WaterSHED 2018-2020 Strategy Brief

Obsolescence is (or should be) the goal of all development aid organizations. To paraphrase an old saying:

Give a man a fish, and he will be hungry tomorrow; teach a man to fish, and he will eat for life; build a sustainable market system that empowers fish consumers, trains fish suppliers, rewards innovative fishing techniques, prevents overfishing, targets fish subsidies for the poorest, etc., and we can stop asking donors for fish and fishing training.

WaterSHED’s vision is for everyone to use a toilet, wash their hands, and drink clean water. We empower local businesses, government, and other leaders to expand and maintain an inclusive WASH market — not only now, but long after our programme becomes successfully obsolete. Success for WaterSHED is when the Cambodia water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector no longer needs us.

WaterSHED’s 2018-2020 strategic plan outlines an ambitious program of work. Sanitation and hygiene are complex challenges – leadership, collaboration, and a host of other human behaviours are required to work harmoniously in a system that cuts across several dimensions of development, including social, economic, and environmental aspects. However, if we are going to see a solution in our lifetime, it is critical that we address the issues head on rather than work around the system, as has been done for so long.

Read the WaterSHED 2018-2020 Strategy Brief here. Full strategy document available upon request.