Training on participatory approaches, Bhutan

In October and November 2007, IRC trained 20 engineers from the Public Health Engineering Division in Bhutan with the aim to contribute to the capacity development of the intermediate level in the country. The training was funded by NUFFIC under the Netherlands fellowship Programme (NFP). It consisted of three phases:

1. Training on participatory methodologies in rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS)
2. Exposure visit to Nepal
3. Building Blocks for Trainer of Trainers

The process

Phase one

Phase one consisted of a 10 day training. During the first week participants analysed the WASH sector in Bhutan, with special attention on roles of different actors and the methodology for community participation. Communication skills and support to community organisations were also key focus areas. Interviews with community representatives, geog (block) officials, district engineers and the national Public Health engineering department helped gain further understanding of challenges and opportunities in the sector.

The second week focused financing, IWRM, gender, monitoring and the links between water sanitation and hygiene. A feedback session was organised with senior management of the Public Health division and other sector stakeholders from Unicef and SNV. In this session, the trainees presented the main concepts from the training and their analysis of the RWSS sector in Bhutan. The training team presented their analysis and some recommendations, which was followed by a group discussion on issues to address in making community management sustainable.

Phase two

Phase two, the exposure visit to Nepal, was facilitated by NEWAH. Participants analysed how Community Management is organised and sustained in NEWAH projects. The following subjects were addressed:

• roles and skills of the facilitators (NEWAH, local NGO, District Government, Community)
• methodologies and tools that are used in Nepal
• support that is provided to the communities to manage the RWSS in a sustainable manner
• key WASH messages used in the NEWAH projects and how these messages are communicated

Participants gathered information through observation in the villages, focus group discussions and interviews with villagers, village water and sanitation committee members, village representatives and NEWAH project staff.

Phase three

In phase three, we worked towards putting the knowledge and experience gained into practice and advocating for WASH. During this last week we explored how the experience and lessons learned from Nepal could contribute to sustainable community management in Bhutan. Participants became familiar with the participatory health awareness methodology that is used by the health assistants in Bhutan. In a ‘skills market’ a range of subjects (eco-sanitation, rainwater harvesting, learning styles, facilitation tips, asking questions, analysing a case) were covered. In an ‘Advocacy for WASH’ session, participants reflected on how to communicate the value of WASH to stakeholders in various departments, to other engineers and others at block and community level. The participants developed individual action plans. The training team produced a report summarising capacity development challenges for the sector in Bhutan, including recommendations for possible action.

Recommendations for improvement of community management of WASH in Bhutan

• Increase ownership for the community management participatory approach.
• Support engineers to promote the participatory methodology (Community Planning Management Workshop / Community Development for Health approach) and implement their work plans.
• Improve sector monitoring and learning by monitoring of the sustainable use of the services and the effectiveness of the participatory approaches and Community Planning Management Workshop / Community Development for Health methods.
• Guarantee capacities at community level to sustain the WASH services through capacity development activities for different stakeholders in the Community Planning Management Workshop / Community Development for Health approach.
• Develop and strengthen the reference and resource capacity of the Public Health Engineering Department for knowledge management and learning & sharing activities.

(IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, December 2007)