Overview:

The JP’s main objective was the promotion of community-oriented governance for peri-urban and rural water and sanitation health (WASH) services.  Specifically, the JP supported two Ministries, the Ministry of Energy and Water and Ministry of Environment, to provide clean water and sanitation to the population. The JP also contributed to the Angola poverty eradication strategy, and sought to enhance health and quality of life for the poor and vulnerable through increased access to improved WASH services. The links between WASH and improvements in public health outcomes are directly affected by hygiene behaviour, for this reason the JP sought to increase the practice of safe hygiene behaviours.

Under Outcome 1 a Master Plan for Water and Sanitation for three municipalities was designed, approved and presented with participation of local authorities. The formulation of one of them was done with the participation of local gov staff, in this way combining the creation of the Master Plan with capacity building. Following the Angola Government regulation, all the municipalities of the country are required to have a Master Plan for Water and Sanitation by 2014. Mechanisms for accountability were established at municipal level. The Urban Waste Management Strategic Plan (already approved in the National Parliament), was prepared in partnership with the Ministry of Environment. The National Environmental Sanitation Policy was also supported and is under discussion in the National Parliament. These two national policies are expected to contribute to create a solid legal framework in the water and sanitation sector. In addition to this, several studies were conducted (on availability of spare parts of water systems; on informal market for water supply; on prices for water supply) to inform policy-makers and help them on the formulation of new policies and specific regulations. Two one-week training workshops for national journalists on MDGs were conducted and UN staff from different UN agencies lectured to increase knowledge and awareness on MDGs. 

Under Outcome 2 over sixty new water points were installed, as well as new water systems, together with the rehabilitation of public water points and water systems in schools and health centers. Capacity building of Water and Sanitation Committees is expected to provide access to safe water for over two hundred and fifty thousand beneficiaries. Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), an umbrella term applied to a set of non-subsidy based approaches, which aimed to completely eliminate open defecation and promote demand for sanitation across entire communities, was one of the most important achievements of the programme. The installation of water systems together with CLTS contributed to the reduction in the prevalence of diarrheal and cholera due to the combined effect of behavior change of improved sanitation and interventions in water infrastructure among the communities.

Under Outcome 3, mechanisms for monitoring and financing community water systems and sanitation were established at municipal level, including the Water and Sanitation Sector Information System (SISAS) which will serve as reference for the Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS), allowing the Government to monitor and assess the MDG targets. 

One of the most important achievements was the involvement and participation of communities in the development of the activities with the integration of all WASH components and the political commitment at Provincial and municipal levels. The JP encouraged participation of women in the management of water points. The model for community management of water points MOGECA (Modelo de Gestão Comunitária) was finalized and is officially acknowledged by the Ministry of Energy and Water as an important tool for sustainability and management of community water points (Output 4).

Outcome 1:

Pro-poor policy and regulatory framework featuring community participation in the management of WatSan utilities, in place.

Outcome Achievements:

• 3 Master Plans for 3 Municipalities were completed and approved. 
• The National Environmental Sanitation Policy prepared and under discussion in the National Parliament and the Urban Waste Management Strategic Plan (already approved in the National Parliament), in partnership with the Ministry of Environment.
• The first Angola-San conference was supported as well as the CPLP congress on solid waste (held in Luanda with participation of all CPLP country members).
• The programme supported the approval and dissemination of National Policy for Environmental Sanitation (PNSA) and the national strategic plan.
• Besides this new Policy and Strategic Plan, the program is supporting the Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) to develop 3 studies which will contribute to create the base for legal and regulatory guidance to benefit the most vulnerable.
• 10 multidisciplinary dissertations related to water and sanitation issues from national students finished.
• 2 one-week training workshops for national journalists on MDGs were conducted, followed by a national contest on MDGs.

Outcome 2:

Autonomous community water structures ensuring sustainable access to WatSan in all targeted areas.

Outcome Achievements:

• Rehabilitation of 72 public water points, 41 water systems in schools and 8 in health centers.
• Autonomous Water Committees were established, ensuring sustainable access to water and sanitation.
• Strengthened institutional and management capacity of two national departments (water and sanitation), through networking, information exchanges and external capacity building events.
• Improved hygiene skills and practices of over four million primary school children through the catalytic support of a national hand washing campaign.
• Strengthened the capacity of 1,500 provincial staff and municipal community workers in the implementation of the CLTS approach and promoted the self-help construction of 48,895 family latrines.
• Provided access to safe drinking water to 258,000 people in peri-urban and rural areas of Luanda and Moxico province through the construction and rehabilitation of water points and new small water systems.
• Established hygiene clubs in primary schools, involving over 20,000 school children and 737 school teachers in partnership with NGOs.
• Testing of the community based water management model (MOGECA) in partnership with NGO Development Workshop, including training of community groups and establishment municipal water brigades.
• Reduced impact of cholera epidemics/outbreaks, from 67,256 cases in 2006, 18,930 in 2007, 10,541 in 2008 to around 2,198 cases in 2012 with a lethality rate of four percent. This was possible through social mobilization and hygiene campaigns using different media outlets and focusing on hand washing and promotion of sanitation facilities, and promotion of household water treatment systems.
• 59 Income generating activities (IGA) set up in rural Moxico province. 56 IGAs set up in peri-urban areas of Luanda province. 23% of the associations are led by women with some women-only associations.

Outcome 3:

Mechanisms for monitoring and financing of community water systems and sanitation established at municipal level.

Outcome Achievements:

• Together with the Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) the JP started to develop the Management Information System for the Water and Sanitation Sector (SISAS) with financial support of both the MDG F and the EU.
• Support to DNAAS (National Directorate for Water) of Ministry of Water in the development of MIS SISAS for the development of a database to: 1) Determine the current state of water and sanitation services and report results to the actors involved in the sector; 2) Facilitate planning, formulation of policies, rules, strategies, and carry out monitoring and follow-up to sector progress and the impact of investments; and 3) Provide a unified and official information management system for the sector, for the provision of quality information which is reliable, up to date, and timely.

Outcome 4:

Established mechanisms for accountability of municipalities in service delivery of water supply and sanitation in peri-urban and rural.

Outcome Achievements:

• The model for community management of water points MOGECA (Modelo de Gestão Comunitária) has been finalized.
• In partnership with DW and other NGOs (Oxfam. LWF, TSA, etc...) the JP supported the involvement of communities in the preparatory work before digging a well, including electing a water management committee that will take over the “ownership” of the well and will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
• The wells and boreholes are constructed in coordination with the water directorate of the respective provincial governments and community management to ensure sustainability.
• In the  Cacuaco municipality, establishment of three Treatment Plants and Water Distribution. This change contributed to the increase in distribution and access to drinking water to the population of the project area and has contributed in a significant increase in the number of operating water points.

Outcome 5:

Management and monitoring of the Programme.

Outcome Achievements:

• Three external audits for UNDP expenses in 2011, 2012 and 2013 were conducted.
• In 2010 a Baseline was conducted to review the monitoring matrix. Some outcomes, outputs and indicators were changed.
• In 2013 a data collection exercise was conducted to have all the information needed to measure the progress of the indicators.
• Six monthly reports were prepared and sent to the MDF- Secretariat.
• A mid-term and a final evaluation were conducted and the report was shared with key stakeholders.

Best practices:

• In partnership with NGOs, the JP supported the involvement of communities in the preparatory work before digging a well, including electing a water management committee that will take over the “ownership” of the well and will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility.
• CLTS - Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) it is one of the most important achievements of the programme. It is an umbrella term applied to a set of non-subsidy based approaches which aim to completely eliminate open defecation by changing people’s behaviour and promoting the demand for sanitation across entire communities.
• The establishment of mechanisms and a legal framework (such as the National Environmental Sanitation Policy and the Water Law commented), together with the Master Plan and other studies undertaken have created a basis for the achievement of the MDG 7.
• Participatory planning processes for the formulation of municipal Master Plans ensures sustainability of actions, empowerment and appropriateness of local government staff.
• 59 projects for sustainable livelihoods in Moxico with the aim of creating opportunities for income generation to increase community member’s ability to pay the water tariff.
•  MOGECA (Modelo de Gestão Comunitária de Água) was approved by Government as the official tool for Community Management of water points in rural areas and peri-urban areas.
• Gender and HIV and AIDS sensitive approach were used to promote empowerment and sustainability.

Lessons learned:

• The geographic coverage of the JP should be more limited to increase impact.
• The results matrix should be clearer on accountability of each partner’s contribution on the outcome of the initiative.
• Better coordination and more realistic expectations based on an analysis of cultural and social aspects of the target population would be critical for a future JP design and effective implementation. The lack of a joint coordinator led to parallel implementation.
• The constant political changes in the government at central and local levels did not facilitate the process of coordination.

More details can be found in the final project report: https://mptf.undp.org/document/download/11201