Sharing & Learning

WSUP is committed to being open and transparent. WSUP believes that residents of urban informal settlements do not receive their fair share of development resources and one way it can encourage other agencies to play their role in addressing this gap is by sharing its experiences. This is done internally across projects to foster organic growth and externally to other agencies working in urban WASH. In the 4 years since its inception WSUP has identified a number of key lessons, as well as a series of tools that are of use in the planning of urban WASH.

WSUP will be collating lessons learnt and make them available on this site. These will be:

Increase awareness of the rights of the urban poor

• Convince utilities of their obligation to serve the urban poor
• Encourage municipalities to plan sanitation for urban poor settlements
• Bring the needs of poor to the attention of politicians
• Bring the needs of poor to the attention of the media
• Involve all stakeholders in plans to improve services for the urban poor

Improve utility performance

• Improve benchmarking systems
• Build the capacity of the local service providers to serve the urban poor
• Motivate utility staff to serve the poor
• Follow the example of other sectors in serving the poor
• Improve the technical skills of service providers

Encourage alternative service delivery models

• Consider devolving the management of water supplies to local operators
• Value the service provided by SSIPs
• Increase capacity to supply sanitation infrastructure
• Develop sustainable technologies for latrine emptying

Involve communities in water and sanitation improvements

• Create a demand for sanitation
• Reduce infrastructure vandalism
• Use media campaigns to reach large communities with hygiene promotion messages