ESSENTIAL WASH ACTIONS: A Training and Reference Pack to Supplement Essential Nutrition Actions

Essential WASH Actions (EWAs) are practices that contribute significantly to disease reduction and improved health outcomes. For households with children under 5, performing Essential WASH Actions contribute significantly to their children realizing optimum growth and development. We call them essential because based on available research, these have the greatest potential to break the cycle of undernutrition and diarrhea, reduce environmental enteric dysfunction (2), and promote child growth and development. Consistent and correct practice of key water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) actions are necessary for child growth and development, as well as for health and resiliency of communities. These basic, yet Essential WASH Actions serve to separate feces from the environment, which has in turn been proven to reduce diarrhea. Open defecation and lack of hygiene are directly linked to diarrhea and child stunting.