Water Resource Group A Strategy to Bring Safe Water and Sanitation to Those in Need

Water Resource Group The Background:  1.2 billion people (one in five) lack access to safe water  2.5 Billion have no sanitation

Water Resource Group Water borne diseases have a major impact on the health of the world:  8000 people dying every day  250 children dying every hour  Filling 50% of world’s hospital beds

Water Resource Group Economic consequences are equally serious:  40 billion hours spent, per year, in Africa alone collecting and hauling water  Women and children (usually girls) spend up to 6 hours per day fetching water  Families often spend up to 25% of their income to purchase water

Water Resource Group Water plays a critical role in sustaining life and livelihood:  Population and family stability  Gender equality  Environment  Work and income  Education and literacy  Human health  Reducing conflict

Water Resource Group It was the only Millennium Development Goal (MDG) agreed on by all countries Goal #7 By 2015 reduce by 50% the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation.

Water Resource Group But the challenge is formidable; too many lack access:  Sub-Saharan Africa 47%  East Asia29%  South Asia28%  Middle-East18%  Latin America18%

Water Resource Group And these averages conceal the reality, e.g. in Africa:  Ethiopia78% lack access  Somalia71%  Chad66%  Mozambique58%  Guinea56%  Congo54%

Water Resource Group Rotary’s Water Resource Group and WASRAG endorse the MDGs  Every Rotarian to become aware of world water issues  Every Rotary club to implement a water and/or sanitation project  Implement major demonstration programmes

Water Resource Group Thousands of clubs are already engaged in water/sanitation projects:  Drilling boreholes, digging wells  Rainwater harvesting  Purifying water: slow-sand filters  Solar disinfecting  Building dams and mini-pipelines  Protecting Ponds

Water Resource Group They are often motivated by getting a matching grant:  A club decides to “do” a water project  It scans the list of clubs seeking help  It selects a project, contacts host club  Together they submit proposal to TRF  Grant is approved; work proceeds  Final report submitted to TRF???

Water Resource Group But this approach is causing concern among partners and some NGOs  The resource may not be sustainable  The technology may not be appropriate  The people can’t maintain the service  No provision for spare parts  Minimal behaviour change  There is no link to community health

Water Resource Group And it will no longer satisfy many Rotarians and/or funding partners:  They don’t want the hassle of managing small projects  They want projects having REAL impact on the community’s life and livelihood  They want to leverage with major donors, foundations, corporations, NGOs  They want active involvement in the project; not just raising funds

Water Resource Group Future success depends on Rotarians taking a fresh holistic approach:  Focus on helping the community, not just supplying water  Understand, build on, adapt to local culture  Involve ALL the stakeholders—especially the women  Encourage local buy-in/ownership, empower the local committee

Water Resource Group It also implies helping the local community and Rotary club to:  Create a 3-5 year “vision” for the region showing linkages to schools, health, agriculture, economic activity  Agree on the scale & scope of the project  Bring in other partners, local NGOs etc  Agree on respective roles/resources  Prepare submission to TRF  Prepare proposal to other funding agencies

Water Resource Group And also to:  Choose appropriate technology: - Needs-driven, not supply-driven - Adequate supply chain - Within the capability of the community  Include sanitation and hygiene  Train and encourage behaviour change  Implement systems to monitor progress and outcomes

Water Resource Group This approach implies a new strategy for most Rotary clubs:  A 3-5 year commitment  Multi-club/district partnering  Alliances with other NGOs/agencies  Empowering the local community  Outside funding--$$$ millions

Water Resource Group WASRAG linkages ( will enable this new strategy:  Access to NGOs operating in the area  Sources of funding  Access to resources and expertise  Evaluation of technologies  Best practices  Training and behaviour change

Water Resource Group Success ultimately depends on your attitude towards your partners:  Treat the “host” club as a true partner—not a lever to get funding  Develop strong personal relationships  Develop & maintain mutual respect  Ensure free and open exchanges Seek win-win solutions - the 4-Way Test