Successful Completion of Enumerator Training in Lalitpur Metropolitancity
Empowering Communities Through Data: Enumerator Training for the Sanitation Survey
January 12–13, 2026 | Center for Energy Studies, Pulchowk Campus
Change in any community begins with understanding. And understanding begins with asking the right questions and finding the people willing to go out and ask them. That’s exactly what happened on January 12 and 13, 2026, when a group of dedicated enumerators gathered at the Center for Energy Studies, Pulchowk Campus, for a two-day training as part of the System Strengthening and Technical Support to Advance CWIS in Municipalities Project .
Coming Together for a Common Goal
Over two days, a total of 21 participants on Day 1 and 16 on Day 2 came together with 11 enumerators on the first day and 10 on the second day, ready to take on the important task of conducting a municipal wide sanitation survey. These individuals would become the boots on the ground, the bridge between project goals and community realities.
The training was conducted by 500B solutions in a collaboration with a strong network of partner organizations: WaterAid Nepal, MUWAN, UN Habitat and WASH Khaber. This multi-partner effort reflects the shared belief that sanitation is not just a technical issue, but a deeply human one that requires coordination, community trust, and local knowledge.
Day 1: Building the Foundation
The first day set the stage for everything to come. Participants were welcomed with a comprehensive introduction to the project — its vision, its goals, and its importance to the communities it aims to serve. Representatives from UN Habitat, WaterAid Nepal, and 500B Solution were present, lending their collective expertise and organizational weight to the occasion.
Enumerators were walked through the fundamentals of sanitation systems, learning not just the technical language, but the practical realities of what they would be observing in the field. This grounding was essential: to ask good questions, you first need to understand what you’re looking at.
The heart of the day was a thorough, collaborative discussion of the survey questionnaires. Every question was examined carefully, its purpose, its phrasing, and how it might land differently in different community contexts. This kind of careful preparation ensures that the data collected will be meaningful, consistent, and truly reflective of the communities being surveyed.
Day 2: Getting Hands-On with Technology
The second day brought a new dimension to the training.
The focus of Day 2 was firmly practical: learning to use the MWater app, a mobile-based platform designed for field data collection. Each enumerator was trained on how to navigate the app, input survey responses, and ensure data accuracy all from their phones.
This isn’t just about convenience. Transitioning to digital data collection means faster turnaround, fewer transcription errors, and a real-time view of survey progress. For a project aimed at strengthening sanitation systems, having reliable, timely data is everything.
By the end of the day, every enumerator left with not just theoretical knowledge, but practical confidence, ready to step into their communities and start collecting the data that will shape decisions for years to come.
Why This Matters
Sanitation is one of the most fundamental markers of community health and dignity. Yet in many areas, decision-makers lack accurate, up-to-date information on the actual state of sanitation infrastructure and practices. This survey aims to close that gap.
By investing in proper enumerator training ensuring that surveyors understand the project, the tools, and the communities they serve — the System Strengthening Project is laying a solid foundation. The data collected will feed directly into efforts to improve sanitation systems, inform policy, and ultimately make life better for the people in these communities.
A Note of Appreciation
The success of this training is a testament to what can be achieved when organizations work together. And of course, none of it would matter without the enumerators themselves 10 dedicated individuals who showed up, engaged seriously, and took on the responsibility of representing this project in their communities. Their work begins now, and it matters enormously.
This training was conducted as part of the System Strengthening and Technical Support to Advance CWIS in Municipalities Project under WaterAid Nepal, in partnership with MUWAN, UN Habitat, WASH Khaber, and 500B Solution.