NEWAH is one of the
country's leading NGO in the water supply, sanitation, and hygiene promotion
(WASH) sector. Established in 1992, NEWAH is dedicated to helping poor,
underserved communities obtain access to WASH facilities irrespective of gender,
caste, class, and belief. Its vision is that of a prosperous and harmonious
Nepal where every citizen is able to realize their right to safe drinking
water, basic hygiene, and sanitation. In the past 28 years, it has served about
2.2 million people through 2,463 projects (by July 2020) ranging from safe and affordable
drinking water supply to community-led total sanitation (CLTS), health and
nutrition, menstrual hygiene management, 3R (recharge, retention, and re-use of
groundwater and rainwater), climate change adaptation, and disaster response
and rehabilitation.
Apart from implementing
WASH related projects, NEWAH is also actively involved in research, awareness,
and advocacy to secure people's right to WASH. It has strongly adhered to the
principle of inclusion and equality at both management and operational level.
Its outstanding work in the sector has been recognized with numerous awards and
accolades including the 2001 Environmental Prize from the Ministry of
Population and Environment and the 2013 Stars Impact Award from Stars
Foundation UK. It’s mission, goal, and objective are as follows:
Mission - Improve the living
standard of the people in greatest need through equitable and sustainable
access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Goal - Bring clean water to the doorstep of
the people, provide extensive health and hygiene education, and promote total
sanitation in communities through collaborative projects.
Objective -
1. Provide technical
knowledge and financial support for the development and improvement of WASH
services in unserved areas of the country;
2. Develop the capacity of
individuals and institutions involved in WASH sector to manage WASH programs
sustainably;
3. Engage in research and
studies to enhance sectoral knowledge base and involve in research-based
deliberations and advocacy for policy reform;
4. Collaborate with
government and other agencies to leverage equitable and sustainable access to
WASH services; and
5. Support state policies
and stakeholders’ programs to increase equitable and sustainable access to WASH
services.
NEWAH is registered at
the District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu (registration no.
30/049/050) and is affiliated with the Social Welfare Council Nepal
(affiliation no. 643/049/050). It has an Executive Board comprising seven
members that hold the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the
organization serves its mission. It currently operates in selected
municipalities/rural municipalities of the country through two Provincial
offices located in Sindhuli and Baglung districts and maintains 90 full-time
staff.