Former Senior programme officer | Change hub
René is senior program manager and a WASH generalist with experience as manager of large programmes and in the role of advisor for the water sector. René is by education a sanitary engineer and has 32 years of experience related to development cooperation in water supply, sanitation, and water resource management in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. His expertise ranges from developing urban infrastructure to participatory appraisals with community members; from action research of rural water supply service delivery models to piloting biological wastewater treatment plants. In the period prior to his retirement in 2023 René's time was divided between developing IRC's WASH System strengthening approach further, supporting IRC (country) teams and evaluating water sector programmes for external clients.
Why is rural water is different for communities, schools, and healthcare facilities across characteristics of scale, institutions, demand, and... Read more...
IRC's approach to sustainability within the Watershed empowering citizens programme in India and its response to COVID-19 in Ganjam district, Odisha. Read more...
Despite the high level of exposure to the COVID-19 virus among HCWs in the treatment centers, only 14.0% were at high risk of COVID-19 virus... Read more...
This policy brief sets out key concepts, principles and practical implications for the citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) approach. Read more...
A comprehensive package of WASH interventions is needed that is tailored to address the local exposure landscape and enteric disease burden. Read more...
This paper describes the development, structure, and functionality of the toolkit; provides guidance for its application; and identifies good... Read more...
In Ethiopia, prioritising access to groundwater, supported by responsive and proactive operation and maintenance, increases rural water supply... Read more...
Higher payments for rural water services in Kwale, Kenya, are associated with higher education and faster repair times. Household wealth, sex of... Read more...
Whilst climate change represents a significant threat to sustainable drinking-water and sanitation services, through no-regrets actions and using... Read more...
A framework is developed incorporating public participation as a mandatory clause in water supply projects. Read more...
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities. What is needed to... Read more...
This review is the first comprehensive evaluation of the External support programs (ESP) literature. It derives a definition of external support... Read more...
This study provides new evidence that WASH access and practices are associated with self-reported reproductive tract infection symptoms in rural... Read more...
Communal groundwater supplies are likely to remain the main source of improved water supplies for many rural areas in Africa and South Asia for... Read more...
Strong dependencies were found between functionality and system type and administrative unit (e.g., district). Read more...
To help understand the impact of different interventions, this paper proposes the adoption of systems-based analysis for looking at water point... 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...
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...