AGUASAN

Some history

How it got started

During the mid eighties the desk officers from SDC and Helvetas thought of a way to capitalise the lessons they had learnt in their several water projects.

Even before and for many years, both SDC and Helvetas were closely related to SKAT and EAWAG (two organisations specialised in the subject matter); with some other organisations dealing also with the topic of water supply and sanitation there were more distant links.

A core group with representatives from SDC, Helvetas, SKAT and EAWAG met and prepared a first Aguasan Workshop in summertime of 1984. (The term Aguasan means "healthy water").

How the CoP developed

Phase 1: The core group met in the early eighties. They exchanged their experience and put their lessons learnt together. Pretty soon they shared the view that their rich experience should find a wider public and should be also known by the collaborators working abroad. They came to the conclusion that a one week workshop would be the best form.

Phase 2: From1984 onwards the Aguasan Workshop takes place every year. During the whole time the core group was almost composed of the same people with very few changes.

Phase 3: The number of Swiss (German speaking) specialists working in the field was steadily decreasing and so it was only natural to change the language spoken in the workshop. From 1995 onwards it took place in English. This change allowed inviting local people working in the projects and opening the sharing of experience to as well as with them.

Aguasan today

The Aguasan group worked during more than 20 years as a well established group of specialists and in SDC's water sector the Aguasan group remains the accepted group of specialists in the field of water supply and sanitation.

The changing general conditions in development work and the continuous arrival of younger staff members lead the group to look for a new orientation. There will be a significant change within the core group. Younger people have joined lately, but the real handing over hasn’t taken place yet.

Characteristics of its functioning

The core group

Every year the workshop deals with a unique and new topic. This is the main reason why the preparation group has to meet several times that is five to six times a year. Each and every member of the preparation group must agree with and support the message. This consensus is one of the reasons for the success of the workshop: the group has a broadly discussed common vision. During the workshop there is in each working group usually one representative of the core group who guarantees that each group stays on course and doesn’t get lost.

Within the core group several roles can be distinguished. One could call them: "patron" (SDC, donor), "Aguasan-Soul" (SKAT, keeps the group on track and takes care of the mutual cohesion); "subject matter specialists" (EAWAG, Institute of Anthropology and private people contribute with their knowledge and expertise); "Facility-Workers" (SKAT, provides the logistical framework and prepares the minutes) "Facilitator" (accompanies the core group, facilitates the workshop).

Participants, clients

A group of 30 to 40 people meet each year at the workshop. They represent a wide range of projects and institutions way beyond the initial two institutions SDC and Helvetas. According to the topic the composition of the participants varies. Many of them have come several times but each workshop is attracting newcomers. In most cases the number of inscriptions exceeds the number of participants that can be admitted, even though they have to pay themselves for their travel expenses and their stay in Switzerland.

Products / Output

The Aguasan Workshop

Between 30 and 40 participants meet, they share their experience and work on promising new approaches. All of them are either experts (engineers or specialists in communication), desk officers from headquarters of related organisations, subject matter specialists from topical departments, representatives from Government and entrepreneurs.

The results of each workshop are documented in a workshop paper for the participants. If at the end of the workshop insights of a more general interest are produced, they are taken up in a separate publication (WSKS – Water and Sanitation Knowledge System, Changing Paradigms etc.)

Networking

The close collaboration during the workshop creates links among the participants which are taken up again during years and are used in continuous networking and joint activities.

Topics of the most recent workshops:

• Sustainable services – Still a challenge!
  What is needed so the sustainable service will be guaranteed after the withdrawal of external resources?
   
• The shit drama – Are there ways out?
  Innovative approach for practical solutions to a dirty and deadly issue that has been taboo for many decades
   
• Profits for all – Services for all
  Innovative approaches and management options for equitable and sustainable drinking water and sanitation services
   
• From sector reform to sector revolution
  A new (and revolutionary) approach is needed in order to ensure sustainable operation and maintenance of installed systems
   
• The Household-centred approach
  A new way to increase the sustainability of water and sanitation projects
   
• Private Sector – just a new hope?
  What are the (dis-) advantages of private sector involvement in the provision of water and sanitation services?
   
• Technology and Balanced Development
  Identifying and monitoring issues that support or hinder project sustainability.

>>> More information about Aguasan