• Reference: P-LS-E00-001
• Approval date: 11/05/2007
• Start date: 26/02/2009
• Appraisal Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: OngoingOnGo
• Implementing Agency:
• Location: The whole territory of Lesotho

The project comprises the following outputs and activities:

1. A database of facilities, resources and demands: Gender disaggregated planning data on village level and aggregated, concerning water supply and sanitation. This will cover

(i) available water resources,

(ii) existing improved and un-improved sources and form and coverage of sanitation,

(iii) demand components in terms of population and categories of demand An information sharing tool forming part of this output will include GIS soft and hardware and training in its use.

2. A reliable methodology for computation of unit costs at specific locations, including non-construction components such as health education, community capacity building.

3. Functional Estimating Model and Implementation Framework: The existing estimating models will be enhanced. The models will simulate different policy decisions to demonstrate consequence and help decision makers make informed choices.

4. Review of the implementation methodology of the on-going RWS programme. New/modified components will be introduced as needed.

5. Capacity Building/training of Community Councils and District Planning Teams and staff of the central department in the use of the planning framework, its component models and data collection and analysis. This will be implemented top down with the higher levels used to train the lower levels in a progressive manner.

6. Strategic Investment Plan: The process will culminate in the definition of a Strategic Investment Plan showing financial and other resource requirements to meet the MDGs and the Vision 2020 targets.

The objective of the project is to assist the sector agencies to better manage the operation and development of sector facilities the based on a sound Strategic Investment Plan and its underlying database and planning models. Using the SIP sector agencies in the rural areas of Lesotho will have capacity to manage not only the development of water and sanitation facilities in terms of rehabilitation, expansion and construction of new systems but also to operate existing facilities based on knowledge of their conditions vis-à-vis demands and cost of maintenance and expansion. These agencies include the communities themselves, through the Village Water and Health Committees, the Community and District Councils, as well as the Department of Rural Water and Sanitation.

The current Strategic Investment Plan has suffered from the lack of a solid foundation of reliable planning data, lack of a basis for unit costs computation and mechanisms for estimating complementary programme components to permit it to guide development. This weakness has resulted in limited interest from cooperating partners in taking part in the programme. Unless the pattern changes, the country will continue to lag behind and not be on track towards meeting the MDGs as earlier indicated. The broader picture is as follows:

Over 71% of Lesotho's households live in rural areas, at least 40% of which in the Foothills and Highlands, with their harsh climate conditions, difficult terrain and lower average incomes than for the Lowland areas. The coverage rate for water supply is currently estimated at below 50% and at about 55% for sanitation thanks to a concerted effort in the nineties of a National Rural Sanitation Programme.

To address the vast challenge in meeting the MDG targets, it has been concluded that a study aimed at addressing this gap would earn significant dividends. In addition to having a complete and comprehensive planning framework, it is also necessary to have a reliable model for estimation of costs of implementation that lends itself to regular updating as the cost information changes. This together with the requisite capacity building on the use of the framework constitutes the solution to the problem faced.

The beneficiaries of the project are all those involved in the planning and implementation of the RWSS Projects in Lesotho. The populations of currently un-served settlements will reap the benefits of an accelerated programme of investment, while those within served areas will reap benefits of better knowledge of their systems as well as better support from the high levels of government.

In the main however the direct beneficiaries will be the managers of the systems, beginning with the Village Health and Water Committees, the Community Councils, the District Councils deputies and staff involved in the planning and implementation of rural water supply and sanitation (RWS) projects who will most directly benefit from a Planning Framework founded on sound data and better planning tools.

AKARI Peter Lamisi - AWTF

Finance source	Amount
AWF	UAC 355,170
Delta	UAC 1
Total	UAC 355,169