Sustainable WASH Systems Closeout Event & Learning Series (#SWSLearning)
USAID’s Sustainable WASH Systems Learning Partnership (SWS) hosted a 5-day virtual learning series in September to share what it learned around strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems to sustain services through systems understanding and engagement, professionalized maintenance, and collective action.
Each day featured a different topic and format. Participants benefited from 5 years of research and evidence gathered through the partnership to strengthen WASH systems and learned how to apply these tools and approaches to their work in the sector and beyond. The partnership also previewed a series of flagship resources and hosted candid conversations on bright spots and challenges of implementing a systems approach to WASH efforts, and how SWS moved the needle on systems-thinking methods.
A brief description of each day and a link to recordings of each session are included below.
Monday, September 20, 9–11 a.m. (EDT): Welcome & Event Launch
This session will introduce partnership members, their theory of change approaches, and provide a summary of their work and accomplishments. Watch the recording.
Wednesday, September 22, 9–11 a.m. (EDT): Systems Understanding & Engagement
This session will share SWS research and evidence related to systems understanding and engagement along with what worked and what is worth replicating in the sector. Watch the recording.
Monday, September 27, 9–11 a.m. (EDT): Professionalized Water Supply Maintenance
SWS implementers will share learning highlights and recommended actions based on evidence from the field on the most critical elements required to support professionalized maintenance for water provision. Watch the recording, and view breakout discussions on Institutional Arrangements, Maintenance as a Political Priority, and Financing Professionalized Maintenance.
Wednesday, September 29, 9–11 a.m. (EDT): Collective Action
During this session, participants will gain a better understanding of the interplay among contextual factors, design decisions, and outcomes for collective action approaches in WASH and how to apply key lessons to their work. Watch the recording.
Thursday, September 30, 9–11 a.m. (EDT): Bringing it all Together
Beginning with a "show and tell" networking forum, this session will recap participant learning, recommend next steps for the sector, and explain how participants can stay involved. Watch the recording, and view breakout sessions on Enabling Environments for Professionalized Maintenance, How Can Collective Action Secure Government Commitment, Managing What you Measure, and Measuring Systems Change with Outcome Monitoring.