Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Institute was established in 2008 as a non-profit development organization to provide skilled manpower to the sector through capacity and skill building trainings. WASH Institute is recognized as a National Key Resource Centre by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), Government of India. Currently, WASH Institute provides Technical Assistance to Government of India for Implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) with the support of USAID and The Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. WASH institute is also engaged in research and advocacy and grassroots implemenation activities in differents states across the country.

Provision of basic water supply and sanitation facilities to people, especially living in rural areas and urban slums is still a major concern for Governments, United Nation (UN) and other agencies working for their welfare in the developing countries. Absence of these basic facilities leads to poor health and also affects the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable communities, and especially children are the worst sufferers.

Capacity building initiatives at all levels play a very important role in the provision and management of water and sanitation services. In reality, most of these skills are not gained through formal education, it has been noticed that the professionals acquire these skills & knowledge over the year through their work experience and association in the sector. Also, low priority and poor importance given to Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) curriculum in the formal educational institutions to address the issues especially being faced by the low-income communities both at rural and urban areas is a matter of concern in the South Asia region. Also, there is a greater need for promoting social engineering aspects, both at implementation and educational level to address people friendly sustainable solution. Unlike in India and other developing countries in the region, the universities in the west (WEDC, Surrey, Grandfield in the UK, and IHE in The Netherlands) have several tailor made courses focussed on these issues both on short and long term basis. But these courses are unaffordable by many due to huge financial implications.