SWIFT ConsortiumSWIFT Consortium
Français
English
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • DFID’S WASH RESULTS PROGRAMME
    • PAYMENT BY RESULTS
    • SUSTAINABLE WASH
  • WHO
    • GLOBAL MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE
    • PARTNERS IN COUNTRY
    • MANAGEMENT TEAM
  • WHERE
    • KENYA
    • DRC
  • WHAT
    • SUSTAINABLE WATER
    • SUSTAINABLE SANITATION
    • SUSTAINABLE HYGIENE
  • RESOURCES
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • SWIFT STORIES OF SUSTAINABLE CHANGE
  • NEWS

Oxfam team in DRC builds capacity of water management bodies

Chief Kambale Nlala, a member of the water committee at Soya, North Kivu. Photo: Jane Beesley/SWIFT Consortium | Chief Kambale Nlala est membre d’un comité d’usagers de l’eau à Soya, dans le Nord-Kivu

Chief Kambale Nlala, a member of the Water Users’ Committee at Soya, North Kivu

Five of the seven members of the water committee in Kasitu, North Kivu. Photo: Jane Beesley/SWIFT Consortium | Cinq des sept membres du comité d’eau créé dans le cadre de l’approche « villages assainis » à Kasitu, Nord-Kivu. De gauche à droite : Kakule Kasembo Mapendo, Kakule Kasembo Jean Bapiste, Kahambu Marhata Alfonsine, Muhindo Tsongo et Maskereka Muthahwh

Five of the seven members of the Water Users’ Committee set up through the ‘healthy villages’ approach in Kasitu, North Kivu (two women are absent). From left to right: Kakule Kasembo Mapendo, Kakule Kasembo Jean Bapiste, Kahambu Marhata Alfonsine, Muhindo Tsongo and Maskereka Muthahwh

Kahindo Kitambala collecting water from water point constructed through SWIFT | Kahindo Kitambala se ravitaille à un point d'eau construit dans le cadre du programme SWIFT

Kahindo Kitambala, 35, collects water from the water point constructed in Soya, North Kivu. After the completion of a water system, an ‘observation period’ of between two and six weeks is implemented, during which the systems are monitored closely

Following a final push to complete water infrastructure work in North Kivu, Oxfam and its partners in DRC have turned their attention to building the capacity of the committees that have taken over the management of the new and rehabilitated sources.

Three ASUREPs – (Association d’Usagers de Réseau d’Eau Potable, or drinking water network users’ associations – have been established to manage the gravity-fed water systems in semi-urban areas at Kaseghe, Lubiriha and Sake. The associations have already elected key members to their boards, known as the Conseil d’Administration and the Commission de Contrôle, and these members will receive training during the new phase of the programme in order to fully understand their roles and responsibilities.

Crucially for the sustainability of the ASUREPs, they are being supported by government bodies keen to improve water governance; in particular by the Health Zones (or BCZs) and the Service National d’Hydraulique Rurale (SNHR) – a key player in the WASH sector in DRC. For example, when an informal body tried to manage water systems within the Kirotshe Health Zone without being mandated by the community, the BCZ stepped in to prevent it.

Cost-recovery systems

Both the ASUREPs and the Water Users’ Committees managing water sources in rural areas where SWIFT has been implementing the government-approved Healthy Villages and Schools approach (Villages et Écoles Assainis, or VEA) have been trained to put in place a cost-recovery system. Supporting them to do so effectively will be a key focus for the next phase of the programme, but in both rural and semi-urban areas, household capacity to contribute is a challenge.

In rural areas, most water management committees have adopted monthly household contributions, either financial or in kind; these are set at less than US$0.50 per household per month. In semi-urban areas, household contributions have been agreed in terms of quantity, with a charge of US$0.05 for each 20-litre jerry can of water collected. In both contexts, the bodies managing the water sources are working to increase the willingness and ability of household to contribute.

Final push on water infrastructure

The last three months of the output phase of the SWIFT programme, which ended on 31 March 2016, saw Oxfam’s partners focused on completing the construction and rehabilitation of 23 water systems in North Kivu. In total, these systems – 11 gravity-fed water systems, six sources with reservoirs and six simple springs – are now providing 68,375 people with a minimum of 20 litres of water per person, per day.

After the completion of a water system, an ‘observation period’ of between two and six weeks is implemented, during which the systems are monitored closely while they are being used ‘for real’ to ensure the quality of the water is maintained and the system remains stable.

If issues with functionality arise, repairs and corrective work take place under the ‘water safety plan’ and a report is shared with the managing committee. A need for minor repairs may be used as an opportunity for the newly trained local technicians to put into practice what they have learned while continuing to receive support.

Find out more about the SWIFT programme in DRC

Tearfund completes water infrastructure work in remote parts of Maniema
Tearfund completes water infrastructure work in remote parts of Maniema
Fresh Life Toilets grow in popularity in Nairobi’s informal settlements
Fresh Life Toilets grow in popularity in Nairobi’s informal settlements

About SWIFT

Since 2014, the Sustainable WASH In Fragile Contexts (SWIFT) Consortium has been working to provide access to water and sanitation and to encourage the adoption of basic hygiene practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in Kenya. Various partners implement SWIFT’s actions in both target countries, in collaboration with governments as well as water providers, including utilities. The consortium is led by Oxfam, and includes Tearfund and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) as global members. The SWIFT programme is funded by UK aid from the UK government under a Payment by Results (PbR) contract.

Receive updates from SWIFT

View our privacy policy

Global Members

DFID TSO
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • CONTACT
© 2018 All Rights Reserved. Design dfsc.co.uk
We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience on our website. If you continue browsing, we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all our cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy