Burkina Faso: 37,000 beneficiaries targeted by the IRC-OXFAM water and sanitation project in the Central West region

The Governor of the Centre-Ouest region, Adama Jean Yves Béré, chaired the 2ᵉ session of the Regional Participatory Monitoring Committee of the "Partnership for the development of drinking water and sanitation services in the Centre-Ouest region" project, this Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Koudougou. A strategic meeting that is part of the quest for more inclusive and sustainable governance of water and sanitation for the benefit of local populations and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

In a region where access to drinking water and sanitation remains a major challenge, the holding of this second session of the Regional Participatory Monitoring Committee underscores the shared determination of all stakeholders to act effectively to change the situation. Opening the proceedings, Governor Adama Jean Yves Béré set the stakes for this meeting, praising the mobilization of regional and local players around a structuring project aligned with the main national policies in the sector.

The project in question, led by IRC and OXFAM with support from the European Union, aims to sustainably strengthen drinking water and sanitation services in five communes in the Centre-Ouest region: Pouni, Réo, Sabou, Sourgou and Zawara. It is fully in line with the dynamics of major national programs such as the one focused on governance of the water and sanitation sector (PGEA 2016-2030), against the backdrop of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no. 6: ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030.

An ambition to match needs

With a total budget of 3.8 million euros, or around 2.5 billion CFA francs, the project is highly ambitious. These include the construction or rehabilitation of 15 simplified drinking water supply systems, the construction of 450 toilet and shower cubicles, and the provision of equipment for manual emptying. In addition, 150 community awareness-raising sessions have been organized, technical support has been provided to local authorities and delegates, and access to water has been facilitated for IDPs. All these activities illustrate an integrated approach, combining sustainable, high-quality infrastructure and community-based SOFT interventions.

The project capitalizes on previous initiatives, notably the 2020-2022 project to build the capacity of local authorities, which led to the development of the Plan régional d'investissement AEPA, as well as the service contract executed by the Centre des métiers de l'eau (CEMEAU) and IRC Wash between 2018 and 2022, which enabled the training of numerous players in the sector.

Already tangible results

Halfway through the second year of implementation, the results are encouraging. The diagnosis of existing boreholes has been completed, eight high-flow boreholes have been built, and five Autonomous Water Stations (AEW) are nearing completion. In addition, 220 institutional latrine cabins are being finalized, and over 100 awareness-raising sessions have already been held. By the end of the project, these actions should benefit over 37,000 people, with a particular focus on women and children, in households as well as in schools and health centers.

To ensure rigorous and inclusive monitoring, an innovative mechanism has been set up, namely the Regional Participatory Monitoring Committee. Every six months, it brings together the five beneficiary communes and the regional technical departments concerned (water, health, education, social action, environment). The aim of this consultation framework is to promote accountability, synergy and real-time adjustment of actions in the field.

This second session went beyond a simple progress report. It involved collective reflection on the adjustments needed to ensure efficient, sustainable management of the drinking water infrastructures currently under construction. What are the obstacles? How can local governance be improved? What are the priorities for the third year of the project? These are just some of the strategic questions to which participants were invited to respond.

Some difficulties encountered

Despite the significant progress made by the project, IRC coordinator Gilbert Bassolé acknowledges that some difficulties were encountered during its implementation. Among the main challenges encountered, the absence of plans for the old water supply systems forced the technical teams to start almost from scratch. "We had to redo the plans for these structures, and drill new boreholes to reinforce the water resource," he explains.

In addition, contracting procedures, subject to the complex rules of public procurement, were slow, particularly in the sanitation component. "Many bids were declared unsuccessful because they exceeded the financial envelope," says Mr. Bassolé. This necessitated a resumption of the process, which has now been relaunched, with 220 cabins in the finishing phase, while a further 230 will not be launched until after the rainy season.to avoid opening pits in risky weather conditions for households.

Despite these pitfalls, the project has managed to find its cruising speed, thanks in particular to collaboration between the various members of the consortium. Lead partner IRC works closely with Oxfam and the national NGO APIL, whose expertise in community mobilization is widely acclaimed. "APIL has been an important intermediary for us, particularly in the implementation of awareness campaigns. It is they who contribute to the animation around the works so that the populations can appropriate them", underlines the coordinator.

"This meeting is expected to lead to a significant improvement in collaborative relations, with a view to consolidating the project's achievements, while planning for enhanced local governance of public drinking water services", emphasized Governor Béré, calling on committee members to play an active and committed role.

Over and above the infrastructure, the project's vision is one of resilient and equitable local development. Against the backdrop of a security crisis that is undermining basic social systems, the approach adopted combines humanitarian emergency and long-term development, with particular attention paid to IDPs and host communities. This approach was welcomed by the Governor, who expressed his gratitude to the European Union for its constant commitment to Burkina Faso.

Source: lefaso.net/