Blog Entries
Invocacy and the role of the change agent
23 Apr 12
Ton Schouten, IRC senior programme officer, explains the difference between advocacy and ‘invocacy’. Although advocacy is needed for delivering sustainable water services, ‘invocacy’ through change agents is necessary for lasting change. Schouten describes the five main tasks of a change agent in an innovative change process.
Do we need a new model for advocacy?
23 Apr 12
The traditional NGO advocacy model focuses on creating pressure for change through ‘awareness raising’ activities. The idea is that if people are aware of the need for change, it will happen. But does this approach really work? Sarah Carriger, Triple-S communications workstream leader, discusses whether ‘awareness raising’ is an effective and efficient path to influencing policies of organisations and governments.
Philippines: toolbox for rural water utilities launched
19 Apr 12
The Philippine government – together with the World Bank, the United Nations through the Millennium Development Goal Achievement Fund (MDG-F) and other development partners – have launched a ‘local water governance toolbox’. The toolbox is aimed at small-scale water service providers (SSWPs) with less than 5,000 connections. Otherwise known as “Tubig Yaman,” this new set [...]
Going with the FLOW
19 Apr 12
On World Water Day, CNN International published the article “Going with the ‘FLOW’ towards better sanitation”. In this Stef Smits, research officer at Triple-S is interviewed. He refers back to his earlier blog post on whether the glass is half full, or half empty. “Reaching the last 10% of the population — those living in remote [...]
It IS a theory, it DID exist at the start, now let’s learn from it!
19 Apr 12
My name is Deirdre Casella. I am a Programme Officer and have worked in various capacities at IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre since December 1999. My current focus is coordinating the monitoring and learning work of the Triple-S project. In Triple-S we aim to ‘proceed with good intent’, as our friend Chris Mowles is [...]
Is the glass half full or half empty?
19 Apr 12
This week the Joint Monitoring Program of the United Nations announced that the MDG for water supply has been reached, most likely already somewhere in 2010. 5 years ahead of the deadline the percentage of the World’s population without access to safe water supplies has been halved. This is no mean feat and would be [...]
Indian district sets up rural water supply service network
19 Apr 12
The district council (Zilla Panchayat) of Shimoga in Karnataka has established a rural water supply service network with “ round-the-clock” control rooms at district and sub-district (taluk) levels, the Hindu newspaper reported. Priority would be given to maintaining cleanliness around the drinking water supply units in rural areas. Officials had been directed to repair borewells. The sub-district control [...]
Is it a theory of change or isn’t it?
19 Apr 12
Three years of creating change in Triple-S. Not a nice linear process but trying things out, getting better at it and finding words to describe what we do. And so it is time to step back and put it on paper. What is it this theory of change of Triple-S? Is it a theory or [...]
Mid term assessment blues
19 Apr 12
My name is Patrick Moriarty. I’m the director of IRC’s Triple-S project, and am blogging at waterservicethatlast for the first time – although I also blog sporadically on my own site . This blog was started by Stef Smits, head of research in Triple-S but is now being opened up to other project staff – [...]
