.
The conference is accompanied by several exciting events before and afterwards. Don’t miss the opportunity to network with and learn from the unique array of national and international professionals!

They now accept abstracts for poster and verbal presentations for this year's Conference, which will take place October 14 -18 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Submissions may be made via the conference website until April 30.

The themes for the 2013 conference are:

• Hygiene and behavioral change
• M&E: local, global and human right perspectives
• Institutions, finance and sustainability
• Sanitation and health
• Water supply and quality: from catchment to consumer and back

If you have questions or concerns about the abstract submission process, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check the website whconference.unc.edu/ .

Dear all,

from 14-18 December 2013 the 2013 Water and Health Conference will take place in Chapel Hill, N.C., USA.

The themes for the 2013 Water and Health Conference are:

• Hygiene and behavioral change
• M&E: local, global and human right perspectives
• Institutions, finance and sustainability
• Sanitation and health
• Water supply and quality: from catchment to consumer and back

The call for abstracts for the 2013 Water and Health Conference will open early next month.

For further information check --> whconference.unc.edu/

For further events in the sanitation sector please check our event calender --> www.susana.org/lang-en/news/events

Kind regards,
SuSanA secretariat.
[posted by Agazi Medhanie]