Prototyping at Scale

Project Sammaan’s long-term goal is to create a replicable, successful sanitation model that can be adapted by cities throughout South Asia and beyond.

In order to quantify the impact of this initiative, rigorous evaluation needs to occur. However, the methodology of this assessment requires a considerable sample size, meaning that the interventions, irrespective of their success rates, will be rolled out on a massive scale. It’s not merely one or two facilities, but well over 100 in dozens of communities; a considerable footprint to be certain.

This scaling-up competes with government accountability of providing basic sanitation to all its citizens. Rather than simply revisiting the models that are currently accepted as the norm, whether rightfully or not, which would ultimately be faster, the MCs are willing to “delay” building these facilities in the interest of creating a new, sustainable model.

The active participation of partners at the BMC and CMC reaffirms their commitment to not just provide more toilets, but better ones.