Evaluation of a Project to Distribute Water Filters and Cookstoves in Western Rwanda

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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DelAgua Health and Development, Manna Energy and the Rwanda Ministry of Health are collaborating on a project financed by carbon credits that will distribute household-based water filters and high-efficiency cook stoves to approximately 700,000 households in Rwanda. Prior to the full roll out of the campaign, the implementers are conducting a pilot project among 2000 households in western Rwanda. The objectives of this pilot evaluation are to document the delivery of the intervention to the intervention population, assess coverage and uptake of the intervention target households and conduct a 5-month randomised controlled trial among 500 households to assess the impact of the intervention on drinking water quality and indoor air quality.

Official Title
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ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF WATER FILTERS AND IMPROVED COOK STOVES ON DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND INDOOR AIR POLUTION: A RANDOMISED CONTROLED TRIAL IN RWANDA

Conditions
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Faecal Contamination of Household Drinking Water (Environmental Outcome)

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Household drinking water filters and cookstoves


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: All households in three selected villages Exclusion Criteria: None
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Existing water management and cooking practices<br>Households in the control arm continue following their existing drinking water management and cooking practices | |
| Active Comparator: Provision of water filters and improved cookstoves<br>Households in intervention arm are provided with drinking water filters and improved cook stoves | Behavioral: Household drinking water filters and cookstoves<br>* The intervention consists of providing households with a household-based drinking water filter (Lifestraw® Family version 2.0) and high efficiency cook stoves (Eco Zoom) as well as instructions on how to use them. The intervention is delivered at community level through community health workers (CHWs). Following initial distribution of the products, CHWs visit households fortnightly to reinforce messages about correct and consistent use.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thermotolerant coliforms in household drinking water | Faecal contamination levels (thermotolerant coliforms) in household drinking water. Household drinking water quality will be monitored monthly over a 5-month period. | 5 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Particulate matters 2.5 mg/m3 (PM2.5) concentrations | PM2.5 concentrations measured in reported main cooking area once (24-hour period) in a sub-sample of 120 households. | once | 
| Adherence - use of water filters and cookstoves | Questionnaires, direct observations and electronic monitoring devices | 5 months |