AfWA Regional Institutional Capacity Building Program (AfRICAP)


BACKGROUND

On December 2nd, 2015, the African Water Association (AfWA) entered into partnership with USAID West Africa by signing the Cooperative Agreement No AID-624-A-1600003. Under this agreement, USAID/West Africa‘s Regional Program commits to invest a sum of $2,000,000 to support the WASH – Africa Water Association (AfWA) Regional Institutional Capacity Building Program (AfRICAP).

PROGRAM GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The primary goal of the AfWA Regional Institutional Capacity Building Program (AfRICAP) is to strengthen the capacity of AfWA to coordinate, formulate, adapt, and harmonize WASH policies in order to improve the performance of the sector across Africa in general and West Africa in particular.

The following objectives are assigned to the Programme

  • Objective 1: Build the capacity of AfWA to formulate, coordinate, adapt and harmonize WASH policies across West Africa
  • Objective 2: Develop and implement improved knowledge sharing and public awareness in the WASH sector
  • Objective 3: Develop the capacity of drinking water quality laboratories in West Africa with the support of US EPA
     

MAIN ACTIVITIES

To reach the objectives assigned to the Program, the main activities are:

  • Capacity building and Institutional Strengthening of AfWA
  • Fostering gender mainstreaming into the WASH sector
  • Promoting knowledge sharing within the regional WASH sector
  • Developing the capacity of drinking water laboratories in collaboration with USEPA
  • Strengthening AfWA capacity in improving water quality management in the region

USAID WEST AFRICA FUNDED PROGRAMS SUPPORT FOR THE SUCCESS OF AfriCap

AfWA will get the support of a number of organizations, and specifically of the three USAID/WA funded WASH programs in West Africa, to effectively run the Program:

  • USAID West Africa Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (USAID WA-WASH): is a key partner of this program. In its capacity as the mentoring institution/program set up by USAID to strengthen the capacity of African water institution in West Africa, USAID WA WASH will act as the overall supervisor and mentor of AfWA under this program
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA): will provide support to AfWA for the implementation of activities under Component 3, and particularly in relation to capacity building of water quality control laboratories in West Africa. This will be done through the provision of information and short-term technical assistance and trainings
  • Population Services International (PSI): through its West Africa Sanitation Service Delivery(SSD) program will partner with AfWA in the framework of the implementation of the knowledge management and sharing platform

EXPECTED RESULTS

  • Increased capability of AfWA to coordinate, formulate, adapt, harmonize and implement WASH policies across Africa
  • Enhanced knowledge sharing of best practice, creating awareness and advocacy in the WASH sector across Africa
  • Improved capacity of drinking water quality laboratories in West Africa for effective water quality services

GEOGRAPHICAL INTERVENTIONS

The AfRICAP Program interventions will take place at local/national, regional and international levels.

Most of the activities under Component 1 – “Capacity building of AfWA to formulate, coordinate, adapt and harmonize WASH policies across West Africa”, will be implemented within AfWA own organizational structure in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The reason being that majority of the activities is part of the routine work of AfWA that is being given impetus by USAID WA support.

Activities under Component 2 – “Promotion of knowledge sharing and public awareness within the regional WASH sector”, will have both a regional and international reach with the dissemination of knowledge products to a wide audience, the organization of training sessions for utilities staff, advocacy sessions/meetings at high level events, or else the conduct of research projects by young professionals of the sector.

As for activities related to Component 3 – “Development of the capacity of drinking water quality laboratories in collaboration with USEPA”, they aim at strengthening the water quality management functions of West Africa in general, with Ghana and Burkina Faso as prime target. Six other laboratories in West Africa will be identified for peer-to-peer learning partnerships with laboratories from Burkina Faso and Ghana. 

TOTAL COST OF PROGRAM

U.S $2,099 828, 89, with U.S $2 million from USAID.

LIFE OF PROGRAM

2016-2019

IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS

  • African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
  • Florida International University (FIU)
  • African Water Association (AfWA), and Water companies members of AfWA