Health through Sanitation and Water Programme (HESAWA), Tanzania : ex-post (retrospective) evaluation study

Although HESAWA has enabled a substantial number of communities to access clean water in the three Lake Zone Regions in Tanzania, the programme design was not easily adapted to a partnership with local authorities. During the phasing out period, the emphasis was on local capacity development for the future management of the installations and capacity development of local officials and end-users for the continued expansion and maintenance of the installations. New approaches gave people at many levels, from villages to central level, a chance to develop these further and in the process, gain valuable first hand experience.

This external evaluation focuses on the sustainability and impacts three years after programme closing. It focuses on the period after the phasing out of the Swedish support, i.e. the period from July 2002, but also links back to findings and recommendations of studies undertaken previously. The report provides detailed analysis of the present situation, lessons learned, successes and difficulties as well as recommendations for household, village, national, regional and donor level actions. The survey shows relatively good records of reduction in water related diseases, creating hygiene awareness, and gender mainstreaming. Shortcomings are mainly related to the lack of operation and maintenance of facilities and non-functional cost recovery mechanisms. The long-term impact of capacity building, especially at regional and district level remained modest. Although the programme achieved many of its goals, it had not reached the required level of sustainability and replicability that would have justified termination or withdrawal of the donor support.