Rural Water Supply Network Participation in the RWSN Forum (Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire, 29 November - 2nd December 2016) This note also describes the expected added value of participating in the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) Forum planned for 29th November 2016-2 December 2016 in Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire. We hope that all interested participants can attend the event and be given the time and financial support to do so. In the past, organisations have also sponsored key individuals from their country partners to attend and benefit from the south-south learning and networking. Below are some key points outlining the benefits authors and organizations are expected to derive from the RWSN Forum. We only hold the RWSN Forum every five years because we want to make sure that the event is the highest quality possible. We are really excited about it and we look forward to having you participate in the event and join hands with others who are part of this exciting partnership to improve rural water supplies and ultimately ensure that everyone has a safe and reliable service. Best wishes, Kerstin Danert Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 1 26.09.2016
What is the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN)? RWSN was established in 1992, by the World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP and the Swiss Government. Its mandate in the early years was on handpump technology. Over a period of 23 years, the network has evolved tremendously in terms of its mandate, key partners, membership and the interaction between them. RWSN has benefitted from the digital revolution in terms of exchange but recognises that nothing can replace face-to-face communication. The RWSN Forums, which are held every five years, are a key event in the calendar of the rural water sector. Over the years, RWSN has emerged as the global network of professionals and practitioners for rural water supplies. RWSN places a very strong emphasis on innovation, documentation, research and capacity building. What is an RWSN Forum? RWSN Forums have a unique character, with the emphasis on learning and sharing rather than showcasing, and a practical rather than political focus. The participants are mainly rural water supply professionals and practitioners. Where political leaders participate, they are encouraged to engage in the sessions and exhibition as equals with the other participants. The philosophy of the Forum can be summarised as follows: Inclusive of different perspectives Capacity raising the quality of the submissions and thus improving communication skills within the rural water sector Sharing of knowledge and experience among equals Bringing field realities to the attention of decision-makers and funding agencies Catalysing vibrant South-South exchange and networking Accessible to all French and English speakers. For the first time this year, we aim to provide Spanish interpretation due to strong interest in participation from Latin America (funding permitting). The working title for the 7th RWSN Forum is Water for Everyone. Around 500 participants from almost 50 countries attended the last Forum in Kampala in 2011. We expect between 300 and 600 participants for this event. The Forum will enable stakeholders from different organisations to learn about opportunities, trends and challenges of rural water supplies. The event will be run over four days, including an exhibition and optional field trip or specific seminars. It will comprise plenary and parallel sessions of presentations and interactive workshops as well as posters and short film viewings. An open call for papers, films and posters was sent out in early 2016 so that the event includes local and national government, the private sector and NGOs as well as academic institutions. In order to have an inclusive event, people with varied experience of writing will have the chance to present. Submissions with potential, but which were weak in terms of expression or evidence were supported to ensure that the work reached the required standard for the event. What is the value-added of supporting authors to present at the Forum? Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 2 26.09.2016
Dissemination of an approach or of lessons learnt of importance to the rural water sector The program of the RWSN Forum is shaped by contributions submitted through a competitive Open Call. Contributions have gone through two rounds of selective evaluations by peer-reviewers. If an author has submitted a contribution which has been accepted for presentation at the RWSN Forum, it means that the findings were deemed to be novel and of interest by peer-reviewers and worth sharing with other water professionals so as to potentially influence approaches in the rural water sector. Enabling south-south knowledge exchange and networking The RWSN Forum makes space for informal knowledge exchange and networking. The aim is to allow participants to develop their own peer-to-peer knowledge exchange network and identify partners for future collaboration. This could benefit your organization. Learning and Training to develop competencies The RWSN Forum has a strong emphasis on technical learning sessions as part of the main programme, which is organised in five streams: sustainable water supply, groundwater development, equality & non-discrimination, self-supply and mapping & monitoring. Learning and knowledge exchange also takes place through networking sessions, the sponsored seminars and field trips, on the last day. The wide exposure to emerging topics as well as a diversity of participants at the RWSN Forum contributes to building the capacity of those who attend. What is the added-value for organisations to get involved in the Forum? Position your organisation on selected topics by sharing experience from the ground The experience of many organisations in various water-related topics is very rich. However, in many cases it has only been documented and actively disseminated to a limited extent. New projects and partnerships enable your organisation to gain considerable experience and develop expertise. Investing in documenting and presenting this experience would support positioning of your organisation internationally. Moreover, it would enable you to identify other actors also working on these topics and learn from each other. This in turn would also contribute to further developing your approaches and improve the quality and impact of your projects by learning from others. Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 3 26.09.2016
Improve the quality and impact of our projects by learning from others Even though you have probably been innovating on many issues, there is a plenty to be learned from other organisations with different experiences. Participating in the Forum will also enable you to learn about new approaches and inspire you to further improve the quality and impact of your work. In turn, your experiences will inspire others. Identify potential partners for future collaboration This will be a good opportunity for networking to identify organisations with complementing experience you could partner with in different countries (e.g. exchange of ideas, joint project implementation, accessing funds or advocacy). Contribute to policy changes Whereas the Forum primarily targets practitioners, a number of policy makers are also expected to participate. Exchange with such key decision-makers could support the dissemination and possible adoption of your good practices at policy level, and could also enable you to learn about other perspectives. Enhance your organisation s visibility internationally in the sector The RWSN Forum with its wide audience from practitioners to policy makers provides an excellent opportunity for you to position your organisation internationally on selected topics and enhance your visibility. Participants will be able to bring back business opportunities, network, knowledge, information, technologies and learning from their experience that will benefit their organizations. Costs of attendance There are a few additional expenses associated with attending such a conference, especially if you re coming from abroad. Please find below a table that can help you work out what those costs might be. Conference Registration Full-Conference (regular till 15 th October 2016) Airfare Accommodation (6 nights) Transportation (to and from airport at home and onsite) Subsistence (check your organisation s policies to see if you have a per diem/ estimate daily cost) Total 600 Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 4 26.09.2016
Template for funding letter Please find below a template that can be used for applying for funding to support your participation in the RWSN Forum through your organization or another partner organization. Dear <insert name>, I would like to attend the RWSN Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire (29 November-2 December 2016) hosted by the Rural Water Supply Network. Attending the conference would bring our organization major benefit, as it aligns with the following priorities: <Insert priority> <Insert priority> <Insert priority> The RWSN Forum will enable me to attend a number of technical sessions directly applicable to my work, and will allow me to network with a variety of rural water experts and colleagues from around the world. Across these four days, I will be able to: Present the results of my work on <Insert title> (please delete if you are not presenting at the Forum) Update my knowledge through technical sessions Discuss and collaborate on <insert your field> relevant workshops Learn through attending field trips, Sponsored Seminars organized by <Insert organizers> Benefit from networking opportunities with a diverse range of water professionals Get up to date with sector trends and new technical developments in Exhibition and through Business Forums. <insert specific business/networking opportunities for your organisation> I would like to seek approval for attending the conference at the following complete breakdown of the event costs: Registration Fee: Airfare: Transportation: Accommodation: Subsistence Meals: TOTAL: For more information on the RWSN Forum, visit http://rwsn7.net Thank you for your consideration, <Participant> Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 5 26.09.2016
More information Website for the 7th RWSN Forum (2016) in Abidjan: https://rwsn7.net/ Website for the 6 th RWSN Forum (2011) in Kampala: http://rwsnforum.wordpress.com/ Contact: Dr Kerstin Danert email: ruralwater@skat.ch phone: +41 (0)71 228 54 54 post: Skat Foundation, Vadianstrasse 42, St Gallen CH-9000, Switzerland Rural Water Supply Network Forum 2016 6 26.09.2016