Stef Smits is a senior programme officer and Co-director of IRC's Growth Hub. He has 20 years of professional experience in water supply and sanitation in over 25 countries in Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, and South Asia. His main thematic expertise includes: institutional models for water supply, sustainability and enabling environment, monitoring, costing and financing of services and integrated water resources management.
Stef has led numerous projects on these topics, and published about them. In addition, he has ample management expertise: from consultancy assignments to multi-annual programmes, and units within an organisation. He has worked for a range of clients including bilateral donors, development banks, research funders and NGOs. Stef holds an MSc degree in Irrigation and Water Engineering from Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Stef Smits' in-depth review of the JMP 2021 data on the progress made in 15 countries and discussing the implications towards 2030. Read more...
One of the myths that keeps on going around in the rural water supply sector is the one of 'full cost recovery'. As more data from rural water monitoring systems becomes available, the myth gets busted. Read more...
In de nasleep van orkaan Eta steunen IRC en Water For People de oproep van de Hondurese overheid aan de internationale gemeenschap en roepen ze op tot onmiddellijke actie voor de wederopbouw van talloze water en sanitaire voorzieningen die door de oorkaan verwoest zijn. Read more...
In the wake of Hurricane Eta, IRC and Water For People support government appeal and call for immediate action to restore a decade's worth of water and sanitation development in Honduras Read more...
Last week, the Para Todos, Por Siempre (Everyone, Forever) initiative presented its results over 2019. It led me to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly of our experiences with monitoring in Honduras. Read more...
The motto of the Sustainable Development Goals is "leaving no one behind". For water and sanitation this implies that all people – including those families who live in the last house on top of the mountain - must have access to water and sanitation services. Water For People and IRC in Honduras... Read more...
El lema de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible es "no dejar a nadie atrás". Para el objetivo de agua y saneamiento implica que todas las personas – hasta las que viven en la casa más alejada, en la cima de una montaña – deben de tener acceso a dichos servicios. El proyecto "modelos de... Read more...
The results of the water and sanitation SDG baseline report are as surprising as finding safely managed drinking water in rural Honduras. But we should be cautious in jumping to conclusions Read more...
Marcala municipality in Honduras is spending a decent amount on WASH, though not yet enough. Read more...
For less than US$12 per person per year a town in Honduras can ensure that everyone's water supply keeps working. Read more...
El Municipio de Chinda alcanzó la cobertura total en los servicios de agua. Sin embargo, el municipio tiene que invertir hasta 11.8 US$/persona en agua cada año para siempre. La buena noticia es que este monto es asequible para el municipio y le permitirá mantener la cobertura total, para siempre... Read more...
" Sin salsa no hay paraíso " canta el Gran Combo de Puerto Rico. En Honduras, sin el gran combo, no hay agua. Read more...
Honduras es un país cinco estrellas, y no solo por el número de estrellas en su bandera. Aunque en términos de agua y saneamiento tiene un buen desempeño, solo logra cuatro estrellas. Read more...
The COMAS – Municipal Water and Sanitation Committee – of the municipality of El Negrito (in the Department of Yoro, Honduras), is strongly committed to providing universal water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to its citizens. But it needs a plan to get there. And it needs to make a plan... Read more...
One of the nicest water-related customs in Honduras is the breaking of the pot. When a village gets connected to a water system, part of the inauguration ceremony consists of an old woman from the village symbolically throwing a clay water-pot on the ground, so that it breaks. She will never need... Read more...
Honduras es uno de los países estrella que alcanzó los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio (ODM) de agua y saneamiento unos años antes de su tiempo. La pregunta ahora es si el país está bien preparado para los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS), que se están aprobando ahora. Read more...
"Porque exactos son los números.......depende". Así dice la bonita canción " Depende " de Jarabe de Palo. ¿Cuáles son los números exactos de los costos del agua?...depende. Así dice la conclusión del estudio sobre costos de agua y saneamiento en Honduras. Read more...
I am waiting for the moment that the newspapers report it is all quiet on the waterfront. Read more...
114 proyectos de agua financiados por 11 programas diferentes y a través de 19 modalidades de trabajo. Read more...
Stef Smits reflexione sobre los resultados del análisis del costo del ciclo de vida en Honduras. Read more...