4th International Conference on Rain Water Cistern Systems
Manila , Philipines - August, 1989

Section B: Community Participation

Paper B.1

Participatory Strategies In Water Supply (Costa Rica)

M.A. Lorena Aguilar
FUNDATEC, Instituto Tenologico de Costa Rica.

Abstract

Over the years, International Aid Agencies and government organizations in developing. countries have come to realize the importance of community participation in water supply and sanitation projects. In spite of this, important questions such as how to motivate communities or who or what contributions and responsibilities should they assume, remain only partially resolved.

From its inception, IRDC's Handpump Programme has encouraged research in this area of community participation, as it considers it an essential component in going from pilot research projects to widescale dissemination of water supply and sanitation technologies.

Between 1988 and 1988, the Centre supported a project in Costa Rica. This project looked into the adoption of the UNIMADE handpump to the Costa Rica environment. As part of this project, a number of participatory strategies (in response to the needs that were being encountered) was developed. These focused on community organization, health and hygiene education, and pump installation and maintenance.

Based upon this experience, these strategies have been adapted to include the participation of villagers as instructors in the social and technical aspects of the introduction and use of water supply technologies in other communities of the country.

PDF of full document available to members (10pp, 250kb)