Synopsis
IRC is an international think-and-do tank that works with governments, NGOs, entrepreneurs and people around the world to find long-term solutions to the global crisis in water, sanitation and hygiene services. At the heart of its mission is the aim to move from short-term interventions to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services. With over 45 years of experience, IRC runs projects in more than 25 countries and large-scale programmes in seven focus countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is supported by a team of over 80 staff across the world.
Episodes
-
Building organisational readiness for climate-resilient water and sanitation
03/07/2026 Duration: 13minIn this podcast with Will Tillets talks abou how to build organizational readiness for climate resilience. Will Tillett is a senior WASH specialist and co-lead of the UK WASH Network. Based in the UK, he works as the Global WASH & Waste Advisor for Self Help Africa. What has been your organisation’s journey towards climate resilience in WASH? This podcast was recorded for the free WASH Systems Academy online course on 'Practical action for climate-resilient water and sanitation systems'. For more information see www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Climate finance for resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services
01/07/2026 Duration: 10minIn this podcast Caroline Millet-Randal on the possibilities of using climate finance for WASH. Caroline Millet-Randal is the Director of Climate Finance and Senior Advisor for Climate Action at Catholic Relief Services. What types of climate finance are realistically accessible to NGOs working on WASH? This podcast was recorded for the free WASH Systems Academy online course on 'Practical action for climate-resilient water and sanitation systems'. For more information see www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Translating climate risks into program design
01/07/2026 Duration: 13minIn this podcast Kelly Latham talks about how to how to translate climate risks into program design. Kelly Latham is the Global Advisor, Climate and Water Resources Management at Water For People. What role can NGOs and implementing agencies play in making WASH more visible within climate policy and climate finance at the national level? This podcast was recorded for the free WASH Systems Academy online course on 'Practical action for climate-resilient water and sanitation systems'. For more information see www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Systems strengthening for WASH in healthcare facilities featuring Lauren D'Mello-Guyett
30/04/2026 Duration: 10minSystems strengthening for WASH in healthcare facilities featuring Lauren D'Mello-Guyett by IRC WASH
-
Practical action to strengthen WASH in healthcare facilities featuring Afou Bengaly
30/04/2026 Duration: 08minPractical action to strengthen WASH in healthcare facilities featuring Afou Bengaly by IRC WASH
-
Principles for accelerating progress - Marieke Adank
17/04/2026 Duration: 06minPrinciples for accelerating progress - Marieke Adank by IRC WASH
-
From basic to safely managed services - Paul Hutchings
17/04/2026 Duration: 08minFrom basic to safely managed services - Paul Hutchings by IRC WASH
-
Water diplomacy - Mufleh Alalaween
10/11/2025 Duration: 07minWater diplomacy - Mufleh Alalaween by IRC WASH
-
Entry points to peacebuilding - Tanja Miškova
10/11/2025 Duration: 10minEntry points to peacebuilding - Tanja Miškova by IRC WASH
-
What is systems leadership feat. Mary Ashinyo
24/09/2025 Duration: 06minWhat is systems leadership feat. Mary Ashinyo by IRC WASH
-
System leadership leverage points
02/07/2025 Duration: 07minSystem leadership leverage points by IRC WASH
-
Why integration of WASH and nutrition matters
06/05/2025 Duration: 14minListen to this podcast with Namukolo Covic on the need to integrate WASH and nutrition interventions. Namukolo Covic is the President of the African Nutrition Society and the Director General's Representative to Ethiopia for the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the CGIAR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. Namukolo Covic is well known in the nutrition field and, although currently based in Ethiopia, she is originally from South Africa and has worked in many countries. She is an avid advocate for making food production and consumption processes more sustainable, equitable, and resilient. In this episode, Namukolo Covic talks about key opportunities for integrating WASH and nutrition to create healthier, more resilient communities. She reflects on: • How inadequate WASH practices affect nutritional outcomes in vulnerable populations • What is needed to accelerate impact at scale in the nutrition space • Advice for the next generation of practitioners and changemakers work
-
From exclusion to inclusion
02/05/2025 Duration: 13minListen to this podcast with Hasin Jahan, country director of WaterAid Bangladesh, on why strengthening WASH systems is inherently an issue of social justice. She gives examples on how they are creating inclusive services in Bangladesh; the topic of the online course "Gender equity and social inclusion: The basics''. This podcast was recorded for free the online course Gender equity and social inclusion: The basics on the WASH Systems Academy. Go to www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Ethiopia's Bold Push to End Stunting
02/05/2025 Duration: 08minIn this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Sisay Sinamo Boltena, Senior Program Manager for Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration—a pioneering initiative to end stunting through integrated, multi-sectoral action. Dr. Sisay reflects on: -What it takes to turn bold national commitments into coordinated action across ministries -The challenges and lessons from Ethiopia’s journey so far -What it really means to scale integration nationwide—and the systems being built to sustain it This podcast was recorded for the online course 'WASH and Nutrition Nexus: The basics'. The objective of the online course is to provide knowledge and skills on practical tools to create better more impactful integrated interventions together. The online course has been created by IRC in collaboration with the Max Foundation, the Healthy Consortium Ethiopia, Plan International, the Seqota Declaration Programme Ethiopia, the Government of Ethiopia and the Right2Grow. To access this free course of 2.5 hours go to: www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Why integrating WASH and Nutrition is a game-changer
29/04/2025 Duration: 03minIn this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Sisay Sinamo Boltena, Senior Program Manager for Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration, why integrating WASH and Nutrition is a game-changer—and how this course can help drive impact. This podcast was recorded for the online course 'WASH and Nutrition Nexus: The basics'. The objective of the online course is to provide knowledge and skills on practical tools to create better more impactful integrated interventions together. The online course has been created by IRC in collaboration with the Max Foundation, the Healthy Consortium Ethiopia, Plan International, the Seqota Declaration Programme Ethiopia, the Government of Ethiopia and the Right2Grow. To access this free course of 2.5 hours go to: www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Guiding principles when planning or implementing GESI initiatives
15/04/2025 Duration: 07minListen to this podcast with Ruchika Shiva on what these guiding principles mean in practise. Ruchika Shiva is the Director of IRC's South Asia Regional Programme. In this podcast, our podcast host Arabella Northey talks with Euphresia Luseka about how to implement human rights. This podcast was recorded for free the online course Gender equity and social inclusion: The basics on the WASH Systems Academy. Go to www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Realising the human right to water and sanitation
20/03/2025 Duration: 13minListen to this podcast with Euphresia Luseka of the Rural Water and Sanitation Network (RWSN). Euphresia Luseka is a Water Governance Specialist and Co-Lead of the RWSN Leave No-One Behind Theme. In this podcast, our podcast host Arabella Northey talks with Euphresia Luseka about how to implement human rights. This podcast was recorded for free the online course Gender equity and social inclusion: The basics on the WASH Systems Academy. Go to www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Incorporating Gender equity and social inclusion in strong WASH systems
20/03/2025 Duration: 14minIn this podcast, our podcast host Arabella Northey talks Timothy Ibeawuchi, a Senior WASH Policy and Governance and Advisor at Self Help Africa in Nigeria, shares his experiences. This podcast was recorded for free the online course Gender equity and social inclusion: The basics on the WASH Systems Academy. Go to www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Regulating wastewater in Manila
18/02/2025 Duration: 06minHow do you enforce regulation of wastewater? Listen to this podcast with Patrick Ty, Chief Regulator at Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System in the capital city of the Philippines, Manila. He talks about regulating wastewater in the Philippines and shares his experiences on ensuring that the urban poor don’t get left behind. This podcast was originally recorded for the online course 'WASH systems strengthening for urban Asia and the Pacific'. For more information see www.washsystemsacademy.org
-
Building bridges
22/07/2024 Duration: 05minThis podcast is part of "Building WASH resilience, conflict sensitivity and peace" a free online course created by a partnership between the German WASH network and IRC. It aims to put the “Joint Operational Framework: WASH Resilience, Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding” into action. Learn more at washsystemsacademy.org