This one-day workshop was held in Nairobi, following the WWQA conference on 21st September 2023, and hosted by Human Right 2 Water and Women for Water Partnership. It was designed as a Train-the-Trainer workshop, to provide guidelines on how to set up and fund a local water forum. The participants were a mix of existing and new LWFs, with also some institutions and water authorities that are looking to set up LWFs in their areas.
“It was a very engaging session with real life examples where i got to find ways to source out stakeholders from different sectors.”
The four modules were a mix of presentation and breakout groups, covering an outline on how to develop a stakeholder engagement plan, stakeholder mapping, technical support resources, and how to put the stakeholder engagement plan into action for finding local support and funds.
Key takeaways included the importance of creating an organisational body, with an oversight committee, a vision and a communication plan. This structured approach will help to provide reassurance for potential investors, create greater engagement with important members of the community, and provide a more creative approach towards fund raising.
Fund raising was viewed from multiple points of view, from the aspect of how to engage and value volunteers, and which local institutions could benefit from the water quality monitoring, and might be willing to contribute in terms of technical, advisory, resource or funding support. Each participant was given the tools to create their own funding and engagement plan by the end of the workshop.
“It’s Amazing, I’ve learned a lot especially on fundraising strategies.”
The feedback was both positive and constructive. Out of the twenty-one people that attended, the third that are already either in a LWF, or about to start one, have stated that they will be writing an engagement and a funding plan as a result of the workshop.
