Sustaining Service Delivery in Low Resource Environments: The Role of NGO Support to Permanent Institutions

WASH Governance Program, MalawiEngineers Without Borders Canada

Agenda

Time Session

2:00-2:30 Introduction

2:30-3:00 Establishment vs. Management part 1

3:00-3:30 Tea Break

3:30-3:45 Establishment vs. Management part 2

3:45-4:15 Apprenticeship Style Capacity Building

4:15-4:45 Designing a Transition Phase

4:45-5:00 Conclusion and Feedback

WASH Governance Program, MalawiEngineers Without Borders Canada

“We seek to change the systems that enable extreme poverty and inequitable development to disproportionately affect much of the African continent. To create that change, we spark and accelerate systemic innovations.”

EWB Canada’s vision

• Portfolios:– Small and growing businesses that drive social good– Adaptive public services that are responsive to

citizen’s needs– Food systems that are resilient and support

livelihoods– Engineering leaders who contribute to solving

societal challenges in the 21st Century– Canadian companies that are global leaders of

socially responsible mining in Africa

Portfolios of EWB Canada

“We envision a future wherein water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Malawi shift from projectized approaches towards a sustainable service delivery model through critical thinking, learning, and innovation.”

WASH Governance Program, Malawi

District governments need to better leverage their available resources to support sustained service delivery. - Direct support to local government offices to

innovate on service delivery approaches- Developing a network of innovators- Assisting WASH NGOs to design sustainable

projects and to work with permanent stakeholders

WASH service delivery with limited resources

Districts lack adequate resources to fulfill their service delivery mandates. - Developing a comprehensive system map of

decision makers and influence points- Developing case studies that link district

budgets to service delivery impacts- Make national level recommendations during

the budgeting process

Advocating for devolution of funds

The WASH sector needs a coordinated and strategic approach to development led by government. - Provide technical capacity support to

government and donors to put in place new process for sector coordination

- Strengthen existing structures such as the SWAp

Coordination structures in the WASH sector

Overview

Theories• Translating theories into

practical approaches • Effective capacity support

to permanent stakeholders • Figuring out how these

priorities translate into impacts in our communities

• Sustainability• Capacity Building• Government-Led• Ongoing

Management• Transition

Challenges

“Ensuring that the institutions supported through projects and the benefits realised are maintained and continue after the end of the project.” (IFAD, 2009)

What does sustainability mean?

Phases of a Project

Design Implementation Transition

Design• Mechanisms or roles that will exist post-

project should be designed according to the current constraints of the operating environment

• Prioritise strengthening existing structures over introducing new ones

Key elements for sustainability

Implementation• Maintain flexibility in project design and

implementation to enable adapting to changes in the operating environment

• Implement through and with permanent stakeholders, even if it takes longer to accomplish a given task

Key elements for sustainability

Transition• Exit strategies should be designed early on in

the project and considered throughout implementation

• Plan to have time for a transition phase at the end of the project

Key elements for sustainability

Overview

• Immerse us into three successive phases of a project

• Examine how a few elements of design can enhance sustainability of our investments

• Focus on working with permanent stakeholders

1. Design-Establishment vs. Management Role Division

2. Implementation-Apprenticeship Capacity Building

3. Transition Phase

1 2 3

Design: Establishment vs. Ongoing Management

• Establishment: roles required only for project phase

• Management: roles relevant for ongoing service delivery

Establishment vs. Management

1

• What system or mechanism will exist after the project to ensure a given activity is performed?

Questions to ask ourselves

1

• Activities during establishment – System design and planning– An action or process that happens only once or a

limited number of times at the outset– Capacity building of future implementers to fulfill

their roles– Generally, NGOs/projects can take higher

responsibility for these activities without compromising sustainability

Roles: Who does what?

1

• Ongoing management activities– Communication channels that are essential for

functioning of the system– Monitoring – Troubleshooting and follow up support to service

providers– A service delivery authority such as government is

responsible for these activities even when a project is still running

Roles: Who does what?

1

• Don’t burden permanent institutions with roles that are only required for the project phase- that’s what you’re there for.

• Likewise, don’t steal roles from permanent institutions that will have to do it later- coach them into it.– Note: delegating supervision responsibilities is not

sufficient

In short…

1

• General rule of thumb: projects/NGOs should not fund anything that will require funding in the post-project phase– E.g. stationary required for reporting forms, fuel

required for regular monitoring visits, etc.

• Either ensure the capacity to fund the essentials is there, or find a less costly way of implementing the essentials

Who funds what?

1

Case Study

1

Establishment Activity

How does the role of the DWDO in implementing this activity differ from the role of TiMMS?

What are the implications on post-project implementation if TiMMS funds this activity? What specifically should they or should they not fund?

Development of catchment areas for the mechanics

- If there is a comprehensive survey of the borehole density across the district, etc, TiMMS can take a leading role in collecting this data because it's a one-time collection and decision, and can bring in information that helped guide past networks- The DWDO should provide guidance on feasible catchment areas based on their in-depth knowledge of the area

- Funding any data collection used specifically for the determination of catchment areas and which is unlikely to be collected again post-project (all materials required)- Funding for regular data collection activities of the DWDO should not be funded directly

Ongoing Management Activity

How does the role of the DWDO in implementing this activity differ from the role of TiMMS?

What are the implications on post-project implementation if TiMMS funds this activity? What specifically should they or should they not fund?

Sensitization of communities and how they work with the mechanics

- The DWDO needs to be at the forefront of this process, communities should see the government as responsible for this process as they follow up in the long-term- TiMMS can help frame what is important to achieve at such meetings, and help the DWDO to plan for how they will continue to communicate with communities in the longterm

- TiMMS can fund the first meeting to happen but should be careful not to provide allowance to communities- TiMMS should not fund the ongoing communication mechanism the DWDO will rely on when following up with communities (no fuel, allowances, etc)

Case Study

1

Tea Break

Implementation: Apprenticeship Style Capacity Building

• Staff learn better by doing, failing, and iterating

• Staff learn to address the challenges faced during implementation (resiliency)

• More effective overall by combining implementation with capacity development

• Leaves time for essential elements of transition phase

Why Apprenticeship?

2

• Plan your activities to include time for apprenticeship from the beginning

• Adjust your project plans to fit the time you have: either scope more or ask for more time initially

• Capacity assessments should be done as you implement together with a partner

Strategies to incorporate apprenticeship

2

• Identify gaps in areas relevant for ongoing service delivery and prioritise capacity building in those areas

• Avoid planning for “hand overs” as much as possible

• Be flexible to match the schedules of the staff you are supporting

Strategies to incorporate apprenticeship

2

• Monitoring and evaluation• Time needed• Donor interest

Common challenges

2

• Think of a specific project you are or have recently worked on

• Think of a specific capacity you are trying to build in a stakeholder

• How can you incorporate apprenticeship into the capacity building plan for that stakeholder?

Reflection

2

• 2-week course unsustainable in ability to identify challenges and address them

• Taking time to work within individual’s strengths and weaknesses

• Tailoring the type of training or apprenticeship to the type of knowledge or skill

• Over time increasing the amount of responsibility

Sharing Strategies

Transition Design

• Inflection point in the project• Intentional design needed to sustain gains

Transition Design

3

1. Build an understanding between stakeholders regarding the transition and it’s value.

2. Determine what is to be phased-down, phased-over, or phased-out.

3. Collaboratively plan the transition phase itself.

Transition Design Goals

3

• Step One: Mapping each stakeholder’s contribution to the project

• Step Two: Mapping the interactions of stakeholders in a post-project context

• Step Three: Filling in the gap

Transition Design Steps

3

Stakeholders Engaged1. Community members2. NGO project staff3. Local Government

Officers4. Extension Staff5. Other

Step One: Mapping Yourself

3

“What support was I getting to support the project?”

“What support was I providing to others to support the project?”

Stakeholders Engaged1. Community members2. NGO project staff3. Local Government

Officers4. Extension Staff5. Other

Step One: Mapping Yourself

3

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

Stakeholders EngagedMultiple, mixed groups including:

Community members, NGO project staff, Local Government Officers, Extension Staff, Other Key Stakeholders

Step Two: Mapping Ourselves

3

“ How will this stakeholder be supporting service delivery in 5 years”

“What skills does this stakeholder have that help them fulfill this role?

Stakeholders EngagedMultiple, mixed groups including:

Community members, NGO project staff, Local Government Officers, Extension Staff, Other Key Stakeholders

Step Two: Mapping Ourselves

3

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

Step Three: Fill in the Blanks

3

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

BEFORE

AFTER

1. Visualize the difference between project and post-project roles and responsibilities.

2. Understand why there is a shift, and see what the missing pieces will be

Step Three: Fill in the Blanks

3

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

Local Government

Officers

NGO Staff

National Level Gov’t

Community Structures

Extension Staff

TRANSITION STRATEGY

Next Steps:

• Developing action plans within the transition period for each stakeholder to shift from the old role to the new role.

• Developing capacity building strategies for each stakeholder to ensure they have the skills needed for the new role.

• Collectively and collaboratively creating these plans so all permanent stakeholders have a coordinated approach.

Transition Design Framework

3

• One reflection you’ve had in this workshop regarding your own work.

• Share with your neighbour, share with the group.

WASH Catalysts Malawi Contacts:

Sydney Byrns- Program Directorsydneybyrns@ewb.ca

Genevieve Hughes- Program Officergenevievehughes@ewb.ca

Thank you!

go.ewb.ca/watsan

go.ewb.ca/watsanreport2014

After Action Review (AAR)