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Practitioners in Tanzania are planning to invest water resources in a rural village which is both: a) highly underserved; and b) most likely to keep the resulting water sources clean and operating. The challenge, then, is to measure both "need" and a village's capacity for project sustainability, so that those measurement tools may be used in the village selection process. What are your thoughts about how to measure a village’s need and capacity for project sustainability? How have you or your organization done this before? Or what other criteria have you used to select a project village? (2 answers)

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Aug 28, 2009

Mr. Jaaffar Wibonella (the Senior Technician for the Water Department, Sikonge District) emailed to me the following criterion which are used in the village selection process, and has permitted me to post them here:

1. whether water is a priority for a village, based on village development meetings;
2. existence of a village water committee;
3. availability of village water funds (to keep projects sustainable);
4. existence of a village bank account for water (rather than cash on hand); and
5. a village's location in relation to forest and game reserves.

Numbers 2-4 are related to the importance of ensuring community buy-in to promote project endurance. Ideas on other ways to ensure community ownership and/or keep water resources functioning into the future are welcome on this site as well.

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Aug 24, 2009

of surety safe water supply is a big problem in rural areas regarding hygene and and ecconomy. However major problem comfronting communities in most rural areas is cmunity awrenass. It is agreed that nearly 60% of clinical records of deseases in rural areas are water born. But due to ignorance many community members in rural ares are not aware of the situation in question. There are areas with sufficient sources of water, but the water they use is untreated. Mostly we find communities like these are hard to aknowledge their poor status of safe water supply. For them water is regarded as water no mater its unsafe status. What is required in communities like this is
1. Intensive sensitisation to communies with regard to water and hygene. There are examples of communities who misused opportunities like TASAF (TANZANIA SOCIAL ACTION FUND) by choosing projects that are of less importance while communities are aflicted by lack of safe water, Deseases and poor Educational facilities.

2. Intansive O&OD (Opportunity and Obstacles to Development) Exercise to targeted communities. This will encourage communities to use their resources availlable.
3.Free planning by communities in development projects
4.Community perticipation in cintributions prior to project implimentation. However this exercise has to be taken with care bearing in mind that most rural communities are porverty stiken. Ammount of contribution should not by any means be the hindrence to communities to their rightful access to safe water.
5. Cmmunities selected should be properly trained in operation and maintainance of the project, water fund handling and Management isues.
6.After consruction, a period of at least 3 months is recuired for frequent inspection and couseling.
We have examples of Prosperous communities who adhered to such simple but important "rules"
1
Helpful Vote

Private

Aug 28, 2009

Mr. Jaaffar Wibonella (the Senior Technician for the Water Department, Sikonge District) emailed to me the following criterion which are used in the village selection process, and has permitted me to post them here:

1. whether water is a priority for a village, based on village development meetings;
2. existence of a village water committee;
3. availability of village water funds (to keep projects sustainable);
4. existence of a village bank account for water (rather than cash on hand); and
5. a village's location in relation to forest and game reserves.

Numbers 2-4 are related to the importance of ensuring community buy-in to promote project endurance. Ideas on other ways to ensure community ownership and/or keep water resources functioning into the future are welcome on this site as well.