We had those great spring snows and rains, and the water situation along the Front Range, for now, is less dire than it was a few months ago. Time to bring back the half-hour shower? The all-day lawn watering? You know the answer. It’s always dicey.
The German development arm, GIZ in conjunction with Water for People, an international NGO has launched a new waste removal technology to curb dumping of faecal waste in water channels and polythene bags improvised toilets referred to as ‘flying toilets’, in the city.
About 800 households in the Traditional Authority Makhuwira in Malawi’s southern district of Chikhwawa are experiencing a lease of their lives following the construction of about 113 boreholes which has helped drastically reduce the rate of diarrhea and cholera, thanks to the Water and Sanitation Project run by the international non governmental organisation (NGO) Water for People.
In the Bolivian foothills, a group of inspectors are testing the functionality of a water system. They have gotten into the habit of turning on taps to test water availability, instead of just talking to residents about it first. As the faucet is turned on, Hermulinda lurches forward awkwardly with her bucket to catch the water that shoots from the tap. She knows that those drops will cost her, if they are not captured. Feeling confident and proud of her functioning water system, Hermulinda smiles, gold-covered teeth shining in the Bolivian sun, as she mutters, “They could have just asked.”
I’ve been obsessed with the concept of radical transparency lately, especially as it relates to global health and development work. This is perhaps an extension of the push for strong monitoring and evaluation in the field to ensure that development projects are actually accomplishing good in the world.
EffectiveUI has recently completed development on the new Water For People Re-Imagine Reporting application. This online reporting platform offers a new way for philanthropic organizations to manage data and prove their efficacy to stakeholders. As the technical lead on this project, I’d like to share some of my experiences, in particular how the Liferay portal platform contributed to the project’s success.
As the first Internet stock bubble neared its popping point in 1999, IBM chief executive Lou Gerstner famously dismissed the dot-com start-ups of his day as “fireflies before the storm—all stirred up, throwing off sparks.” The Internet would truly achieve its disruptive potential, Gerstner argued, when thousands of big institutions around the world started using the new communication and technology platform to transform themselves. He was right. Although many of the dot-com players did not survive the 2000 market crash in technology stocks, they were indeed harbingers of a coming business revolution.
Sagar is an island at the mouth of the river Ganges where it meets the Bay of Bengal. Every year in January, about half a million pilgrims visit the island to worship at the holy Ganges. The hundreds of mobile toilet units standing on the empty festival terrain during the rest of the year are witness to the island’s authority’s efforts to ensure that the pilgrim’s stay on the island is as comfortable, hygienic and safe as possible. But the authorities also don’t forget about the 200.000 permanent inhabitants when it comes to sanitation.
Water organizations are planning a free festival in Denver to raise awareness about what it takes to get clean water to people worldwide. The Denver-based nonprofit group Water For People is presenting the Festival for Water at Civic Center Park on June 9 in collaboration with sponsors, partners and the American Water Works Association.
Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, today announced that it has contributed $100,000 to Water For People in support of the organization’s work improving water systems in emerging economies around the world. Bentley has also donated a selection of eight software products from its portfolio, including MicroStation, WaterGEMS, SewerGEMS, FlowMaster, and Bentley Map. The software will be used by Water For People team members to design, engineer, and construct water systems, as well as to map the functionality of water points in every district.
Recognizing that traditional philanthropic reporting processes often miss an opportunity to show the full picture of an organization’s activity, outcomes, and impact, Water For People, an international nonprofit dedicated to providing access to improved water and sanitation systems and services in developing countries, today announced the first-version launch of its Re-Imagine Reporting platform. Designed and developed by EffectiveUI, a leading user experience agency, the online reporting platform is a new approach to reporting that provides an interactive, visually compelling way for donors, stakeholders and the public to understand the organization’s progress and outcomes while also allowing for analysis and review of initiatives for programmatic improvements.
RIR combines all of our data in one place, helping us understand what is happening and what changes in investment might lead to greater impact with our country programs.
Recognizing that traditional philanthropic reporting processes often miss an opportunity to show the full picture of an organization’s activity, outcomes, and impact, Water For People, an international nonprofit dedicated to providing access to improved water and sanitation systems and services in developing countries, today announced the first-version launch of its Re-Imagine Reporting platform. Designed and developed by EffectiveUI, a leading user experience agency, the online reporting platform is a new approach to reporting that provides an interactive, visually compelling way for donors, stakeholders and the public to understand the organization’s progress and outcomes while also allowing for analysis and review of initiatives for programmatic improvements.
If you’re like me, I have my favorite nonprofits that I donate to frequently. Every year they send me their annual report filled with pretty pie charts, graphs and numbers saying that they helped tons of people because I gave generously to their cause.
