Mid-term evaluation of rural water supply project, Upper Volta

Mid-term special evaluation covers the period 7/79-7/82 and is based on site visits and interviews with project personnel and beneficiaries. After a slow start due to the delayed arrival of commodities, equipment, and contract personnel, the project has made good progress - especially in well construction. As of 4/82, 153 new wells have been built (73 drilled/sealed; 80 hand-dug/capped), 18 others deepened, and 60 Moyno hand pumps installed; of 620 targeted wells, 500 should be completed by the project's end. Construction of the project headquarters building, garage, and warehouse is virtually complete. While progress is also being made in health education, efforts here have been hindered by organizational difficulties, e.g., a meager budget, too few personnel, and only minimal participation by the National Center for Health Education. Training of health extension agents (AI's) - who, in turn, are to train/supervise 550 village health workers (ASV's) in health education, latrine construction, and primary care - is far behind schedule. The first 22 AI's will not be ready for the field until 1/83; 30 more will graduate each year (vs. an overall target of 110 AI's). In their absence, 107 ASV's have been trained by practical nurses and project health educators. Unfortunately, villagers are more interested in ASV's curative (i.e., drug dispensing) than their preventative duties. Most seriously, cooperation between the two project components has been weak. Wells were constructed prior to village health education and situated without regard to health factors. As a result, many villagers are still unaware of the health value of improved water, some wells are sited in unsanitary areas, and it is difficult to incorporate water-related health activities into ASV training and duties. Because villagers were not involved in well superstructure construction or pump installation and no village well/pump maintenance system has yet been devised, wells/pumps are neither maintained nor the areas kept sanitary. Numerous recommendations include: a 1-year, no-cost extension; and, with a modified health component, a possible Phase II.