CMP Management Training in Benishangul Gumuz
Community-Led Accelerated WASH (COWASH) Federal TA Team has conducted the Community Managed Project (CMP) approach training for four employed RSU staff, bureau staff, woredas (districts) and two zones of Benishangul Gumuz (BG) region from 15th to 20th December 2014 in Assosa, the capital city of the regional state. The training event was also a launching workshop in which each district and zone was represented by heads and experts from all concerned offices. Raising awareness about CMP and its implementation procedures was the major objective of the training.
COWASH, a bilateral project between Government of Finland and Government of Ethiopia, that currently works in five National Regional States of the country, started supporting the implementation of CMP approach in Oda, Bambesi, Agalo Meti and Belo Jingafo woredas; the former two are located in Assosa zone while the rest in Kamash zone.
By adding about 10,000 new beneficiaries in the coming two years, COWASH is expected to play a significant role in increasing the safe water supply access coverage at the region according to Ato Kemal Abdulai, the deputy head of the regional Water, Mines and Energy Bureau. Ato Kemal who made the official opening remarks encouraged the participants to make the most out of this capacity building training.
486A5904While welcoming the participants, Mr. Arto Suominen, the Chief Technical Advisor of COWASH at the Federal Level, called upon officials and experts to work in providing the communities with safe and quality water schemes and sanitation facilities which are sustainable. Mr. Arto who retains the belief that only ‘quality sustains’ reaffirmed the attendants the positive returns of this innovative approach - a model in which community is responsible in planning, implementing and managing the water schemes.
With an objective to support the construction of 98 new rural water schemes and 8 institutional latrines in 2014/15 budget year, COWASH comes to Benishangul Gumuz region for the first time to continue the CMP approach which was previously introduced and implemented in five woredas in Metekel zone by FinnWASH-BG, another bilateral project supported by Government of Finland. Now the number of woredas in BG Region adopting CMP for the provision of access to safe water and improved sanitation and hygiene facilities is increased to nine.
The training which was categorized into two parts was packed with theoretical and practical sessions that aimed to enhance the awareness of the participants. CMP management training, the first session, focused on introducing the basics of promoting communities, appraisals and approvals of the project proposals. Woreda WASH Teams (WWT) and WASH experts were the target audience of the first session that was conducted from 15th to -17th December.
The second session, in which only zonal and woreda WASH experts participated, dealt with the issues of technical inspections regarding project proposal at the field level. WASH facilities’ site selection and their cost estimation were the main topics covered during the second session which was done between 18 -20 December 2014. Throughout a series of practical exercises, the trainees were familiarized in different aspects of CMP promotion, as they will be the key actors in supporting the community in the implementation of the project.
