Final performance evaluation of water sanitation and hygiene transformation for enhanced resiliency (WaTER) project (cooperative agreement : AID-663-A-11-00012)

Building on considerable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) experience in conflict-prone pastoralist areas, the Internal Rescue Committee (IRC) Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Transformation for Enhanced Resilience (WATER) project contributed significantly to improving pastoralists" access to clean and sustainable water sources, hygiene awareness and access to sanitation, and rangeland management practices. The evaluation team sought to answer these questions: (1) what were the project"s contributions towards meeting the development objective of economic growth; (2) how effective was the project in achieving its anticipated results; (3) how effective was the project in mainstreaming gender issues and addressing the needs of people with disabilities; (4) how was the project"s approach and methodology designed to achieve project objectives; (5) what worked well and what did not work [and] how [and] why? One of the main conclusions of the performance evaluation is that the project was very effective in achieving its anticipated results in terms of providing access to improved water sources and on hygiene and sanitation awareness. The project implementing partners have operated competently and have met all expectations as indicated in the project documents. The implementation of the core WASH activities worked well. The integration of Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities in the project was also appreciated by beneficiaries and served to mitigate some of the less desirable impacts of the project such as settling of pastoralists around water points, allowing livestock to graze around water points and overall sustainability of rangeland around the project site. (Excerpt, modified)