Trip Report: Water for Africa through Leadership and Institutional Support (WALIS) - Piers Cross USA Visit April 19-22, 2016

The program is implemented by DAI and has a period of performance from September 25, 2015, to September 24, 2020. The program's objective is to strengthen the capacity of African governments and institutions to manage and deliver WASH services. The WALIS program focuses on three key areas: institutional development, program implementation, and technical assistance. The program works with various stakeholders, including African governments, international organizations, and local communities, to achieve its objectives. The program's approach is based on a participatory and inclusive process that involves the active engagement of stakeholders at all levels. During the period of April 19-22, 2016, Piers Cross, a Senior Institutional Development and Program Implementation Advisor, visited the United States to meet with the WALIS team and other stakeholders. The trip was part of the WALIS roadshow briefing and aimed to build personal trust and appreciation of team capabilities among the WALIS team members. Piers Cross also met with USAID colleagues to discuss work plan activities and presented USAID priorities and modes of operation. The WALIS team held face-to-face meetings with all team members, who clarified their roles and responsibilities. The meetings were important for building personal trust and appreciation of team capabilities. Piers Cross and Rachel Tkachuk worked on the Africa Water Week (AWW) agenda and prepared the session design and strategy. Piers Cross and Anahit Gevorgyan worked on the next steps in designing the call for Expression of Interests (EOI). The WALIS team shared ideas on the African Sanitation Academy (ASA), which added greatly to the draft concept note. Meetings in Washington D.C. and New York gave positive feedback to WALIS, both on the process of consultation and confirming that WALIS was focusing on important and strategic areas. In all meetings, the WALIS team received strong indication of support and interviewed agencies expressed interest in collaborating with WALIS. The WALIS program has made significant progress in its implementation, including the development of a draft concept proposal for the African Sanitation Academy. The program has also established partnerships with various stakeholders, including the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), the Africa Water Association (AfWA), and the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN). The program's approach is based on a participatory and inclusive process that involves the active engagement of stakeholders at all levels. The WALIS program has also made progress in its technical assistance activities, including the development of a detailed outline for the water point functionality, which needs to be finalized and field-tested. The program has also established partnerships with various stakeholders, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the World Bank (WB). The program's technical assistance activities are aimed at improving the capacity of African governments and institutions to manage and deliver WASH services. Overall, the WALIS program has made significant progress in its implementation and has established partnerships with various stakeholders. The program's approach is based on a participatory and inclusive process that involves the active engagement of stakeholders at all levels. The program's technical assistance activities are aimed at improving the capacity of African governments and institutions to manage and deliver WASH services.