Water, Sanitation Funding for Refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya

FY 2013 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya Funding Opportunity Announcement Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration April 5, 2013 Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-PRMOAPAF-13-009 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.517 Announcement Issuance Date: Thursday, April 4, 2013 Proposal submission deadline: Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. EDT (noon Washington, DC time). Proposals submitted after this deadline or incomplete proposal packages will not be considered (no exceptions). ADVISORY: PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal several days early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise. Proposed Program Start Dates: June 1 – September 15, 2013 Duration of Activity: Program plans from 12 to 36 months will be considered. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed 36 months from the proposed start date. Actual awards will not exceed 12 months in duration and activities and budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. In funding a project one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the project in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities. Please see the Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information. Eligible Applicants: (1) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education; (2) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education; and (3) International Organizations. International Organizations (IOs) should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Rather IOs such as UN agencies and other Public International Organizations (PIOs) that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement. Current Funding Priorities for refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya: (a) PRM will prioritize funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities for filling programming gaps in the Horn of Africa region as identified below. While PRM encourages activities that include host communities, because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and durable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM will consider funding only those projects that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50% refugees. Please note that projects that do not meet one of the protection/assistance gaps below will not be considered. ETHIOPIA Proposals must focus on one or more of the following: Dollo Ado (Melkadida, Bokolmayo, and/or Buramino camps ONLY) 1. Health (reproductive health, maternal and child health/nutrition, mental health, psychosocial support, or assistance to persons living with disabilities) 2. Protection (assistance to unaccompanied minors) 3. Livelihoods (primary and/or vocational education/training that benefits both refugees and host nationals, and that for Somali refugees has a clear link to eventual voluntary return) Benishangul-Gumuz (Bambasi and/or Tongo camps ONLY) 1. Health (reproductive health, maternal and child health/nutrition, mental health, psychosocial support, or assistance to persons living with disabilities) Tigray (Shimelba, My’aini, and/or Adi Harush camps ONLY) 1. Livelihoods and/or vocational education/training that will help minimize onward migration Jijiga 1. Livelihoods (primary and/or vocational education/training that benefits both refugees and host nationals, and that for Somali refugees has a clear link to eventual voluntary return) Gambella 1. Protection (prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) and/or assistance to unaccompanied minors) 2. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) - (NOTE: One year only; PRM funding for WASH activities in subsequent fiscal years is not planned) KENYA Proposals must focus on one or more of the following: 1. Protection (prevention and response to GBV and/or assistance to unaccompanied minors) 2. Health (reproductive health, support and accessibility to adequate nutrition for children and/or pregnant/lactating women, and/or persons living with disabilities and/or elderly persons; health support to persons living with disabilities in Kakuma Camp only) 3. Livelihoods (primary and/or vocational education/training that benefits both refugees and host nationals, and that for Somali refugees has a clear link to eventual voluntary return) 4. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) - (NOTE: One year only; PRM funding for WASH activities in subsequent fiscal years is not planned) Please Note: Proposals may focus on urban areas; however, evolving Government of Kenya policy may not allow urban programming. In this case, PRM would not be able to fund such activities. (b) For both countries, proposals should be shared with UNHCR in advance of submission and must be developed in full consultation with UNHCR to ensure coherence with its overall comprehensive planning for refugee operations. (c) Health Sector Standard Indicators Pilot: Proposals focusing on health in camp based/returnee settings should include a minimum of one of the four following indicators, and include as many of the other indicators as are relevant: • Number of consultations/clinician/day – Target: Fewer than 50 patients per clinician per day • Measles vaccination rate for children under five – Target: 95% coverage • Percentage of deliveries attended by a skilled birth attendant in a health care facility – Target: 100% • Percentage of reporting rape survivors given post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with 72 hours – Target: 100% NGO proposals that seek to fund service provision may include the following indicators if appropriate: • Primary Care: # and % of refugee patients, by sex and age, receiving primary health care assistance. • Emergency Care: # and % of refugee patients, by sex and age, receiving care for trauma or sudden illness. Proposals should also include their own custom indicators in addition to the standard indicators. (d) Proposals must adhere to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards. (e) PRM will accept proposals from any NGO (refer to Eligible Applicants section above) working in the above mentioned areas although, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to proposals from organizations that can demonstrate: • A working relationship with UNHCR, current UNHCR funding, and/or a letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities and/or overall country program (this letter should highlight the gap in services the proposed program is designed to address); • A proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location; • Evidence of coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local authorities; • A concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and reliable, time-bound and trackable (SMART), have established baselines, and include at least one outcome or impact indicator per objective; objectives should be clearly linked to the aforementioned sectors; • Projects in protracted refugee situations and multi-year funding applications must include (1) concrete steps that will be taken during the program period to support the eventual transition of activities to government ministries, local NGOs, or development actors, (2) the estimated timeframe for the transition, and (3) what obstacles might inhibit the transition; • A budget that is appropriate for meeting the objectives and demonstrates co-funding by non-U.S. government sources; • Appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations; and (f) Country Specific Instructions • Ethiopia: Proposals for activities must be accompanied by a letter from the UNHCR Addis Ababa Office showing endorsement of the proposed activities and inclusion on the Government of Ethiopia’s Agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs’ (ARRA) accountability matrix (3 W matrix). • Kenya: Proposals for activities must be accompanied by a letter from the UNHCR Nairobi Office showing endorsement of the proposed activities and inclusion on the respective camp’s accountability matrix (3 W matrix). Funding Limits: Project proposals cannot exceed $1,500,000 per year or they will not be accepted. As stated in the PRM General NGO Guidelines, PRM looks favorably on cost-sharing efforts and seeks to support projects with a diverse donor base and/or resources from the submitting organization. Proposal Submission Requirements: Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. See “Applicant Resources” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp). Please also note the following highlights: • Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take up to two weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S. based NGOs to get the required registration numbers). To register with Grants.gov, organizations must first receive a DUNS number and register with the System for Award Management (SAM) which can take weeks and sometimes months. We recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered. PRM partners must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by PRM or any federal agency. • Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems. • If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726. Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk, received a case number, and had a service request opened to research the problem, should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate. • International Organizations (IOs) should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Rather IOs such as UN agencies and other Public International Organizations (PIOs) that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer (as stated below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement. • Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), the Department of State is authorized to consolidate the certifications and assurances required by Federal law or regulations for its federal assistance programs. The list of certifications and assurances can be found at: http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=161&menu_id=68 ) Proposal Content, Formatting and Template: This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional administrative information on proposal content and formatting, and explain in detail PRM’s NGO funding strategy and priorities. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your proposal submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered. PRM strongly recommends using the proposal and budget templates that are available upon email request from PRM's NGO Coordinator. Please send an email, with the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line, to PRM's NGO Coordinator. Single-year proposals using PRM’s templates must be no more than 20 pages in length (Times New Roman 12 point font, one inch margins on all sides). If the applicant does not use PRM’s recommended templates, proposals must not exceed 15 pages in length. Organizations may choose to attach work plans, activity calendars, and/or logical frameworks as addendums/appendices to the proposal. These attachments do not count toward the page limit total. To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including: • Proposal reflecting objectives and indicators for each year of the program period. • Budget and budget narrative for each year of the program period. • Signed completed SF-424. In addition, proposal submissions to PRM should include the following information: • Focus on outcome or impact indicators as much as possible. At a minimum, each objective should have one outcome or impact indicator. Wherever possible, baselines should be established before the start of the project. • To increase PRM’s ability to track the impact of PRM funding, include specific information on locations of projects and beneficiaries (GPS coordinates if possible). • Proposals should outline how the NGO will acknowledge PRM funding. If an organization believes that publicly acknowledging the receipt of USG funding for a particular PRM-funded project could potentially endanger the lives of the beneficiaries and/or the organization staff, invite suspicion about the organization's motives, or alienate the organization from the population it is trying to help, it must provide a brief explanation in its proposal as to why it should be exempted from this requirement. • The budget should include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization. PRM strongly encourages multilateral support for humanitarian programs. • Proposals and budgets should include details of any sub-agreements associated with the program. • Copy of the organization’s Code of Conduct (required before an award can be made). • Copy of the organization’s Security Plan (required before an award can be made). • Most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable. • NGOs that have not received PRM funding since the U.S. Government fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 must be prepared to demonstrate that they meet the financial and accounting requirements of the U.S. Government by submitting copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) proof of non-profit tax status including under IRS 501 (c)(3), as applicable, 3) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and 4) an Employer ID (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification number. • Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2012 for activities that are being proposed for funding under this announcement must include the most recent quarterly progress report against indicators outlined in the cooperative agreement. If an organization’s last quarterly report was submitted more than six weeks prior to the submission of a proposal in response to this funding announcement, the organization must include, with its most recent quarterly report, updates that show any significant progress made on objectives since the last report. Multi-Year Funding: Applicants proposing multi-year programs should adhere to the following guidance: Applicants may submit proposals that include multi-year strategies presented in 12-month cycles for a period not to exceed 36 months from the proposed start date. Fully developed programs with detailed budgets, objectives and indicators are required for each year of activities. These can be updated yearly upon submission of continuation applications. Applicants should note that they may use PRM’s recommended multi-year proposal template for this application, which is different from the single year template. Multi-year funding applicants may also use PRM’s standard budget template and should submit a separate budget sheet for each project year. Multi-year proposals using PRM’s templates must be no more than 30 pages in length (Times New Roman 12 point font, one inch margins on all sides). If the applicant does not use PRM’s recommended templates, proposals must not exceed 25 pages in length. Organizations may choose to attach work plans, activity calendars, and/or logical frameworks as addendums/appendices to the proposal. These attachments do not count toward the page limit total. Multi-year applications selected for funding by PRM will be funded in 12- month increments based on the proposal submitted in the initial application as approved by PRM. Continued funding after the initial 12- month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. Continuation applications must be submitted by the organization no later than 90 days before the proposed start date of the new award (e.g., if the next project period is to begin on September 1, submit your application by June 1). Continuation applications are submitted in lieu of responding to PRM’s published call for proposals for those activities. Late continuation applications will jeopardize continued funding. Organizations can request multi-year funding and continuation application templates by emailing PRM's NGO Coordinator with the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line. Reports and Reporting Requirements: Program Reporting: PRM requires quarterly and final program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. It is highly suggested that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM-recommended program report template. To request this template, send an email with the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line to PRM's NGO Coordinator. Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement; a final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within ninety (90) days after the expiration date of the agreement. For more details regarding reporting requirements please see PRM’s General NGO Guidelines. Proposal Review Process: PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all proposals submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced proposal evaluation criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding. PRM may request revised proposals and/or budgets based on feedback from the panel. PRM will provide formal notifications to NGOs of final decisions taken by Bureau management. Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award: Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists or their supporters is a condition of an award for Kenya. Applicants may be asked to submit information required by DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information (attached to this solicitation) about their organization and its principal personnel. Vetting information is also required for all sub-award performance on assistance awards identified by the U.S. Department of State as presenting a risk of terrorist financing. When vetting information is requested by the Grants Officer, information may be submitted on the secure web portal at https://ramportal.state.gov, via Email to RAM@state.gov, or by hardcopy to the Grants Officer. Questions about the form may be emailed to RAM@state.gov. Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal. The following clause shall be included in Section 9, Special Award Conditions, or as an addendum to the solicitation, whenever assistance is awarded after vetting: Recipient Vetting after Award: Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel listed in the DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals. The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results. Branding and Marking Strategy: Unless exceptions have been approved by the designated Bureau Authorizing Official as described in the proposal templates that are available upon email request from PRM's NGO Coordinator, at a minimum, the following provision will be included whenever assistance is awarded: As a condition of receipt of this assistance award, all materials produced pursuant to the award, including training materials, materials for recipients or materials to communicate or promote with foreign audiences a program, event, project, or some other activity under this agreement, including but not limited to invitations to events, press materials, event backdrops, and podium signs must be marked appropriately with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. Sub-recipients and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the recipient shall include a provision in the sub-recipient agreement indicating that using the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement. In the event the recipient does not comply with the marking requirements as established in the approved assistance agreement, the Grants Officer Representative and the Grants Officer must initiate corrective action. PRM Points of Contact: Should NGOs have technical questions related to this announcement, they should contact the PRM staff listed below prior to proposal submission. (Note: Responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.) PRM Program Officer Madelina Young (YoungMM@state.gov; 202-453-9382), Washington, DC; please include PRM Program Assistant Lin’an Bartlett on email correspondence (BartlettL@state.gov) Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Horn of Africa Lubna Khan (KhanL@state.gov), U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Regional Refugee Assistant for the Horn of Africa Des Diallo (DialloDA@state.gov), U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Deputy Refugee Coordinator for Kenya Kristin Alderman (AldermanKL@state.gov), U.S. Embassy, Refugee and Migration Affairs, Nairobi, Kenya

A Child's Right / Russell Gift Empowers Clean Water Initiative

Great news for our friends in Washington (state), and of course all of our friends in China, Nepal, Cambodia, Ethiopia and elsewhere.

All of the groovy details are here. And perhaps logically, A Child's Right is hiring.

Russell Gift Empowers A Child's Right's Clean Water Initiative

George F. Russell, Jr. and Dion Russell today announced a private charitable donation of $10 million to a child's right, an international water charity that provides safe drinking water to children around the world. The couple's gift is aimed at providing 1 million children with safe drinking water during the next 10 years.

"Our intent is to make a significant difference, and to convince others to help support a child's right, so we can help children with a fundamental and vital need," said Mr. Russell. "I've invested in this organization for years, and I am proud of their work and more importantly, the results."

a child's right has developed a customized water filtration system for charitable use by combining established water purification technologies used by multinational corporations. Funding from the Russells' personal donation will support a cascading rollout of pilot installations to serve the vast water needs of children in poor, urban areas across Asia and East Africa.

This announcement comes seven weeks after the United Nations Summit urged the global community to redouble efforts toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. It is widely acknowledged that achieving access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation is fundamental to achieving all eight MDGs.

Through a series of commitments, the donation will require a child's right to meet annual targets and performance goals in 12 new countries. The exploratory strategy will assist the charity in determining whether the current operating model will work effectively in each new location while simultaneously building infrastructure and capacity in its Tacoma, Washington headquarters.

"It is amazing to consider that without the vision and charitable leadership of people who recognize children's needs, this important work would not be possible," said Eric Stowe, Executive Director of a child's right. "George is a savvy investor and has set the bar high for us with this incredible gift. Because of his donation, we can roll out our expansion in a disciplined way, where future donors can observe success and know that all new dollars raised will be remarkably well leveraged, thanks to an assurance of infrastructure support."

Water purification projects will be piloted in twelve new countries: India, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Kenya and Uganda.

The Russells' investment is based on a child's right's existing operations in China, Nepal, Cambodia and Ethiopia. a child's right works in partnership with local institutions, whose beneficiaries are guaranteed ten years of equipment, service and support.

Exhibition by National Geographic photographer to benefit WaterAid

For those of you in - or with access to - New York City, please try to attend this photo exhibit (details below, please RSVP). And if you haven't yet seen WaterAid's latest damning report on waterborne diarrheal disease, go here.
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Please join us - Thursday September 23

The Burden of Thirst

A benefit exhibition by renowned photojournalist Lynn Johnson

Thursday September 23, 5:30 - 10 pm, at The Soho Gallery, 138 Sullivan St., New York, NY

Meet the photographer

Lynn Johnson shot powerful images for the "Burden of Thirst" feature in the April 2010 special water issue of National Geographic magazine. These photos from Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania depict how the burden of water collection dominates women's lives.

Prints will be available for sale - 100% of the proceeds will support WaterAid's vital work bringing safe water, sanitation and improved hygiene to the world's poorest communities.

View an online preview of the exhibit or sign up for the chance to win a signed, framed photo on the megree website.

RSVP to kfrew  (at) wateraidamerica  (dot) org or 212-683-0430 Oxford Landing Wines courtesy of the Australian Trade Commission. Donations accepted at the door.

Water For People - Hiring in Africa

Our friends at Water For People do some of the best work in the global WASH business. And they are hiring - please take a look at this position in Africa and circulate widely as possible. I'd like to get them the best possible candidate.
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The Regional Manager is the most senior Water For People staff member in Africa. As such s/he is ultimately responsible for managing all aspects of Water For People's work in the continent.Currently there are programmes in Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda. S/he is responsible for ensuring that the 2007-2011 WFP Strategic Plans are implemented, and supporting the development of new strategies in line with Water For People's overall strategy and policy objectives. The Regional Manager is responsible for effective management of Water for People funds and equipment, and ensuring that offices have established, appropriate systems for financial, programme and human resource management. S/he will provide leadership for regional advocacy and learning programs and manage a wide range of external relationships at the regional level, in particular those with pan-African agencies. S/he will serve as liaison between Water For People-Denver, and the three programmes in Africa. Water For People expects its Regional Manager to adopt a collaborative management style, but to ultimately make necessary decisions.

For further information please go to http://www.oxfordhr.co.uk/index.php?pg=43&job=111

WASH United / Water, Sanitation and the World Cup!

WASH United has just relaunched their website in time for the World Cup! 

Please join the coalition, and help them get the word out...

WASH United, united for WASH

WASH United is a unique coalition of international and African civil society organizations, United Nations agencies, governments and leading actors from the world of football. Together, we harness the power of sport to promote safe drinking WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for all people, everywhere.

But WASH United is much more than just a project. WASH United is a Club.

Anyone in the world – ordinary people, political decision makers, organizations and of course YOU – can join our Club and become a Champion for WASH, side by side with the world’s biggest football stars like Didier Drogba, Nwankwo Kanu or Stephen Appiah!

Every new member makes our voice stronger and brings us one step closer to turning our shared vision of every person enjoying their human right to safe drinking water and sanitation into reality.

Where is WASH United active?

In the campaign leading up to the 2010 World Cup, WASH United focuses on promoting safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all in eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mali, Lesotho, Uganda and Tanzania.

In addition to activities in the WASH United target countries, there are also targeted activities taking place in Europe to raise awareness for the importance of water and sanitation among the general public and political decision makers.

Who we want to reach?

WASH United’s activities in Sub-Saharan Africa target a different constituencies. Our activities in schools, youth football clubs and local communities, aim to promote safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene among children, adolescents and families. WASH United advocacy activities at the national and international level aim to influence political decision makers, relevant governing bodies, civil society organisations and the media.

In Europe, WASH United aims to reach political decision makers to ensure that access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are prioritised in development cooperation, and that the right to water and sanitation is promoted within all development activities. In addition, our activities are designed to raise awareness among the general public and the media.

Project partners

WASH United is supported by a broad range of international partners, including international and African civil society organizations, United Nations agencies, governments and leading actors from the world of football. It is is hosted by the German NGO Brot für die Welt.

In the target countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, WASH United works with and through project partners’ country offices, WASH networks and local partner organizations (both non-governmental and governmental) to implement WASH United activities on the ground.

Donors

WASH United would like to thank the German Federal Foreign Office, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for their generous financial support. 

International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and Diageo come together for Water

The International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) is working with Diageo (one of my favorite companies ever) to host a series of water meetings in Africa.

Meetings will take place during World Water Week (March 22-26) in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon (Kenya and South Africa later).  Water experts and advocates in those countries should be aware of these meetings and hopefully participate.

A good place to learn more is:

http://water-a-business-imperative.ning.com/
 
More details from their site:
 
Water: A Business Imperative is a series of business-led roundtables with government, NGO and UN representatives to discuss water policy and management. The series will take place around the world, beginning with local events in five African countries during the week of 22-26 March 2010 in recognition of the UN World Water Day on March 22. The initiative will culminate in New York at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit in June.




The roundtable events will begin to identify operational pathways through which companies can contribute to water policy goals, highlighting which methods of engagement have proved effective and equitable, and describing some of the common pitfalls of engagement. The dialogue will also provide the basis for general strategies to address shared risks and principles that can be applied to all types of engagement. The ultimate objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to facilitate responsible corporate engagement with water policy in a manner that reduces business risks while simultaneously advancing policy goals and positively impacting nearby communities and ecosystems.



A white paper will be produced from each roundtable, documenting and analysing the concepts, practical steps, and case studies discussed. Each of the five national white papers will be presented at the UN CEO Water Mandate forum in April 2010 to provide an African business perspective on water public policy. Together, the white papers represent an important part of the private sector’s contribution to the UN Millennium Development Goal 7 - improving access to water and sanitation.

..Objectives.The overarching objective of Water: A Business Imperative is to:



•Provide examples of responsible corporate engagement on water policy in Africa



Locally in Africa, the objectives are to:



•Identify examples of how companies can collectively contribute to national water policy goals

•Build the business case as to why companies should contribute to national water policy goals by identifying shared risks and highlighting business benefits

•Collectively agree on action points to achieve the UN MDG 7



One of the key outcomes of the each roundtable will be to provide participants with a framework that allows them to align different hydrologic, economic, and political contexts with the appropriate policy engagement responses. The country discussions will aim to explore how the parties involved – both corporate and non-corporate – influence corporate approaches to engagement as well as outcomes. Dialogue on corporate water policy engagement will enable businesses to:



•Identify common business challenges or concerns about water

•Identify resources and activities businesses can do to address or reduce these challenges

•Identify what partnerships are needed to address or reduce these challenges

•Identify how core competencies of businesses and other stakeholders can help achieve the UN MDGs

Toilets Save Eyesight

This article deserves to be above the fold in the New York Times. Very insightful. Summary: if you want to prevent preventable blindness, you need to consider sanitation and safe water. Don't stop the surgeries, don't stop the antibiotics, and perhaps most importantly for the longrun, don't neglect the Facewashing and Environmental Sanitation parts of the SAFE strategy.

Zambia – Toilets save eyesight, new study confirms
November 16, 2009

CALGARY, Nov. 16 /CNW/ – Why in the world is an organization dedicated to the treatment and prevention of blindness spending money on toilets?

“Because believe it or not, toilets and blindness are directly connected,” says Pat Ferguson, President & CEO of Operation Eyesight. “Proper sanitation and clean water are in short supply in the developing world and that contributes to a high rate of unnecessary blindness and other serious health problems.”

A new study conducted by Zambia’s Ministry of Health and supported by Operation Eyesight found that trachoma was 28 per cent more likely to strike in households that do not have proper toilet facilities. The study, which covered five districts in Zambia, found that up to 80 per cent of the households surveyed do not have toilets.

“Trachoma is caused by a bacterium and is easily spread from person to person and by flies which breed on human waste,” says Ferguson. “So it’s no surprise that proper sewage disposal helps to prevent this horrible disease.”

Trachoma is the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness. In parts of Zambia and Kenya where Operation Eyesight supports development projects designed to eliminate trachoma, up to 30 per cent of children age one to nine years are infected.

Without treatment, trachoma causes a person’s eyelids to turn inward so that the eyelashes constantly scrape the eyeball. It is extremely painful and can lead to permanent blindness. The World Health Organization estimates more than 80 million people are affected by trachoma and about 8 million suffer the advanced stages of the disease and are visually impaired.

Operation Eyesight’s trachoma projects are designed to both treat and permanently eliminate trachoma. The projects follow the World Health Organization-endorsed SAFE strategy which includes Surgery to treat the late stage of the disease, Antibiotics to eliminate infection, Face washing and hygiene promotion, and Environmental change including water wells and latrines to prevent re-infection.

To be effective, the ambitious projects require construction of thousands of latrines, drilling hundreds of wells, mass distribution of antibiotics and training thousands of citizens in hygiene and well management.

“These projects are large and costly,” says Ferguson, “But the benefits are enormous. In addition to preventing unnecessary blindness, the SAFE strategy dramatically reduces other serious diseases, helps keep children in school and saves women the need to walk many kilometers in search of water, which is usually unfit for human consumption.”

Operation Eyesight is working in close partnership with the governments of Kenya and Zambia and is a member of GET2020, the World Health Organization initiative to eradicate trachoma from the entire world by 2020. For more information about Operation Eyesight’s trachoma projects, visit www.operationeyesight.com.

Operation Eyesight is a Canadian international development organization dedicated to preventing and treating blindness throughout the world for more than 45 years – primarily in South Asia and Africa. We help local medical professionals provide comprehensive, sustainable eye care and community development for the people of the world who can least afford it. Since 1963, Operation Eyesight has restored sight to more than two million people and provided blindness prevention services to nearly 33 million others. For more information, visit www.operationeyesight.com.

Global Blindness – Every five seconds, one person in our world goes blind and a child goes blind every minute. More than 90 per cent of the world’s blind people live in developing countries, where day-to-day life is already challenging and blindness is a direct threat to life. About 80 per cent of this blindness is preventable or treatable.

Source – NewsWire

Cholera in Africa: More crappy news

It really (really) pisses me off when cholera is in the news - again. Cholera should not exist. It angers me even more when it is featured so prominently in so much of the reporting reaching my desk from many parts of the developing world, particularly in Africa. Cholera is preventable. If cholera kills someone, the world is doing something wrong.

The latest piece of shitty news is this disturbing piece from Kenya, where cholera is hitting a little too close to home:

Obama Brother May Have Cholera


and from the Associated Press:


Official: Obama's half-brother falls ill in Kenya


We hope that it is just a nasty case of diarrhea. We hope that this will be treated (as it can be quite easily) and that Malik Obama will be back at work soon. We hope that it is not cholera, and if it is, we hope even more that it doesn't kill him like it does many other Africans, preventably.

Keys to cholera:

- It is dangerous (viz. fatal all too often).
- It is easily spread through lack of simple safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.
- It is treatable.
- Most importantly, it is preventable, and both the international donor community and every government throughout the developing world can do something about it.

Sources:

• My other recent blog post on the issue. There will likely and distressingly be more such posts.


• An insightful piece from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


• Cholera at the World Health Organization

This steady stream of cholera in the news has to stop. Cholera mortality and morbidity must stop. The White House is in an extraordinarily strong position to contribute to the elimination of fatal cholera and other diarrheal disease. For an interesting and related take on unnecessary and preventable childhood mortality please see Nicholas Kristof's piece Good News: Karlo Will Live. And call the White House.