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.
Successful pathways secured uptake by government and had flexible programming. Read more...
This guide covers steps required for engaging effectively with decision-makers; increasing the impact beyond programmatic solutions; and influencing... Read more...
A fact sheet on Indian national and state level institutions in Odisha and Bihar engaging in particular with rural water supply and resources. Read more...
Recommendations for hand hygiene in public places and institutions; hand hygiene in the local governance process; hand hygiene promotion strategy;... Read more...
How CSOs in Bangladesh, India, Kenya and elsewhere have collaborated to understand funding flows and key moments for budget decision-making, and... Read more...
This study contributes to both literature and practice by identifying the relative importance of factors to consider when designing collaborative... Read more...
A roadmap for tracking and analysing district budgets for water and sanitation programmes in Bihar, India. Read more...
A roadmap for tracking and analysing district budgets for water and sanitation programmes in Odisha, India. Read more...
Tracking the trends for the state budgets of Odisha and Bihar on water and sanitation. Read more...
Strengthening and clarifying the capacity of local government institutions is critical to the success of SDG6 (Water) and contributes to SDG16 (... Read more...
This document describes how the principles and practice of the global movement, Agenda for Change (A4C), can be applied at district level, following... Read more...
Addressing the financing challenges that result from the adoption of the water Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Read more...
Self supply is an approach that can improve the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of water services. Read more...
Cities in Latin America face a double challenge in environmental sanitation, of both providing access to basic water supply and sanitation for those currently lacking that, and improving the collection and treatment of wastewater and solid waste. Governance is a crucial factor affecting the way in... Read more...
Honduras is well on track towards meeting the MDGs for sanitation as coverage is expanding rapidly. However, these statistics do not reflect the sustainability or the use of such facilities, as many of these are in poor condition or are not used at all. In addition, there is a large negative impact... Read more...