Aakash Maharjan, ECCA Counselor, Kathmandu

Since joining ECCA Nepal as a counselor in 2024, I’ve seen first-hand how the “Healthy Children, Healthy Communities” project transforms rural Nepalese communities through its focus on water, sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition (WASH-N). ECCA Nepal provides practical tools, such as child-friendly taps, toilets, hygiene kits, water filters, improved cooking stoves, and even goats, paired with technical training to ensure their sustainable use.

Beyond resources, ECCA Nepal empowers people by forming women groups, school clubs, and village committees, fostering leadership and collaboration with parents and schools (including the School Management committee and Parents Teachers Association).

A standout success was in Chitwan, where a women group I trained in soap-making not only started producing soap but also raised NPR 200,000 and trained other women groups and stakeholders across wards, municipalities, and districts, sparking economic empowerment and community-driven change.

Meanwhile, ECCA Camps in schools taught students about WASH-N, life skills, paper recycling, and cultural heritage, building confident young leaders for a healthier, stronger future.

ECCA Nepal’s innovative strategy blends physical infrastructure, behavioural transformation, and community empowerment to deliver lasting change. Women groups are turning newfound skills into thriving businesses, school clubs lead the change in promoting hygiene, and communities actively invest in their health and well-being. By prioritizing sustainable practices over temporary solutions, ECCA Nepal ensures that these improvements become deeply rooted in daily life, fostering resilience and self-reliance.

This powerful combination of hardware (construction) and software (training, orientation, awareness) activities drives ECCA Nepal’s impact. While constructing facilities like toilets and water systems is vital, the true catalyst for change lies in shifting mindsets, building skills, and cultivating community ownership. Drawing from personal involvement with a soap-making group, it’s clear that ECCA’s work transcends mere infrastructure – it builds empowered, healthier communities poised for a brighter future.