Thursday, July 30, 2009

"Water is Medicine" Capitol Hill Briefing - Jae So of the Water and Sanitation Program

From the July 29, 2009 Capitol Hill Briefing "Water is Medicine" please take a moment to watch Jae So's interview from the Water and Sanitation Program (a global partnership administered by the World Bank):


http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-306686




Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Capitol Hill Briefing: Water is Medicine

See you tomorrow in Washington DC!

Water is Medicine
Capitol Hill Briefing
July 29, 2009

On Wednesday July 29, 2009, the bipartisan Congressional Water Caucus and Water Advocates are hosting a Capitol Hill Briefing in Washington, DC on the vital linkages between safe drinking water, sanitation and global public health challenges:

** Water is Medicine: Safe Water, Sanitation and Global Public Health Challenges **

Speakers will discuss the gravity of the current global safe drinking water and sanitation challenge, and its critical impact on global public health, including the 25+ diseases due to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation. Speakers will also review what is currently being done around the world to help meet the need for safe water, improved sanitation and better health, and offer examples and case studies of what the U.S. government and others in the international donor community are doing to help meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals for water, sanitation and health. The costs associated with this challenge will be addressed, as will the impact of inaction on health and economic development.

What: Capitol Hill Briefing, "Water is Medicine: Safe Water, Sanitation and Global Public Health Challenges"

Who: Speakers will include noted public health experts and leaders from prominent international aid agencies

· Christine Moe, Director, Center for Global Safe Water
Emory University

· Jae So, Manager, Water and Sanitation Program
Global Partnership administered by the World Bank

· Rich Thorsten, Director of International Programs, Water.org
Co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White

Moderated by John Oldfield, Water Advocates

When: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 2pm - 3pm

Where: Capitol Visitor Center, South Meeting Room http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/Visit/
Please allow time for security clearance.

Please circulate this invitation widely.

RSVP to Water Advocates at wateradvocatesrsvp@gmail.com.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

What recession? More jobs for water people...

Water For People currently has five positions to fill. The following job listings are on their website:
  • Senior Accountant
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Marketing Assistant
  • Major Gifts Coordinator
  • Volunteer Services, Training and Research Administrative Assistant

If you are interested in any of the positions, please visit here.

Matt Damon, Gary White, and Water.org

Matt Damon, H2O Africa co-founder, and Gary White, WaterPartners executive director and co-founder, have joined forces to co-found a new organization – Water.org – a non-profit focused on bringing access to safe water and sanitation to the developing world. Water.org will leverage grassroots awareness-building expertise and nearly two decades of demonstrated innovation and success in the sector to help the nearly 890 million people without safe water and the more than 2.5 billion people without safe sanitation.

Matt Damon, a long-time advocate for safe water issues, explains the importance of launching Water.org. “Every 15 seconds, a child in the developing world dies from water-related disease. After visiting project sites in Africa and Asia with Gary, I’ve seen the problem and the impact of safe water.” Damon said, “As a clear leader in the sector at delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for those in need, WaterPartners was the natural choice with whom to work to truly affect lasting change.”

Gary White sees a bright future for Water.org and the people it serves. “For more than 20 years I’ve been working to realize the vision of global access to safe water, and with the help of our donors, staff, partner organizations, and the H2OAfrica team, I’m confident we can accelerate our impact,” said White, the Executive Director of the new organization. White, who recently received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, said Water.org will set the stage for even broader impact in the sector. “It will open the door to advocacy work, and bring the water issue to new heights in the public’s consciousness.”

The merger of H2O Africa and WaterPartners will improve efficiencies, leverage expertise, and increase the overall social return on donations. Water.org will be an integrated advocacy and fundraising destination for safe water and sanitation issues. Through its partners worldwide, it will champion innovative business models, local partner development, project selection and oversight, program management, and post-development monitoring and evaluation. Later this year, the organization will launch an entirely new online experience that will bring unprecedented transparency and connectedness between donors and those in need.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

My Water Career - job postings

A resource for water-related jobs I have been perusing for some time:

www.my-water-career.com

Among new vacancies are the following positions:

UNESCO-IHE – Professor of Water Supply Engineering, The Netherlands The professor in Water Supply Engineering gives overall academic leadership to the core in its international education, research and capacity building activities.
Watsan Projects Manager, Badakhshan region, Afghanistan Effectively manage water and sanitation projects in line with objectives, budget and timeframe.
Civil Engineer with MSc equiv. (m/f/) for worldwide project assignments Proyry are looking for a Project Manager / Senior Project Engineer specialized in Water Supply.
Civil Engineer with MSc equiv. (m/f/), Germany Proyry are also looking for a Project Director / Senior Project Manager specialized in Water Supply for their Germany office.

And so on - great resource.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy: Global Water Crisis

I think you might be interested in the most recent issue of The Corporate Philanthropist published by the Center Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (founded by the late Paul Newman).

The Corporate Philanthropist
Spring/Summer 2009 issue: The Global Water Crisis

“The shortage of clean drinking water and lack of access to sanitation in areas of the developing world requires the involvement of all sectors of society, including business. This edition of The Corporate Philanthropist focuses on the global water crisis, exploring how companies can partner and collaborate with multilateral organizations, governments, local enterprises, and nonprofit organizations in order to work towards innovative, sustainable solutions, while reinforcing business strategies. Articles highlight the philanthropic strategies at Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, GlaxoSmithKline, ITT, and Pepsi, among many other companies.”
Articles include:

· The Water Crisis: A New Way Forward
· The Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009
· Engagement with Multilateral Organizations
· Innovative Financing of Water Projects
· Water Needs Public-Private Partnerships
· Resources for Water Partnerships

Kudos to the many companies highlighted who are part of the solution. To the others: chop chop. This global water issue isn't going to solve itself. Some encouragement regarding the potential upside of water and corporate social responsibility initiatives:

Topline impact: business opportunities and market positioning, especially in the fastest-growing markets in the developing world.

Bottom line impact: save money and time, and minimize risk. Business decisions will be better if the water issue is incorporated early in decision-making processes, e.g. where to locate a new factory, how and from whom to source raw materials, how to establish and maintain relationships with local communities.

Prouder employees in rich countries, and prouder and healthier employees in poor countries.

Enhanced corporate reputation and image in the developed as well as in the developing world:
- Better relations with governments and local communities throughout thedeveloping world: water projects are an effective way of minimizing the risk of being seen as ‘just taking, not giving.’
- Better relations with financial and other stakeholders in the developed world – water is increasingly being highlighted in annual reports, and annual citizenship reports. Some companies are even publishing reports dedicated entirely to their management of water resources, for example Nestlé’s 2006 Water Management Report

Saves lives of children, and improves livelihoods - of poor women in particular -throughout the developing world.


Thursday, July 9, 2009

Water is Medicine: Capitol Hill Briefing July 29, 2009

Invitation - Water is Medicine - Capitol Hill Briefing - July 29

On Wednesday July 29, 2009, the bipartisan Congressional Water Caucus and Water Advocates are hosting a Capitol Hill Briefing in Washington DC on the vital linkages between safe drinking water, sanitation and global public health challenges:

Water is Medicine: Safe Water, Sanitation and Global Public Health Challenges

Speakers will discuss the gravity of the current global safe drinking water and sanitation challenge, and its critical impact on global public health, including the 25+ diseases due to unsafe water and inadequate sanitation. Speakers will also review what is currently being done around the world to help meet the need for safe water, improved sanitation and better health, and offer examples and case studies of what the U.S. government and others in the international donor community are doing to help meet and exceed the Millennium Development Goals for water, sanitation and health. The costs associated with this challenge will be addressed, as will the impact of inaction on health and economic development.

What: Capitol Hill Briefing, "Water is Medicine: Safe Water, Sanitation and Global Public Health Challenges"

Who: Speakers will include noted public health experts and leaders from prominent international aid agencies

  • Dr. Christine Moe, Director, Center for Global Safe Water, Emory University
  • Ms. Jae So, Manager, Water and Sanitation Program
  • UNICEF (invited)

When: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 2pm - 3pm

Where: Capitol Visitor Center, South Meeting Room

Please circulate this invitation widely, and RSVP to Water Advocates at wateradvocatesrsvp@gmail.com.

Millennum Water Alliance - Job posting

JOB OPPORTUNITY at Millennium Water Alliance – Senior Contract/Grant Officer

We wish to recruit a Senior Contract/Grant Officer to serve as a contact person and principal advisor to the MWA staff for compliance issues related to public and private sector funding.

Position is offered on a contractual consultancy basis and will be part time; approximately 200-250 hours a year. Office space is to be provided by the applicant. Please indicate compensation expectations.

Key responsibilities include:
1. Advise management and oversee compliance for various types of financial assistance awards, cooperative agreements, grants, sub grants, memorandums of understanding, etc.
2. Advise and recommend regarding, and coordinate and/or negotiate, new awards, amendments or modifications with various donor agencies, including compliance reviews.
3. Advise and recommend input and technical support during concept paper and proposal development and submission processes.
4. Advise, develop and implement various policies, procedures and systems to help comply with governmental policies, procedures, regulations and statutes, including micro-credit loan programs.
5. Draft appropriate legal agreements for awards, etc.
6. Advise and coordinate with other personnel within the organization to ensure adherence to donor requirements.
7. Develop and maintain relationships with various donor personnel so as to be as effective as possible and to keep apprised of policy and regulatory changes.
8. Oversee management of legal files.
9. Mentor and/or provide compliance training to staff.

Five years direct experience with contract/grants agreements and compliance with USAID preferably with an international NGO.

Please provide resume or CV, three references and indicate compensation rates.

Contact: Alvin Tans, Treasurer, Alvin.Tans@mwawater.org, 803-547-6541