CFAR

CENTRE FOR ADVOCACY AND RESEARCH

[Sanitation Coalition @indsancoalition]

Sometimes, the most powerful financial intervention is making communities visible to the systems meant to serve them.

The Rashid Kidwai WASH Finance Award recognises the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) in the Community & Philanthropy Finance category for its innovative Governance-Induced Sanitation Finance model. Working across Bhubaneswar and Jaipur, CFAR has built a model that connects community-generated evidence with public budgets, government schemes and institutional capital, enabling communities to not only identify WASH gaps, but also participate in delivering solutions. The results are significant: approximately ₹250 crore in cumulative government allocations into intervention wards between 2020 and 2023, alongside 91 Self-Help Groups winning more than ₹1.5 crore in public tenders and service contracts.

A compelling demonstration of how community agency, governance and finance can converge to unlock WASH impact.

Congratulations, Centre for Advocacy and Research ( @CFARngo ).

#IndiaSanitationCoalition #ISCFICCISanitationAwards #WASHAwards

[ wash sector, ngo sector, ngo in wash, water, sanitation, hygiene, awards ceremony, awards, wash awards ]

@ficci_india @SwachhBharatGov @swachhbharat
@DoWRRDGR_MoJS @MoJSDDWS @MoHUA_India
@NatashaPatel59

[RRanjana Dwividi @sranjana29]

Towards LF Free UP and India @nhm_up @NTDFreeIndia @UPGovt @GatesIndia @Dr_Tripathi @GHS @PCI_India_ @CFARngo @WHO @MoHFW_INDIA @nvbdcpmohfw

[CFAR @CFARngo]

CFAR Wins the Rashid Kidwai WASH Finance Award 2026

We are proud to share that the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) has been awarded the Rashid Kidwai WASH Finance Award 2026 under Category 3: Community & Philanthropy Finance.

The award recognises CFAR’s “Community-led Governance-Induced Sanitation Finance” initiative, which since 2018 has been strengthening the link between communities, philanthropy and public sanitation financing in Bhubaneswar and Jaipur, through community-led evidence generation, participatory governance platforms and Self-Help Groups.

The inaugural Rashid Kidwai WASH Finance Awards, presented by the India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) – FICCI, recognise innovative financing approaches that can make WASH solutions more inclusive, sustainable and scalable.

Grateful to the India Sanitation Coalition and FICCI for championing WASH finance as a category worthy of national recognition, and to DFAT through the Water for Women Fund, WaterAid, and our government partners in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, WATCO, PHED and the Departments of Local Bodies and Housing and Urban Development for walking this road with us.

A proud moment for CFAR, and a recognition of what becomes possible when communities are placed at the heart of WASH governance and financing.

#WASH #WASHFinance #RashidKidwaiWASHFinanceAwards #WASHFinanceAwards2026 #CommunityLedDevelopment #CommunityFinance

@_waterforwomen @WaterAidIndia @dasra @niua_india @susana_org @cseindia @GatesIndia @wash_institute @UNICEFIndia @UNDP_India @MoHUA_India @archnavyas @poojaks @MMHAlliance @indsancoalition @unwomenindia @NULM_MoHUA @avpn_asia @AusHCIndia @ausgov @dfat @WaterPartnersAU @SNV_WASH @NFSSMalliance @IWMI_ @WASHUnited @bmcbbsr @nagar_jaipur @greater_jaipur

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Vasant Gupta knows what Lymphatic Filariasis can mean because he lives with it.

So when someone tells him they are unsure about taking MDA medicine, he isn't just repeating an awareness message. He can speak from experience.
Today, he works alongside ASHA workers, answering residents’ questions, addressing their concerns, and encouraging them to take preventive medication.

Building this kind of trust at the community level is an important part of the work supported by the Gates Foundation and its partners to advance the fight against lymphatic filariasis.

Filaria Se Fight

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

A disease that stays hidden.
A medicine that needs to be taken.
And a conversation that can make the difference.

For Rina Yadav and her Sahiyas, the answer is simple: Keep going.
Watch their fight against lymphatic filariasis.

Filaria Se Fight

[CFAR @CFARngo]

On 15 August, #IndependenceDay celebrations at Arain Gram Panchayat, Ajmer, became an occasion to recognise the inspiring contribution of grassroots women leaders.

Gayatri, Gram Sakhi of Arain Gram Panchayat, and Nikita, Cluster Coordinator at CFAR, were felicitated by Ms. Archna Bugaliya (RAS), Sub-Divisional Officer & Magistrate, Block Arain, for their quiet, persistent work towards freeing women from silence.

The recognition came in the presence of the Block Development Officer, the Chief Block Education Officer, and other officials, a moment that placed grassroots women’s empowerment alongside the nation’s independence.

Their contribution reflects the true spirit of independence — creating awareness, enabling access to rights and services, and empowering women to participate and lead in their communities.

Freedom isn’t just won once. For many women in Arain, it’s being built every day by people like Gayatri and Nikita.

#WomenEmpowerment #GrassrootsLeadership #WomenRights #CommunityLeadership

@IgpAjmer @WCDRajasthan @DLSAAJMER @Dmajmer @Ajmer_MCorp

[CFAR @CFARngo]

From Learning to Action: Communities Driving Inclusive Sanitation

Building on its commitment to City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS), CFAR focused on strengthening the capacity of community leadership in Dausa, Rajasthan and Jatni, Odisha.
In Dausa, community members stepped out of the classroom to conduct Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA)- going house to house, mapping ward-level sanitation conditions, and generating evidence for inclusive local planning.
In Jatni, Community Management Committee members learned everything about sanitation governance, waste management, and social accountability. They also learned to use Janhit Vaani, a toll-free IVRS platform that enables communities to report sanitation issues, access information, and engage with local authorities.
As Ms. Lipsa Rao from Jatni Municipality aptly observed:
"City-wide inclusive sanitation is our shared goal. It can only be achieved through close collaboration between the Municipality and communities."
Community members echoed this vision, recognizing Janhit Vaani as a practical platform for reporting sanitation issues, sharing information and mobilizing collective action.
When communities are equipped with knowledge, practical tools, and platforms to engage, they become active partners in building equitable, healthier, and more inclusive cities.
#CityWideInclusiveSanitation #CommunityEngagement #SocialAccountability
@_waterforwomen @WaterAidIndia @dasra @niua_india @susana_org @cseindia @GatesIndia @wash_institute @UNICEFIndia @UNDP_India @MoHUA_India

[CFAR @CFARngo]

'Rajasthan Vaani,' a phone-based IVRS platform is making local governance more responsive in Dausa.

Community members no longer need to visit the municipal office to raise concerns about water and sanitation.

A simple phone call through the IVRS platform is enough to register feedback that feeds directly into municipal planning and decision-making.
On 21 July, 35 ward representatives from 21 wards came together to adopt the platform, bringing together sanitation workers, women, older persons, and persons with disabilities. For many, it was the first time they experienced a system designed to ensure their everyday voices shape how the city is managed.

As Shamim Begum from Ward 28 shared:
"It gives women a safe, accessible platform to seek information, share concerns, and connect with suitable solutions."

For Yogesh Dindoriya, a sanitation worker with 15 years of service:
"I finally have an accessible and reliable way to make sure my feedback reaches the people who can act on it."

By the end of the orientation, nearly half the participants were confidently using the platform and planning to help others in their neighbourhoods do the same.

One phone call. Real participation. Better local governance.

#RajasthanVaani #CitizenVoice #UrbanGovernance #WaterAndSanitation #CommunityParticipation #InclusiveCities #Dausa #IVRS #CivicEngagement

@_waterforwomen @WaterAidIndia @dasra @niua_india @susana_org @cseindia @GatesIndia
@wash_institute @UNICEFIndia @UNDP_India
@MoHUA_India

[CFAR @CFARngo]

Safety. Dignity. Recognition.

On the occasion of the first-ever #NAMASTEDiwas, Khordha Municipality honoured the sanitation workers who keep our cities clean and our communities healthy.

The event reinforced a simple but powerful message: no sanitation worker should ever risk their life to protect public health. A total of 45 sanitation workers participated in the programme, where 45 PPE kits were distributed along with health screenings, certificates of appreciation, and awareness on the NAMASTE Scheme—reaffirming the Municipality's commitment to safer, mechanised, and dignified sanitation.

As a Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) partner, CFAR supported the initiative through sessions on occupational safety, mechanised sanitation, workers' rights, and the correct use of PPE.

"Earlier, we gave no importance to PPE, what mattered was getting the job done. Today we understand that to complete a job properly, everything from skill to PPE is important." -Rohit Nayak, Sanitation Worker, Khordha Municipality

#NAMASTEDiwas #SanitationWorkers #SafeSanitation #OccupationalSafety #DignityOfLabour

@_waterforwomen @WaterAidIndia @dasra @niua_india @susana_org @cseindia @GatesIndia @wash_institute @UNICEFIndia
@UNDP_India @MoHUA_India

[CFAR @CFARngo]

Most community meetings end with minutes, reports, and action points.

In Chaksu, Rajasthan, one community chose to leave behind something far more powerful—a Vision Map painted on a public wall.

The journey began with a microplanning exercise, followed by a Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA) across five vulnerable wards (24, 15, 14, 22, and 19) of Chaksu. Residents, newly formed Community Management Committee (CMC) members, youth, and elders walked through their neighbourhoods together, mapping water and sanitation infrastructure, drainage systems, public spaces, existing resources, and local challenges to build a shared understanding of their communities.

But instead of stopping at identifying problems, they asked a different question:

"What should our neighbourhood look like?"

Together, they created a Vision Map and painted it on a public wall—turning a blank space into a living planning document for everyone and around a shared vision.

Today, the wall shows:
· Existing community resources
· Critical service gaps
· Shared priorities for improvement

More importantly, it gives the community a common platform to engage with the Urban Local Bodies, including Municipality, PHED, government departments, and frontline stakeholders using evidence they created together.

One community member summed it up perfectly:

"Till now we focused only on the problems in our mohalla. Through the transect walk and PRA, we learned to see our entire ward together—its strengths as well as its challenges." – Anita Sharma, CMC Member.

Sometimes, the most powerful planning document isn't a report sitting on a shelf.

It's a wall that speaks for an entire community.

#CommunityLedDevelopment #ParticipatoryPlanning #PRA #WASH #UrbanDevelopment #CommunityEngagement

@_waterforwomen @WaterAidIndia @dasra @NIUA_India @susana_org @CSEINDIA @GatesIndia @wash_institute @eGovFoundation @UNICEFIndia @UNDP_India @MoHUA_India

[PTFund @PTFund]

Women in India are ready to lead, but gender-based violence makes that difficult. With funding from PTF and @IDRF_US, the @CFARngo worked with women to make their communities safer. Hear more from PTF Sr. Advisor Indira Sandilya.

https://t.co/AWkX7V8f0o

[RRanjana Dwividi @sranjana29]

@UPGovt & @nhm_up in collaboration with @IHAT_in
@UnicefUp & @CFARngo, organized a State Symposium on Newborn Health Accelerating Improvements in Newborn Survival to Achieve the SDG in UP @sihfwup Lucknow.@BMGFIndia @UP_Swasth @MoHFW_INDIA @AmitGhoshIAS @PMOIndia @kgmulucknow

[RRanjana Dwividi @sranjana29]

Panel 3. Health Seeking Behaviour for Small and vulnerable Newborn moderated by @akhilasivadas1 @CFARngo

[RRanjana Dwividi @sranjana29]

नवजात देखभाल हम सबकी जिम्मेदारी ही नहीं उसका अधिकार भी है @MoHFW_INDIA @MinistryWCD @nhm_up @UPGovt @AmitGhoshIAS @sepio_up @NhmChildhealth @BMGFIndia @CFARngo @DevenKhandait @poojaks @gtanejatweets Thanks to @DDUttarPradesh

[Sanitation Coalition @indsancoalition]

Category 3: Excellence in Wastewater Treatment and Reuse

With water resilience and circular resource management becoming increasingly critical, the 10th edition of the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards recognises impactful innovations in wastewater treatment and reuse through this category. The spotlight is on scalable, sustainable solutions driving water conservation, environmental protection and long-term community impact.

The jury for this category features renowned experts including Dr Ravi Mariwala, Ms. Akhila Sivadas and Mr. Harshvardhan, bringing together deep expertise in water innovation, sanitation and sustainable development.

If your organisation has demonstrated measurable impact in this space, we invite you to apply.

🗓️ Application Deadline: 31st May 2026

🔗 Link: https://t.co/m1QD7DG4Gg

@ITCCorpCom @HSBC_IN @CDDIndia @CFARngo

#ISCAwards2026 #SustainableWASH #SanitationSustainability #WASHInnovation #CallForApplications #WasteWaterManagement

[RRanjana Dwividi @sranjana29]

बहराइच में एक पिता ने अपने नवजात शिशु को रोजाना 8-10 घंटे 'कंगारू मदर केयर' (KMC) देकर मिसाल कायम की है। @nhm_up @DMBahraich
@BMGFIndia @MoHFW_INDIA @AmitGhoshIAS @MoHFW_INDIA @UP_Swasth @UPGovt @mopr_goi @DevenKhandait @poojaks @CFARngo

[CFAR @CFARngo]

In Chaksu, water is no longer just a grievance—it’s a shared mission.

On World Water Day 2026, the community moved beyond highlighting the heavy burden on women and children to building a blueprint for the future. Through a collaborative dialogue between PHED, CFAR, and residents of Wards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9, the conversation shifted from "what is broken" to "how we fix it together."

The Shift: From Residents to 'Jal Sathis'
Infrastructure is only half the battle. To ensure these systems last, community members are stepping up as Jal Sathis (Water Friends) to:
· Monitor local supply and report leaks.
· Advocate for responsible, waste-free water use.
· Bridge the gap between the department and the household.

"Under AMRUT 2.0, ₹12 crore has been allocated for Chaksu. We are moving forward to ensure sustainable and equitable access to water; residents can expect significant relief in the coming days." — Mr. Nanakram Bairwa, Assistant Engineer, PHED.

In Chaksu, the system is responding—and the community is leading the way.
#WorldWaterDay2026 #JalSakti #CommunityLed #WaterSecurity

@amrut_MoHUA @dr_rajbhushan @jaljeevan_ @UNOPS @Vidurji @YUGALJOSHI @UNICEFIndia @asadumar87

[CFAR @CFARngo]

Dausa: Rewriting the Script on Water Rights

This World Water Day, the community in Dausa didn't just share grievances—they negotiated solutions. In a landmark dialogue between PHED, CFAR, and Ward Committees, a formal proposal was submitted to institutionalize "Jal Sathis."

The Dausa Blueprint:
Community Co-Leadership: CMC members proposed that "Jal Sathis" be officially integrated with PHED to manage rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge.
Accountability: A resolution was submitted for immediate household connections and a "Summer Contingency Plan" (tankers and storage) for at-risk wards.
Voices at the Center: The workshop’s heart was an interactive session with local women, ensuring their daily struggles directly inform PHED's technical fixes.
When the community leads and the system responds, water security becomes a reality.

#WorldWaterDay2026 #JalSakti #CommunityLed #WaterJustice

@amrut_MoHUA