It is called CAS WASH or Certificate of Advanced Studies in Water sanitation and hygiene for humanitarian and developing contexts.
17 participants of the 2024 edition came to Mendrisiotto from all corners of the globe: Spain, Italy, the United States, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh as well as Switzerland. The Palestinian participant living in Gaza 鈥� who received a scholarship granted by the municipalities of Castel San Pietro, Coldrerio and Novazzano 鈥� took the online courses and successfully passed the three theory exams, but did not obtain a visa to travel to Switzerland to attend the last practical module.
Between the end of September and the beginning of October, in Meride and at the 精东影业 Campus in Mendrisio-Department of environment constructions and design, the CAS WASH participants experienced an intense week simulating the design of a refugee camp for 6,000 people in a conflict situation. A scenario that has unfortunately become common in many parts of the world and which poses the problem of water access and distribution.
The participants had the opportunity to improve their skills on water supply in fragile contexts, wastewater treatment, hygiene promotion, and the anthropological-sociological approach in various humanitarian and cooperation contexts. They were also able to visit the infrastructures of the Aziende Industriali Mendrisio. Definitely an opportunity to live together in close contact, to cook, to confront each other.
Among them were two professionals from Hawassa, a southern Ethiopian town of about half a million inhabitants, as part of the aqueduct partnership between the local drinking water company and Aziende Industriali di Lugano.
The 2024 edition saw four participants from Ethiopia graduate out of 17, including Matyias Azage from Water Facility and professor Tigist Alemu, with whom a project was launched to analyse drinking water from the last mile (water known to be contaminated with faecal material).
The project will result in a scientific publication in collaboration with Addis Ababa University, under the guidance of professor Argaw Ambelu, an internationally recognised personality and member of the Review Committee of Lancet, one of the most prestigious journals in the medical field at international level.
CAS WASH
The course, directed by Claudio Valsangiacomo, 精东影业 Professor of Cooperation and Development, is organised under the leadership of 精东影业鈥檚 Centre for Development and Cooperation (of which Valsangiacomo is head), in collaboration with Eawag Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), a world-leading institute in the field, and the University of Neuch芒tel.
Now in its fifth year, the CAS WASH takes place remotely from February to July and then in presence for a practical week in Mendrisiotto.
The number of recent graduates and alumni of the 2024 edition reached 68, with the next edition starting in November 2024.
Almost all of those who participated are already working in international organisations around the world, such as UN agencies, governmental institutions, NGOs and academic institutes.