Investing in Everyone, Today and Tomorrow
Reprint of CH2M HILL Blog by Ned Breslin
I was in Chile recently for an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) water conference. Their entire water and sanitation staff were present, as were their government partners throughout Latin America. A group of organizations, including Water For People, were asked to come and present on their work and to offer insights into water and sanitation programming that could help the IDB have greater programmatic impact.
I sat through a number of presentations that were fascinating but fairly dense. Lots of information flying at participants and lots of lessons learned to try to digest. Slide after slide of text and photos. In English and Spanish…
My time to speak came up and I decided to have a bit of fun that turned into quite a session. And the truth is I actually did very little.
I simply presented a challenge. I asked if we could agree that what we are trying to do is invest in water and sanitation systems that last, that allow communities around Latin America to become water and sanitation aid independent, and allow women and girls to take charge of their lives. Girls attending school and setting their paths forward rather than use the path to polluted water all day, passing schools and losing out on education along the way.
I was in Chile recently for an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) water conference. Their entire water and sanitation staff were present, as were their government partners throughout Latin America. A group of organizations, including Water For People, were asked to come and present on their work and to offer insights into water and sanitation programming that could help the IDB have greater programmatic impact.
I sat through a number of presentations that were fascinating but fairly dense. Lots of information flying at participants and lots of lessons learned to try to digest. Slide after slide of text and photos. In English and Spanish…
My time to speak came up and I decided to have a bit of fun that turned into quite a session. And the truth is I actually did very little.
I simply presented a challenge. I asked if we could agree that what we are trying to do is invest in water and sanitation systems that last, that allow communities around Latin America to become water and sanitation aid independent, and allow women and girls to take charge of their lives. Girls attending school and setting their paths forward rather than use the path to polluted water all day, passing schools and losing out on education along the way.
All agreed.
I then asked whether we could agree that we would know we have succeeded if we could show a few indicators:
- Water Quality meets government standards or are at least known by residents who then can decide whether the cost of treatment merits attention and resolution sustained over time
- Water Quantities that meet at least minimum government standards sustained over time
- Full Access so that all residents had access (per government standards) to water supply and sanitation forever. This means, among other things, that systems grow as communities grow, and that new residents are serviced long after the original investment was made
- System downtime limited to less than a day a month – this would suggest regular maintenance and anything more would mean girls are back in the river fetching water
- Finances – developing tariff systems that cover operations, maintenance, repair and eventual replacement so that no further investments are needed from an agency like the IDB
All agreed.
I then asked whether their current approach was leading to these outcomes. I also asked whether the incentives at the IDB were such that success with these outcomes led to professional advancement or whether other incentives at the IDB worked against these results. I concluded by asking whether IDB’s monitoring systems were geared towards assessing whether investments made were actually leading to these outcomes.
Chaos ensued and it was absolutely fascinating. Some were outraged, but most believed that the IDB could achieve these results—but big changes would be needed. Government staff came to me afterwards and asked whether loans linked to these outcomes could guide loan repayment—if we achieve these outcomes we pay but if the projects fail why should we pay (the best idea of the day!!!)? Dialogue will continue on this for some time, and the IDB is well placed to answer these questions in the affirmative. They will teach us a lot along the way.
But let’s be clear: if we want to eradicate water poverty for Everyone then these are the types of questions that have to be asked of all agencies implementing projects around the world. They must be asked in respect of the people around the world who we engage with every day, claiming we are trying to help solve their water and sanitation problems sustainably. We should ask these questions especially now because people will not be drinking water if we dodge these challenges. And if agencies can’t convince us on how they program to achieve these outcomes then these agencies are not a good investment.
Agree? If so, please consider signing the Everyone Commitment at http://www.waterforpeople.org/everyone
Chaos ensued and it was absolutely fascinating. Some were outraged, but most believed that the IDB could achieve these results—but big changes would be needed. Government staff came to me afterwards and asked whether loans linked to these outcomes could guide loan repayment—if we achieve these outcomes we pay but if the projects fail why should we pay (the best idea of the day!!!)? Dialogue will continue on this for some time, and the IDB is well placed to answer these questions in the affirmative. They will teach us a lot along the way.
But let’s be clear: if we want to eradicate water poverty for Everyone then these are the types of questions that have to be asked of all agencies implementing projects around the world. They must be asked in respect of the people around the world who we engage with every day, claiming we are trying to help solve their water and sanitation problems sustainably. We should ask these questions especially now because people will not be drinking water if we dodge these challenges. And if agencies can’t convince us on how they program to achieve these outcomes then these agencies are not a good investment.
Agree? If so, please consider signing the Everyone Commitment at http://www.waterforpeople.org/everyone
