Opinions and voices for change
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2016 is a crucial year for IRC India. With its strong track record in India, IRC is well positioned to develop and establish a country programme there. Read more...
IRC is working with partners on a research project called 'Community Water Plus'. It consists of case studies throughout rural India. The objective is to understand which models of community managed water supplies - with professional support - work well, and why, so that we understand how they can... Read more...
Mr Belwal is a community facilitator with the Himalaya Institute Hospital Trust, an NGO that, amongst others, develops water supply systems in the Uttarakhand Himalayas, through a programme supported by Himmothan Society. His main responsibility is ensuring that villages that have been "phased out... Read more...
Sangeeta Ramola is the former Pradhan (president) of the Gawana Gram Panchayat (local government), in the State of Uttarakhand, India. Her work and effort shows the importance of local political leaders in achieving access to rural water supply that lasts. Read more...
Two years ago, I posted a blog summarizing discussions on whether insuring rural water supply systems is a good idea. But these remained largely theoretical discussions, as there are few examples of such insurances put in place. During field work for the Community Water Plus project in the State of... Read more...
Mr Ragunathan, the ex-President of Ramianahalli village, proudly explains how his community had come together when facing a water crisis in 2004. But in subsequent years of 'times of plenty', much of the good practices of the village water and sanitation committee were lost. This is due to the... Read more...
Ultimate success in water service delivery is defined by the service level received by households. There can be excellent infrastructure and impeccable administration, but if households don't receive enough water of good enough quality without spending an excessive amount of time collecting it,... Read more...
Saraswati Halder, the president of the Durganagar Kanchantala water committee, shows me the committee's bank booklet. It shows only one transaction: 100 Rupees (about 1.50 US$) deposited in 2011, more than 3 years ago. Read more...
Uttam Majundar is een succesvolle Jalabandu, een mecanicien die handpompen repareert, in Digambarpur, West-Bengal, India. Maar hij dreigt slachtoffer te worden van zijn eigen succes. Stef Smits, programma officer van IRC, schetst een dag uit het leven van Uttam en laat zien waarom te goed je werk... Read more...
Uttam Majundar is a successful Jalabandu (handpump mechanic) in Digambarpur (West Bengal, India). But now he risks becoming a victim of his own success. Following a day in his life explains why. Read more...
As a group at Cranfield University we reviewed 130 case studies of community managed rural water services, to identify key success factors. We conclude that a certain level of socio-economic wealth is necessary, but not sufficient. A combination of different Plus factors, both internal and external... Read more...
We were here to find out what the water committee does about water supplies, but only a local government official was around to explain it all. Read more...
Community rural water supply in India is being undermined by opposing strategies. Read more...