Joseph Pearce and Sue Cavill, of SHARE partner WaterAid, were in Bangladesh in April 2012 to pilot the SHARE-funded Sanitation Mapper – an online tool to map sanitation facilities. Read their blog about their experiences piloting the low cost and participatory sanitation monitoring tool

The Sanitation Mapper consists of a data collection sheet, which is then translated into a series of maps. The tool has been designed to provide both area-based mapping (e.g. village level coverage) and point-based mapping (e.g. for instance shared latrines in slums). The pilot will test both scenarios. The tool is intended to provide useful information that will feed into both decision-making and planning at district and sub district levels but also information on access to sanitation that communities and NGOs can use for advocacy and accountability purposes.

When finalised, the tool will be freely available from online sources including the SHARE website, and www.waterpointmapper.org. The project represents a collaboration between two SHARE partners: WaterAid – both in the UK and Bangladesh – and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B).