The previous section has grounded the research results into practical advice for those considering their exit strategies on programmes that have water supplies and resettlement (emergency or post emergency).
Key Findings:-
There is a need to balance the training given to include sufficient technical focus. Building the capacity of a committee on subjects such as community mobilisation and mechanisms of community management enhances long term development. However, there is no substitute for technical training. Technical competence influences the sustainability of the pump.
There is also no substitute for getting the community involved early on. Even the simplest of involvement, such as clearing roads or providing materials, enhances the future sense of ownership. To be inclusive in the installation process does not necessarily takes a lot of time and it should be possible for even emergency programmes to be mindful of exit during the entry process.
External agencies as part of their exit strategies should set in place mechanisms for ongoing support. There should be a recognition that communities will need assistance for complex (albeit infrequent) second level repairs. Building the capacity of the private sector or local water institutions to be able to provide this technical support is part of a realistic exit strategy. Community mobilisation for problem solving, including Village Level Operation & Maintenance of the water supply, is a long term process. Communities need long term encouragement to maintain the motivation and develop the skills required for development. Social mobilisation of the communities may (will likely) come from local institutions other than water departments staffed by engineers (eg health and Community services). Local institutions able to provide ongoing social mobilisation should be identified and enabled to include the water system in their programmes.
The research has provided data for assessing what the important elements of a sustainable water supply are. For pump function, the important links are with technical capability (competence) and unavoidable starting conditions such as pump depth. The local organisation of communities and particularly the participation of the majority of the community in their own pump management actually has little impact on pump function. However it is an important goal in itself in terms of long term development and problem solving, and in health education, hygiene and the impact of clean water on the community. The literature states that integrated programmes which include hygiene education have a greater impact on health than a programme concentrates on the provision of clean water alone. However, for pump reliability, local technical competence is the key factor.
Ideally, a programme should start with participation of all stakeholders. However the reality of emergency and resettlement water programmes is that necessity can marginalize participation. The research has shown that this need not be critical to the sustainability of a water point. The entry strategy certainly strongly influences the ownership and commitment of the community to VLOM. Even simple actions such as asking the community to make a contribution to installation by materials or labour can enhance ownership and sustainability.
However, a strong exit strategy can enhance sustainability of the system. Post installation training on technical, organisation, finance and health aspects of the water supply can promote a certain level of community ownership and responsibility. After initial trainings, small ongoing inputs can ensure longer term participation and motivation. The need for small ongoing support is not unique to exit strategies on emergency supplies. Even with a strong participatory entry strategy, the participation and motivation of the community and committees will decay over time, and small ongoing inputs are important for long term sustainability.
Therefore an important element of any exit strategy of an NGO, is the need to build support capacity within a local agency, possibly local authorities. In this one should not confine the support to the Water department, as other government departments (health or community development) may have more capacity to be proactive in their support and may have a greater sensitivity to the socio-economic aspects of pump management.
Although participation is desirable for longer term development, the pump availability is strongly influenced by the technical competence of the mechanics. Exit strategies should train as many caretaker mechanics as possible within a community. They should train women as well as men, since this provides women with transferable skills and encourages problem solving which breaks free of cultural constraints. The technical level should be as “deep” as possible. If the communities have had some experience of maintaining the pump it may be possible to identify members of the community who have the capability to learn how to make second level repairs to the pump.
Even if communities are trained in repairs, it is necessary to have some capability within the area for the complex repairs. This may be the local water authority or it may be private suppliers.
Maintenance and repair needs a supply of spares. Before an agency exits from an area, it should ensure that there is some mechanism for supplying spares to the local communities. Experience indicates that private suppliers are a favoured option. However to encourage private suppliers or retailers to stock the low turnover, low cost components of an appropriate pump like the Afridev, agencies will have to face the realities of private enterprise. Retailers may need to mark up the components with a handling charge by as much as 100% in order to make them profitable. The alternative is to appeal to the goodwill of merchants and ask them to stocks the spares as a service to the community – with payment in the form of prestige rather than cash.
Any private supply of spares should not be undermined by subsidies from other agencies. It seems that it is important that the exit strategy includes introducing the local retailers to a national supply system whether that be government controlled or preferably a sustainable private supply.
In terms of accessing and paying for spares, it seems best to leave communities to raise finance according to their traditional mechanisms and not impose a regular collection from outside. Communities will find their own mechanisms to save the money. While keeping a supply of spares on hand in the community can be encouraged it does not ensure short downtimes. For long term development it seems better to let communities do a problem solving exercise on raising finance and this may include using their traditional forms of saving and risk alleviation. Training course should discuss the problem of raising finance but leave the details to the community.
The research has shown how an exit strategy addressing these points above, can leave a sustainable supply. Investment in such a strategy might be as much as the original direct cost of the water point or more. However, when faced with a choice between investing in a good exit strategy on resettlement water points or investing in completely new water points, agencies should invest in good exit strategies. The total cost for an exit strategy on an existing water point will be less than that for a strong entry strategy, direct costs and exit strategy on a new water point.
Government policies for post emergencies should reflect this where possible and encourage their NGO partners to undertake planned exit programmes.
ü Social profiling – to know in advance of potential conflicts of within the community.
ü Working with existing structures if they exist. Do not attempt to introduce new democracy – let the village community suggest the most appropriate way of selecting people for training, committees and care-taking
ü Training of the community selected committee in technical, management, financial and health skills with sufficient emphasis on technical skills to ensure a competent repair process.
ü Training on the financial mechanisms should leave the community to decide if regular payments is the best mechanism for their community. (Collecting quotas at the time of breakdown does not tend to delay repairs).
ü There is a need to save towards replacement of the system – strategic connections between the community and the financial service sector may need to be made, this will vary based on the country context.
ü Training on management should not be dogmatic on the need for rules and sanctions. Rules can discourage ownership by the general community. Training should include discussion of the most appropriate mechanisms to manage the pump.
ü Training of as many people as possible (within a community and within budget) in those skills. Training of both men and women in all the skills. (Do not reinforce stereotypes)
ü Working with the government and other agencies to ensure a supply chain of spares. Preferably the supply chain should result in spares being available to the community from a local retailer.
ü Capacity building of local government or private enterprise, to form a group that can undertake more difficult repairs on an ongoing basis after the agency has exited.
ü Working with local government other than just the Water Department. Health and Community Development (Youth, Gender) workers often have more resources (time and capacity) to visit communities regularly. Agencies should encourage local government workers to encourage communities to sustain their motivation.
The research has identified the important factors that make up a good exit strategy that leaves the water point as sustainable as possible within the country context. While there is no substitute to a good participatory entry strategy, this gives some hope for retaining the assets of an emergency or resettlement programme beyond the life of the programme and presence of the external agency.