BEWOP

The BEWOP project

The goal of BEWOP is to strengthen knowledge transfer and change processes in WOPs, in order to maximize the potential for operational improvements of water operator

Objective: 

 The capacity development model underlying Water Operators’ Partnerships considers capacity development as the interaction of staff of two or more water operators on a not-for-profit and solidarity basis. The role of BEWOP is not to directly build the capacity of water operators or intervene in service provision processes at first hand, but rather the project seeks to facilitate this capacity development process by 1) developing guidelines, training packages and tools that allow water operators to establish more effective partnerships, and 2) disseminate the developed tools, training packages and guidelines to a broad audience of water operators and civil society organizations. The topics of the guidelines and tools developed are demand-based and identified by water operators. Where possible the tools are developed with active involvement of staff of water operators.
 

Outcomes: 

The repetitive and independent use of the tools in between water operators in North-South and South-South partnerships will lead to more effective partnerships and ultimately to more effective and efficient water and sanitation utilities. Depending on the type of improvements that the WOP seeks to achieve, the benefits of more effective and efficient utilities address the water operators themselves (which become more institutionally and financially sustainable), the customers (who receive better services or, in the case of service expansion, obtain access to services), and the environment (as more effective and efficient use of resources also has significant environmental benefits). 
 

Activities:

After having generated a better understanding of the working and functioning of WOPs through:

  1. Documentation of WOPs worldwide to draw lessons-learnt and best practices.
  2. Comparative analysis of existing approaches for knowledge transfer and learning processes in WOPs.
  3. Assessment of existing guidelines, training modules and materials to support operators' performance improvement.

  

The project is currently working for developing tools for capacity development that allow water operators to establish more effective partnerships through:

  1. Development and testing of new capacity development products/services (guidelines, training modules and materials) for WOPs, 
  2. Communication, outreach and use of the Capacity Development products in WOPs. 

The capacity development tools for boosting WOPs effectiveness have a double focus:

  • On content: re-developed and new thematic capacity development products/services
  • On processes: pedagogical resources to support effective knowledge transfer through WOPs