Human Resources Development, Community Participation, Women’s Involvement, and Health Education Components
After the design phase from 1991-1993, the implementation phase I of the RWSSP in Beni Suef ran from 1993 to 1995, with the Plancenter Ltd. as principal consultant for FINNIDA (Finnish International Development Agency) that contracted NSCE for the Human Resources Development, Community Participation, Women’s Involvement, and Health Education Components.
The immediate objectives of the Regional Water Supply and Sanitation Project in order to attain the overall development objectives are
- to implement applied pilot schemes in the critical areas of water and sanitation,
- to develop a long term Sector Development Plan with alternative investment strategies, management and institution building through various support activities,
- to develop human resources by supply of training and technical assistance
Geographically the project covers the entire Beni Suef Governorate. The pilot schemes and the development of the operation and maintenance activities are being concentrated in three districts, Sumusta, Beba, and el-Fashen. The development of management and planning practices and overall institutional development of the WSS sector covers the entire governorate. The sector development plans will be prepared more detailed in Sumusta, el-Fashen and Beba districts and on the more general level in the entire governorate.
The Human Resources Component of the project entails extensive training of local personnel involved in the WSS sector. Training needs are being assessed and sessions planned for by the project staff in coordination with the Governorate.
The Community Involvement and Women’s Development Component enhances the mobilization of the contribution of the community to the needs assessment and planning of the schemes, to the cost of the construction of the schemes and to their participation in the maintenance of the WSS systems. Strengthening the environmental awareness of women as managers of the household water and sanitation facilities, as primary users of the facilities and main agents of transmission of behavioral changes, is another function of this component. A group of 60 women, 20 out of each district, have been made familiar with the project and selected to be trained as local Water and Sanitation Coordinators. Their tasks will include, but are not limited to, the improvement of the awareness of people on interrelated issues like water/sanitation/environment/health/hygiene, to promote group formation, mobilize the community and users groups, and improve the linkage between the community/local groups and governorate’s WSS line agencies/project implementors. Not only the outcome of extensive baseline-studies guides, partially, the technical implementation of the project and, fully, the development of training and awareness packages, but the community has also been involved on advice for the technology to be used (like to project’s proposal to construct public laundry facilities). This involved the preparation of a preliminary assessment of the Community Participation Component in five Water Supply and Sanitation Projects in Egypt.
Resource: Community Participation in Water Supply & Sanitation Projects in Egypt The main objective of the public health education of the project is to improve the awareness on the impact of proper behavioral habits in water use and household/environmental hygiene on the health. Other objectives are to activate communities to initiate the improvements in their water and sanitation related living conditions, and to improve the relations and communications between the communities and water supply and sanitation agencies. The public health education will be disseminated through two main frameworks, the structures used by the Beni Suef PHC Project and the structures for pilot scheme implementation developed by the RWSSP project, with a special focus on children’s education through existing schools and teachers.