Our methodology includes the following:
- Local Partners
- Community Involvement
- Appropriate Technology
- Integrated Projects
- WaterCredit Initiative
Local Partners
Water.org believes people in developing countries know best how to solve their own problems. That’s why we forge partnerships with carefully-screened partner organizations in the target countries that understand, and are part of, the local culture.
The result is a solution tailored to the need of each community, instead of a technological fix the community has no way of maintaining.
Benefits of local partners
- Locally-based partners are better positioned to understand and navigate social, political, and economic issues impacting projects.
- Locally-based partners have more savvy at leveraging local financial resources for cost-sharing in projects.
- Local expertise exists to implement projects.
- More cost effective than maintaining expatriate staff.
We use our expertise to seek out and fund those partner organization and projects that produce lasting results. We are not tied to any single partner organization. This flexibility allows us to constantly search for and fund the organizations that are committed to the highest quality projects.
What our partners say
“We find that Water.org is open to new ideas and experimentation. They are quick to respond and very quick to answer. All of the staff members are committed to the water development and sanitation process. [Water.org] believes that this work is important and good for the people. They have commitment as well as empathy. This attitude is quite reassuring to us. We are not left wondering whether they see an idea the same way . . . We know we are sailing together.” – Nanda Vardhan, Society for Integrated Development in Urban and Rural Areas (SIDUR)
“[Water.org] is a model for the water and sanitation sector.” – Mrs. J. Geetha, Gramalaya
“[We] appreciate Water.org’s approach to water and sanitation projects due to their target-oriented approach, measurable indicators, capacity-building of partner organizations, flexibility and concern.” – Mr. Anselm Rosario, Mythri Sarva Seva Samithi (MSSS)
Our process for selecting partner organizations
Water.org first identifies a priority country based on its water and sanitation needs.
Next, it conducts a preliminary screening of potential partner organizations. For those organizations that appear most promising, we visit and evaluate completed and in-progress projects. Field visits include interviews with the field staff of potential partner organizations, community leaders, and beneficiary households of water and sanitation projects.
Our survey instruments help to provide a complete look at how the potential partner organization is operating. Surveys include questionnaires completed by staff at the potential partner organization and by community members of past and present projects of the potential partner organization. We also look to ensure that women in the community play a significant role in projects.
Water.org’s evaluation process examines many aspects of partner organizations and projects, including:
- Organizational structure
- Engineering expertise
- Community organization and participation
- Health and hygiene promotion
- Water source protection
- Operation and maintenance
- Finances
In addition, the beneficiary communities must be at the center of the project planning and be invested as stakeholders. Any project undertaken with the community must be structured to complement existing programs and integrated into and coordinated with all political and social structures.
Local Partners | Community Involvement | Appropriate Technology | Integrated Projects | WaterCredit Initiative
Community Involvement
Community participation is at the heart of the Water.org philosophy. For a project to be truly successful, communities must be viewed and must view themselves as the owners of the project. That’s why Water.org engages communities at every stage and at every level– from project planning, building, and financing, to ongoing project maintenance.
People often ask how we select the communities we work with. Since our approach is demand-driven, the communities actually select us! Communities with a water or sanitation need contact our in-country partner organization. Our partner organization evaluates the communities and makes recommendations on water and sanitation projects.
Once a community has been selected, one of the first project activities is for the community to elect a local water committee. Because women disproportionately bear the burden of collecting water, it’s essential that the committee include female members. The water committees play a critical role in the project’s success. They serve as the liaison between the community and our partner organization, facilitate the hygiene education program, and determine the community work schedule for project construction.
Local Partners | Community Involvement | Appropriate Technology | Integrated Projects | WaterCredit Initiative
Appropriate Technology
By engaging the community, Water.org ensures that the technology selected for the project is appropriate to the local community and their particular situation. The community selects, with technical input from Water.org’ local partner organization, the type of project, what local materials to use, where it will be located, and how much it will cost.
Design
Because communities must be able to build and maintain the water system on their own, Water.org’ projects use locally-available, relatively simple technology. Because local technology is used, materials are readily available, which allows projects to be quickly and easily repaired.
Construction
Communities also participate in the construction of their water project. This helps to alleviate capital costs of the projects, and increases community investment. In addition, it allows the community to better understand how the technology works.
Maintenance
Every water system needs regular maintenance and to be repaired on occasion. Thus, Water.org equips community members with the skills and strategies to deal with system maintenance and repair. Using simple, local technology for projects makes maintenance easier. However, if communities encounter a problem they are unable to solve on their own, the community can contact the local partner organization for assistance. The regular maintenance fees collected by the communities’ water committees pay for these costs. Helping communities to address such needs is integral to the Water.org philosophy to provide lasting solutions to water supply needs.
Local Partners | Community Involvement | Appropriate Technology | Integrated Projects | WaterCredit Initiative
Integrated Projects
The adoption of good hygiene practices and access to sanitation (i.e. toilet) facilities are critical in achieving sustainable improvements in community health.
Clean water may be available in a household, but if hand washing and other practices are not routinely followed, the promised health benefits will not materialize. Similarly, access to a latrine does not ensure that the latrine will be used or properly maintained.
Without a good understanding of the link between hygiene and disease, the health benefits of safe water and sanitation can be easily lost.
Water.org holds intensive training and motivation seminars throughout the project on the link between good health and good hygiene. These seminars link everyday concerns (e.g. diarrhea and other water-related illnesses) with proper hygiene, such regular use of latrines and hand-washing before preparing food. Linking sanitation with common health concerns increases community commitment and involvement.
Local Partners | Community Involvement | Appropriate Technology | Integrated Projects | WaterCredit Initiative
WaterCredit Initiative
Water.org projects are funded through grants, loans, or a combination of grants and loans. Our loan program is called WaterCredit, and is the first of its kind.
The idea of building community-based water supply projects through a combination of grants and loans is new to the water sector. Until now, almost all water projects facilitated by other organizations have been funded entirely by grants, even when the individuals served by the project have the means to share costs.
Water.org loan program, the WaterCredit Initiative, has the potential to change the way water is supplied to people in the developing world.
