Jacinta Nekesa SNV - Uganda

District-based Hand Pump Mechanics

Associations for improved operation and

maintenance of rural water supply facilities

Context: Where SNV works

Current rural water supply situation in Uganda

• Access (national): 65% (SPR 2011)

• Low functionality of systems: 80% – 83% due to: Inactive Water User

Committees (71%) Spare parts supply chain

is not organized Inadequate trained and

skilled hand pump mechanics (HPMs)

Poor coordination and commitment from HPMs

Poor collection, misuse and abuse of maintenance funds

What Government of Uganda is doing:

• Provides guidelines e.g. the O&M

Framework

• Promotes the community based

maintenance system (CBMS)

• Revitalizes water user committees

• Provides funds for training of water user

committees & hand pump mechanics

• Maintains sources beyond communities'

capacity

• Provides spares parts for boreholes

• Provides back up support e.g. through

Technical Support Units & Umbrella

organizations

District-based Hand Pump Mechanics Associations:

An Approach to improving functionality

• District-based membership

associations; average 25 members

• Registered both at district and national

levels as private companies to be

contracted

• Operate on resources from member

contributions, sale of spares,

community repairs, & support from

Districts

• SNV capacity building focuses on

strengthening the associations as local

private service providers.

5

District Water Officer (DWO- Yumbe District) and Hand Pump Mechanics working together

Methodology and approach – what SNV has done:

• Conducted an assessment of all hand

pump mechanics in each district

• Supported establishment of Associations

through:

meetings to discuss potential benefits

of associations

establishment of leadership structures

& legal documents

registration processes

• Conducted capacity needs assessment;

developed & implemented capacity

building plans

The “how” of the support provided by SNV to

the mechanics’ Associations:

Capacity building support focused on:

• Training on the following:

Good leadership and management

skills

Business development skills

Financial management & reporting

Procurement and procurement

procedures

Contract administration &

management

• Peer-to-peer learning

• Documentation and sharing of

experiences

Results and outcomes of SNV’s work:

• Increased cooperation &

learning between mechanics

• Increased accountability to

communities & to

districts/government

• Increased access to spares,

tools, finance & knowledge

• Formal institutions with access

to contracts for repairs &

rehabilitation

Results & outcomes (Continued):

• Reduced repair costs, in the

long term

• Improved skills in

management of the

associations

• Roll out of the approach by

Ministry of Water &

Environment

• Improved functionality (e.g.

in Kasese district: from 61% in

FY 2008/09 to 74% in 2009/10).

Lessons learned by SNV:

• District-based associations provide better organized &

regulated service to the sector & community

• HPM associations improve coordination & information flow

between 3 key stakeholders: districts, communities &

mechanics themselves

• District water offices are able to provide adequate support to

well organized associations

• There is need to link associations with support agencies e.g.

for start-up capital; stock of spares; and tools & equipment

• Up-scaling workable solutions can be achieved through

documentation & sharing of success stories

• SNV will consolidate achievements in the

5 focus districts

• Ministry of Water & Environment should

work closely with SNV in the roll out

• SNV will continue to bridge the

knowledge gap to avoid re-inventing the

wheel

• Participants are urged to increase

functionality using the same approach –

it works!

• SNV is currently working closely with IRC on

the Sustainability Services at Scale (i.e. with

the Triple-S Program in Uganda.

Conclusion: what should happen next

12 Title