Stef Smits is a senior programme officer and Co-director of IRC's Growth Hub. He has 20 years of professional experience in water supply and sanitation in over 25 countries in Europe, Latin America, Southern Africa, and South Asia. His main thematic expertise includes: institutional models for water supply, sustainability and enabling environment, monitoring, costing and financing of services and integrated water resources management.
Stef has led numerous projects on these topics, and published about them. In addition, he has ample management expertise: from consultancy assignments to multi-annual programmes, and units within an organisation. He has worked for a range of clients including bilateral donors, development banks, research funders and NGOs. Stef holds an MSc degree in Irrigation and Water Engineering from Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
Interventions that ensure women have access to private facilities with water for Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and that educate women about... Read more...
Water-related emotional distress is predominantly associated with the 'cost of water' and the 'size of household'. Read more...
This paper briefly describes the state of the evidence on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in schools, the remaining knowledge gaps, and potential... Read more...
This paper presents findings on water and sanitation service levels from 16 small and medium towns in four regions of Ethiopia. Read more...
Spreading the cost of faecal waste removal over a series of monthly payments could make it more affordable for poor households and help kick start... Read more...
Handwashing after contact with excreta is poorly practised globally, despite the likely positive health benefits. Read more...
A country needs to meet a certain development or income threshold before aid can prove to be effective and aid flows tend to have diminishing returns. Read more...
Sharing a sanitation facility with just one to two other households can increase the risk of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in young children,... Read more...
In the context of urban Haiti, household container-based sanitation services (CBS) systems have the potential to satisfy many residents' desire for... Read more...
The costs of a pilot small-scale container-based sanitation service (CBS) were higher than those of large-scale waterborne sewerage, but economies of... Read more...
There are six methodological stages for selecting indicators for WaSH: define the purpose and scope; select a conceptual framework; search for... Read more...
WASH for WORMS is a cluster-randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that a community-based WASH intervention integrated with periodic mass... Read more...
This study identifies the effectiveness, costs and cost drivers of SODIS, ceramic filters and biosand filters. Read more...
While the importance of hygiene is increasingly being recognized, far less consideration has been given to the role of the complete WASH package in... Read more...
In Chennai, India, stakeholders support the establishment of an independent state groundwater authority to secure sustainable water supply. Read more...
Sustainable groundwater use is more likely in Indian villages if farmers, other village community members and NGOs work together with researchers and... Read more...
Increasing latrine coverage does not by itself reduce exposure to faecal pathogens and prevent disease. Read more...
Brings the engineer's and designer's perspectives together to make a 'beautiful latrine'. Read more...