Lars Anderson spent this summer as an intern with Water to Thrive, traveling to Ethiopia and working on a guide for best practices for water point implementation. He shares his thoughts on what the work and experience meant.

The summer of 2015 was a time of learning, struggling, and growing all at the same time. I spent more time abroad than ever before and I lived alone in a completely new city. As part of a unique program offered through Valparaiso University, where I am now attending for my senior year, I was given the opportunity to serve with Water to Thrive in Austin and to travel to Ethiopia for the annual summer trip. Ethiopia was a truly amazing experience for me.

I’ve been reflecting on the idea that being partially immersed into another culture, especially in another country, can influence your perspective and how you understand and share that perspective with others. I have continued to grapple with that idea this summer through discussions with fellow students in my university’s program and conversations with those in the office. It has been especially helpful to view the idea through the lens of my work on a Best Practices Document for W2T’s implementing partners. The BPD, as it has been conveniently named, will serve as a guideline for implementing partners of W2T. Its purpose is to “ensure efficient and effective service delivery while maintaining desired quality standards.” It is a resource that will be available to NGO partners as well as a way for Water to Thrive to evaluate the quality of services their partners provide to rural communities.

The idea of the document sounds really great, and in our research this summer, Thomas and I have seen that there is a whole network of great resources out there for non-profits and NGOs that aim to accomplish something similar to ours. However, we have come to realize that those who work in international development must be very mindful of the role that we can play. Thomas had a consistent saying: “Never do for somebody else what they can do for themselves.” It became something we kept constantly in mind as we wrote the document because in the area of rural water supply, failure to work by that saying has caused many water projects to fail far sooner than they should. On their own and with organizations, many good-intentioned and qualified people have worked to provide clean water to those who need it, but have failed to fully grasp that it is community initiative, not just expert outsider influence, that allows for sustainable projects.

As we proceeded with the BPD, we wrestled with identifying the difference between areas where we are at liberty to require, or should rather just recommend. We also came across areas where we ought not try to offer anything because either we don’t know, we can’t understand as Americans, or we need to leave it open for the community to decide. To try to account for this, the principle of community initiative formed the basis for the BPD.

From location selection to long-term project maintenance, the community is to be fully involved. The communities to be served are chosen by Water to Thrive partners based on their need, but also on their willingness and ability to manage and maintain the water point. All beneficiaries of the water are required to pay, if they are able, a small monthly amount of money that is saved toward a maintenance fund, as well as used to pay a guard who ensures that the water point is not abused. All W2T projects are required to have Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) committees. These committees are formed before construction even begins and members take on different roles to manage the water point, as well as prompt community members to make decisions that are in the best interest of all. The community is expected to contribute to the construction of the project in different ways. That may include providing laborers or even paving a road for construction vehicles. In the experience of Water to Thrive, these initiatives and many others have led to successful and sustainable projects.  My hope is that Thomas and I were able to communicate humbly, accurately, and clearly that the BPD may become a useful resource for W2T’s partners.

My summer as a Water to Thrive intern was invaluable to me in many ways, and taught me countless lessons. I learned how to be a better team member, as Thomas and I worked to come to mutual decisions about the best, yet realistic, procedures. I learned to struggle with a tough task, to make a plan and make deadlines, to improvise when information is lacking or an email response won’t come. I learned about the constant need to put aside initial perceptions or ideas that I feel like should be used, and rather place focus on what may really be best for communities. I learned that success is sometimes found more in the process than at the end. I think this last lesson has been the most encouraging, since the final document didn’t include all the material we had planned.

It was an incredible journey, as I worked with great people in the office and in Ethiopia. I was sad to leave, but I am excited to see how the experience and lessons learned this summer will guide me forward in my senior year and after.

 

 

Lars Anderson spent this summer as an intern with Water to Thrive, traveling to Ethiopia and working on a guide for best practices for water point implementation. He shares his thoughts on what the work and experience meant.

The summer of 2015 was a time of learning, struggling, and growing all at the same time. I spent more time abroad than ever before and I lived alone in a completely new city. As part of a unique program offered through Valparaiso University, where I am now attending for my senior year, I was given the opportunity to serve with Water to Thrive in Austin and to travel to Ethiopia for the annual summer trip. Ethiopia was a truly amazing experience for me.

I’ve been reflecting on the idea that being partially immersed into another culture, especially in another country, can influence your perspective and how you understand and share that perspective with others. I have continued to grapple with that idea this summer through discussions with fellow students in my university’s program and conversations with those in the office. It has been especially helpful to view the idea through the lens of my work on a Best Practices Document for W2T’s implementing partners. The BPD, as it has been conveniently named, will serve as a guideline for implementing partners of W2T. Its purpose is to “ensure efficient and effective service delivery while maintaining desired quality standards.” It is a resource that will be available to NGO partners as well as a way for Water to Thrive to evaluate the quality of services their partners provide to rural communities.

The idea of the document sounds really great, and in our research this summer, Thomas and I have seen that there is a whole network of great resources out there for non-profits and NGOs that aim to accomplish something similar to ours. However, we have come to realize that those who work in international development must be very mindful of the role that we can play. Thomas had a consistent saying: “Never do for somebody else what they can do for themselves.” It became something we kept constantly in mind as we wrote the document because in the area of rural water supply, failure to work by that saying has caused many water projects to fail far sooner than they should. On their own and with organizations, many good-intentioned and qualified people have worked to provide clean water to those who need it, but have failed to fully grasp that it is community initiative, not just expert outsider influence, that allows for sustainable projects.

As we proceeded with the BPD, we wrestled with identifying the difference between areas where we are at liberty to require, or should rather just recommend. We also came across areas where we ought not try to offer anything because either we don’t know, we can’t understand as Americans, or we need to leave it open for the community to decide. To try to account for this, the principle of community initiative formed the basis for the BPD.

From location selection to long-term project maintenance, the community is to be fully involved. The communities to be served are chosen by Water to Thrive partners based on their need, but also on their willingness and ability to manage and maintain the water point. All beneficiaries of the water are required to pay, if they are able, a small monthly amount of money that is saved toward a maintenance fund, as well as used to pay a guard who ensures that the water point is not abused. All W2T projects are required to have Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) committees. These committees are formed before construction even begins and members take on different roles to manage the water point, as well as prompt community members to make decisions that are in the best interest of all. The community is expected to contribute to the construction of the project in different ways. That may include providing laborers or even paving a road for construction vehicles. In the experience of Water to Thrive, these initiatives and many others have led to successful and sustainable projects.  My hope is that Thomas and I were able to communicate humbly, accurately, and clearly that the BPD may become a useful resource for W2T’s partners.

My summer as a Water to Thrive intern was invaluable to me in many ways, and taught me countless lessons. I learned how to be a better team member, as Thomas and I worked to come to mutual decisions about the best, yet realistic, procedures. I learned to struggle with a tough task, to make a plan and make deadlines, to improvise when information is lacking or an email response won’t come. I learned about the constant need to put aside initial perceptions or ideas that I feel like should be used, and rather place focus on what may really be best for communities. I learned that success is sometimes found more in the process than at the end. I think this last lesson has been the most encouraging, since the final document didn’t include all the material we had planned.

It was an incredible journey, as I worked with great people in the office and in Ethiopia. I was sad to leave, but I am excited to see how the experience and lessons learned this summer will guide me forward in my senior year and after.