John Akudago (Ph.D.)Meena PalaniappanMisha Hutchings International Water and Communities Initiative, Pacific Institute, Oakland, CA, USA,www.pacinst.org

Expanding Community Choices to Make Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

(WASH) Decisions

Non-profit research institute based in Oakland, CA, USA

Founded in 1987 The Institute Staff: Full

Time-15, Part Time-8, and occasional volunteers

We work in the Western U.S., West Africa, India, Indonesia, and internationally on projects to improve water management and services.

Background of Pacific Institute

VISION: A world where the basic needs of all people are met, resources are managed sustainably and the natural world protected, and conflicts over resources are resolved in a peaceful and democratic fashion

MISSION: Work to create a healthier planet and sustainable communities through inter-disciplinary research and partnerships

WASH Programming Challenges

Physical structural development- Demand for physical structures such as hand-pump wells, sanitation facilities and other improved structures exceeds supply.

Sustainability- Some existing structures fail to function after short period of time.

Balancing community need with donor and government interest- Community needs project A most, but there is only funding for B, and Government policy favors project C.

Lack of knowledge of existing WASH solutions- Both Community and donor or implementing organization need to have knowledge of the many appropriate solutions that could meet community needs.

Education and capacity building tools-Release of knowledge through tools can facilitate education and capacity building.

Existing WASH decision-support tools

Flexibility to customize user input User interface All in one type of tool for water supply, sanitation, and

hygiene

There are WASH decision support tools such as Akvopedia, EAWAG Compendium, NETSSAF, SSWM, WASH Cluster website, WHO Technical Notes in Emergencies in the sector but these tools lack

WASH facilities were constructed in communities without involving the users

The central or local government took care of operation and maintenance cost of WASH facilities in communities

Communities did not think of participating in program implementation and long term sustainability

Donors did not have conditions of cost sharing as one of the criteria for awarding grants

Gone are the days when……………….

Technologies were limited and users had to keep struggling with the known technology

Knowledge transfer was one of the biggest challenge-taking over 3 months to send knowledge materials from Europe or America to Africa or Latin America or vice versa.

Yet, even now current CLTS implementation can lead to uninformed choices

Government officials, NGO workers

Visit Community to trigger CLTS-water, sanitation and hygiene issues

Pick a technology – based on incomplete information?

We don’t know any technology/have means to

construct toilet except dig and burry

Linking WASH Choices Tool to CLTS can give communities a greater range of options for

implementation based on their specified needs

Government officials, NGO workers

Visit Community to trigger CLTS-water, sanitation and hygiene issues

NGO worker follows up with decision support system

www.washchoices.org

Community makes informed choice

We don’t know any technology to construct toilet except dig

and burry

Sustainability

COMMUNITIES CHOICES TOOL

www.washchoices.org

Release trapped knowledge

Increase community participation

Capacity building

Confidence in best options to solve on WASH issues

Educate for over all good health

Clip art

What is the WASH Choices Tool?

COMMUNITIES CHOICES TOOL

www.washchoices.org

What technologies match the financial capacity of the community/resident and what financing options are available?

How do I build this technology? Under what conditions will it work?

Has the technology been used successfully elsewhere nearby?

Are there other sustainable or unsustainable technologies used in the past and why?

Is there capacity and construction material available to build chosen technology?

What are the available technologies that could meet the community’s identified needs?

Questions addressed

Using the tool

Solution page (chosen technologies)

Instruction to design

Key issues from learning sessions Tool should be designed to

be country specific Tool will be helpful in a

country-wide CLTS program Include cost of technology Include access to water

model Internet based tool cannot be

accessed by communities Target audience should be

NGOs, local and government staff, WASH practitioners

If communities are audience, tool should be hardcopy

Modify questions in the tool to reflect cultural perception of WASH, rural and urban sanitation

Lessons Learned from the sessions Questions should be inter-

linked Take off log in before use

function Results should be displayed in

matrix form Include explanation why the

technology is selected Display the remaining

technologies that are not selected by the computer program

A local NGO (Pronet-North) proposed that if supported could host the website upon completion

Next Steps

Receive feed back from RWSN Participants Incorporate key issues from learning sessions and other

feedback to produce the Alpha version and pilot test it in a West African community

Plan to have alpha version developed and tested by March 2012

Thank You for your attention