USAID Rural Water Supply Activity Quarterly Report Year 1, Quarter 1

The activity targets three mutually reinforcing objectives: increasing access to safely managed drinking water, establishing reliable and commercially viable drinking water services, and increasing engagement of communities in oversight and accountability of drinking water service providers. To achieve these objectives, the activity collaborates with local government, drinking water providers, and target communities. The USAID Rural Water Supply Activity is implemented by Chemonics International Inc. under contract 72011520C00004, with a period of performance from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2025. During the first quarter of the project, key achievements included staff hiring and onboarding, with 13 project staff hired and/or mobilized within the first quarter. Office space was identified and secured in Dushanbe, and service agreements were set up for translation services, transportation services, and supply of IT equipment. The project also drafted a specific activity opening plan to ensure the safety of staff, counterparts, partners, and beneficiaries in response to the COVID-19 situation. Additionally, the project selected six target districts, including Gafurov and Konibodom in Sughd province, A. Jomi and Yovon in Khatlon province, and Hissor and Rudaki in the Districts of Republican Subordination (DRS). The project engaged regional and district authorities to present the project and initiate collaboration, and collected inventory details from 45 out of 56 rural jamoats by the end of the quarter. An Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) was launched to better understand the current situation of rural drinking water supply in Tajikistan, and the project began initial steps to conduct an assessment of existing private drinking water providers and past water PPP attempts. The project also released a Request for Proposal (RFP) to conduct a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey to collect information on water users' knowledge, awareness, and opinion regarding water supply services. Local subcontractor Consumer Union of Tajikistan (CU) developed a questionnaire and timetable to assess the current situation and performance of existing water Consumers Advisory Boards (CABs). The project registration process was initiated, and RWS is coordinating closely with the USAID Read With Me project and Learn Together Activity to ensure Chemonics' country representative office registration is up to date. The project is also working with the tax authorities to secure Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption, supported by an approved Local Registration Specialist. The USAID Rural Water Supply Activity is committed to ensuring reliable and sustainable drinking water services in rural Tajikistan, and the project's progress and achievements during the first quarter demonstrate its commitment to this goal. The project's planned activities for the next quarter include continuing to implement start-up administrative tasks, conducting initial technical tasks, and advancing the objectives of increasing access to safely managed drinking water, establishing reliable and commercially viable drinking water services, and increasing engagement of communities in oversight and accountability of drinking water service providers.