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CAWST offers expert WASH advice via KnowledgePoint

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Online humanitarian Q&A forum KnowledgePoint is proud to announce that the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) has joined the platform as a collaborative partner, alongside existing partners RedR UK, WaterAid, IRC Wash and Practical Action.

KnowledgePoint was launched in 2012 to give aid workers in remote locations access to free and fast expert advice, supporting aid agencies in exchanging and storing key technical knowledge. It was used heavily by WHO specialists during 2014-16 West Africa Ebola crisis to share information with field staff in remote locations. Between October 2015 and May 2016, 24 Ebola-related questions were asked, receiving 52 responses and being viewed collectively over 212,000 times. 

Following a revamp of the site in 2017 the platform was optimised for mobile use, making it ideal for humanitarian workers in the field. The revamped system is simple, intuitive and accessible even in low-bandwith field conditions. Since its launch, KnowledgePoint has gained more than 136,274 users across 183 countries, with a network of more than 150 technical experts answering questions on topics ranging from public health to security and logistics.

Technical Specialists

Founded in 2001, charity and licenced engineering firm CAWST works globally, developing the capacity of national organizations to make their own decisions and meet their communities' needs for water, sanitation and hygiene.

CAWST helps to build national Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) capacity by making household water treatment accessible and empowering individuals to take action in their homes and neighbourhoods. They also work with local organisations and governments, giving them the skills and knowledge to start, strengthen and grow their water and sanitation and hygiene services as well as helping them to adapt and respond to issues as they arise, increasing the effectiveness of their programs.

Since their launch in 2001 the charity has reached 15.4 million people who have benefitted from better water or sanitation as a result of projects implemented by CAWST clients and Water Expertise and Training (WET) Centre clients.

CAWST joins the KnowledgePoint project alongside existing partners RedR UK, WaterAid, IRC Wash and Practical Action. KnowledgePoint coordinator Harriette Purchas said:

We are delighted to welcome CAWST to KnowledgePoint. Their wealth of knowledge and experience in WASH make them an ideal collaborative partner for the platform. WASH is an essential part of any humanitarian response, and CAWST’s expertise will help to bring expert, technical WASH advice to humanitarians in the field, strengthening the KnowledgePoint platform and helping to create more effective humanitarian action.

Harriette Purchas

KnowledgePoint coordinator, RedR UK

KnowledgePoint

KnowledgePoint is a partnership between RedR UK, WaterAid, IRC Wash and Practical Action.  

KnowledgePoint is supported by Elrha’s Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) programme, a grant-making facility supporting organisations and individuals to identify, nurture and share innovative and scalable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing effective humanitarian assistance. 

The HIF programme is funded by the UK Government and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Visit www.elrha.org for more information about Elrha’s work to improve humanitarian outcomes through research, innovation and partnership. 

KnowledgePoint is a partnership between RedR UK, WaterAid, IRC Wash and Practical Action.  

KnowledgePoint is supported by Elrha’s Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) programme, a grant-making facility supporting organisations and individuals to identify, nurture and share innovative and scalable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing effective humanitarian assistance. 
  
The HIF programme is funded by the UK Government and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Visit  www.elrha.org  for more information about Elrha’s work to improve humanitarian outcomes through research, innovation and partnership. 

              

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