This photo essay was created by USAID in Exposure. USAID’s SPEED+ program (Supporting the Policy Environment for Economic Development) supports Mozambique’s National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation in setting technical and quality standards for private water providers and implementing licensing regulations to allow businesses to fill a gap in public water systems.
Our world is becoming more urban, and USAID is helping partner countries adapt to this rapid change. By 2030, 68 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities, with the majority of that growth happening in the developing world. The infrastructure of these cities, peri-urban areas, and market towns is under great strain as their populations grow.
In Africa, it is estimated that over half of the urban population lives in informal settlements, sometimes referred to as “slums.” Most informal settlements do not have access to basic city services such as piped water, sewer systems, or waste collection. Kibera, a large informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, is not connected to the municipal water system. Residents in Kibera purchase water at kiosks often supplied by unregulated networks of rubber hoses and tubing that run along the ground and in open gutters.
Countries that face challenges with water quality, quantity, and accessibility cannot begin to address these issues without effective governance frameworks. Governance is also an issue in other sectors that water production depends on and is essential for, such as the electricity sector. In 2015, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Sierra Leone began a $44.4 million partnership to implement policy reforms, build institutional capacity, and improve governance in the water and electricity sectors of the country, with a focus on the capital city of Freetown.
Like many of us, Fatou Badji balances a hectic schedule. She is the chairlady of a women's group that sells onions and other essentials. She is also on the frontlines of addressing the global sanitation crisis.
Today, six in 10 people lack proper sanitation, costing economies $260 billion annually. Poor sanitation leads to the deaths of more than a quarter-million children annually, and affects the safety of women and girls.
The 42nd WEDC International Conference, "Equitable and Sustainable WASH Services: Celebrating Our Learning from Failure and Success," will be held at Loughborough University, UK, from September 7-10, 2020. The WEDC International Conference is a comprehensive and interactive learning event, which provides continued professional development for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector professionals. The WEDC International Conference comprises two days of presentations and discussions of peer reviewed content and two days of tailored capacity development workshops.
Climate risk management (CRM) improves the effectiveness and sustainability of USAID’s water efforts. USAID implements CRM by systematically assessing, addressing, and adaptively managing climate risk in new strategies, projects, and activities.
Numerous studies have sought to understand the factors that most influence the sustainability of rural water supply services. This understanding has led to the development of maintenance approaches, both reactive and preventive, that seek to improve functionality rates and maintain reliable continuity of rural community water services. This document reviews literature about the factors influencing the sustainability of rural water services, and the emerging maintenance approaches seeking to address these factors and improve service reliability.
Since 2009, a partnership between the Rotary and USAID has combined the local community leadership of Rotarian volunteers with the Agency’s technical expertise. Throughout, the focus of the program has been on accomplishing three goals: improving sanitation and hygiene in schools and health facilities; increasing community access to safe drinking water; and advocating for ample government financing of WASH—that is, water, sanitation, and hygiene.
This presentation explores the role of ex-post evaluations in the international development field. It was delivered at the American Evaluation Association's 2019 Conference, and featured Abbie Jones (USAID), Cindy Sobieski (Millennium Challenge Corporation), and Kari Nelson (Social Impact).
