Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Learning Forum in Uganda -Tentative dates; 12 & 13 October 2009

home, -

Introduction
Government, NGO and other national WASH stakeholders have expressed the need for more Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) learning at national level. Vertical knowledge exchange will be organised through an (bi-) annual national Learning Forum linked to the Joint Sector Review (JSR) and Joint Technical Review (JTR). The Learning will build on innovations from the local levels and from actors like local government, NGOs and private sector. Good (and bad) experiences will be shared and analysed for success (or failure) factors for learning and possibly scaling-up and use towards reformulation of strategies and policies, both at national and local level. This WASH National Learning is expected to contribute to improvement of sector performance and more cost-efficiency and effectiveness, and eventually sustainable water service delivery.

What it is about
This National Learning Forum is being jointly organised by the GoU (DWD, DWRM, MoH-EHU, MoES), the Uganda WASH Resource Centre, SNV and IRC. (See Concept Note). At the National Learning Forum space will be given to the following subject areas:
• Experiences on IWRM implementation at the local scale (Localisation of IWRM principles)
• ‘Good’ (and bad) practices/experiences on operation and maintenance of water supply systems
• Cases on how sanitation for family health and prosperity is practised
• Experiences on WASH in schools.
The two-day Forum will attract some 60-80 participants including case study presenters, government staff from national and local level, international and local NGOs, UNICEF, WSP, knowledge institutions, academia and the media.

Case studies
For each of the above subjects areas, some 6 cases will be selected from the Abstracts submitted for development of a full case that will be presented, discussed and analysed at the Forum. The Organising Committee will select the most relevant cases. Case studies will be reviewed and authors requested to revise prior to finalisation. A (DRAFT) framework for writing the case studies has been attached. Abstracts of about 350 words are invited. Abstracts to include the background initiative/project, major successes/challenges; factors for successes/challenges; drivers of project; innovation; resources (cost and HR); lessons learned. Abstracts should be forwarded to Solomon Kyeyune (NETWAS Uganda) - netwasuganda@gmail.com before 4th of September 2009.

mportant dates to remember
Submission of abstract: 24th of September 2009
Draft paper: 30th of September 2009
Final paper: 7th of October 2009
Date of the workshop: 12 and 13 October 2009 – dates to be confirmed soon

PROVISONAL FORMAT FOR REPORTING PRACTICES (final to come by end August 09) in
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Uganda

Proposed length 4 pages; Maximum length 8 pages (font Times New Roman 11, normal margins)!!

1.Title ‘Best Practice / Not-good Practice ’:
2. Country, Province/Region, District, Division/Sub county, Villages involved:
3. Initiator of the ‘Best Practise’: the organisation or group who has taken the initiative e.g. Government Dept. …. , NGO named….., Village Health Committee in …..
4.Background of the initiative:
Short description of the area and its specific characteristics (geographical, environmental, socio economic, cultural, gender) characteristics and a short description of the sanitation (human excreta disposal/management) and/or hygiene situation at the household and/or school before the initiative started including major trends, problems, challenges faced by the initiator or target-group.

E.g.: The Rakai community-based organisation was initiated by women, most of them (poor) widows as the area was one of the first hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The women felt the need to support each other as they were left alone as cost winners and they realised that combining income generating activities with health and sanitation activities in their communities would improve their economical situation and living condition at the same time.
5.Description of the initiative
Give a summary of the major components of the initiative. It could be a specific intervention, innovation, project, approach or certain activities to resolve a problem or specific challenge described in the background earlier in this paper. Theses components must be key contributors for the success of the good practice. The description gives the institutional arrangements, the different steps of the process, that is, how it started (‘ignition’) and the follow-up activities/step and organisation and leadership of activities/steps. It also describes the different key components, such as promotion, awareness raising and education, external support, internal community communication and mobilisation, social/cultural peer pressure, gender and equity issues, technology selection, financing, monitoring of achievement (see text box), etc.

E.g. ; Monitoring hygiene behaviour and the related awarding system was among one of the key components: the Rakai community-based organisation applies democratic principles, certain values and minimum standards about healthy behaviour in the community . New members could join if they adopt those standards in their household. After the regular monitoring, an evaluation committee awards marks to the best performing household, which is given a certificate/award and a hygiene and sanitation related prize such as soap.
6.Major drivers of the process and success or failure
Describe the most important people and organisations in the ‘Best Practice’ and their role towards the success of the initiative. And also what triggered the people to change their behaviours, to construct, maintain and further upgrade their latrines and behaviours (climbing the ladder, remaining on same rung, or getting down!)

E.g. in Rakai:
- The women in the village initiated the process, organised themselves, advocated for certain hygiene behaviour and mobilised support from their local leaders
- The health personnel helped the women to understand the relationship between better sanitation and health and a better life.
- The District Commissioner and other local leaders provided political support to the initiative and mobilized resources for and with them.

7.Resources
Elaborate on the ‘resources’ questions related to finance, materials, labour, such as:
- What were the main activities requiring community/school-based and external resources?
- What was the estimated cost in kind and cash and who provided those resources?
- What was the direct resources’ contribution from the households and the community/school actors and by whom (men, women, parents, children, community, private sector)?
- Were there external funds/resources needed and offered, who provided those and under what conditions (loans, grants, etc.)?

8.Successes
Describe the major effective and sustainable changes achieved by the initiative: e.g. coverage, improved technologies, no open defecation, increased use of latrines, improved hygiene behaviours, health clubs, community/school-based organisation, political leadership, active school management comm., active PTA, continued support, strong capacities developed, private sector involvement. Is there any reported or proven improvement in health and reduction in poverty, environmental health, and for schools, less drop-out and better school attendance by girls.

E.g. Rakai:
- Participating villages have 100% sanitation coverage
- As a result of those successes the community and District has received international recognition and support to scale up
- Some of the components (specify) of the integrated approach are now incorporated in the district local government WASH service delivery

9.Lessons learned
Address the following and possibly other issues:
- Is this achievement the end or just the start?
- What is the way forward to achieve sustainability, what still needs to be done?
- What should we do differently when we could start afresh and how can we correct the weak aspects in the initiative?
- Which were the most difficult components, perhaps still not solved?
- What were the easiest and what the most difficult elements in this ‘best practice’?
- Could this intervention/ initiative/practice be scaled up in other districts/communities in Uganda with similar challenges and comparable conditions?
- What is very unique or context-specific for our community/district and might be difficult to find/get somewhere else?
- What are crucial preconditions for the initiative to be successful elsewhere? (in terms of resources needed, knowledge and attitude of different stakeholders, support structures, leadership etc)

10.More information: contact persons, names, organisations, addresses, email

11.Further reading: place where you can find more information if any about the initiative or related documentation

- Location:

home

- Date:

-