historical case: Bangladesh water project
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Published by:
editorial team / citing Andrew Zolli and Ann Marie Healy / HBR april,‘11The intention was:
Global effort to bring clean water to Bangladesh.
In the early 1970s most of the rural population uses contaminated groundwater for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and dishes and irrigation. Bangladesh suffered 250.000 deaths annually from waterborne diseases.
The course of action was:
In 1972 UNICEF initiates a project to install tube wells that pull pure underground water to the surface. More and more wells are put in during the next two decades, and three years ahead of the target date most people are getting their water from them. The wells become status symbols, included by many families in their daughters dowries. By 1990 10 million wells are installed.
The result was:
In 1983 a doctor notices ‘black raindrops’ om patients skin-a sing of arsenic poisoning.
Arsenicosis has a latency period as long as 20 years, and over the next decade, even as more wells are installed, more cases are diagnosed. They are linked to well water contaminated with arsenic, which occured naturally in the countries rocks and soil.
In 2000 the World Health Organization cites the crises as ‘the largest mass poisoning of a population in history’.
‘Fixing the Fix’: In 1999 a multimillion-dollar program of well screening, education public relations, and social marketing begins. By 2004 it is deemed a succes; Wells are painted green (safe) or red (contaminated), and officials report that most residents understand the danger and have stopped using water from red wells.
‘Unforeseen consequences-new failures’: Few follow-up measures are taken after the testing, labeling and education process. New problems emerge. Villagers who line close to red wells are stigmatized. Those afflicted with arsenic poisoning are discriminated against in employment and social activities and, in the case of young woman, face diminished marriage prospects. Some women turn to prostitution to survive.
Some owners of contaminated wells repaint them green to avoid the shame associated with red wells.
The lesson was:
Many factors caused the Bangladesh well intervention to become a protacted struggle. Here are the most important:
Designing ‘for’ instead of ‘with’: The organizations behind the initial intervention were international bureacracies with an incomplete understanding of the local population, particularly of rural women. The consequences of their mistakes compounded over time. They should have embrced the community as a co-designer, not merely a recipient of the solution.
A lack of ‘whole measurements’: The organisations did not fully asses their projects ‘ impacts. Because they measured succes only by the number of wells built an the decline of waterborne illnesses, they missed the early signs or the arsenicosis crisis. And they were slow to spot the social problems the pianted wells created.
They should have developed broader measures of community health and continually monitored them over time, in partnership with the communities.
The overarching message? Succes requires ongoing vigilance. Don’t assume the mission is accomplished.
The overarching message? Succes requires ongoing vigilance. Don’t assume the mission is accomplished.
Additional comments on learning Global Poverty Blog:
Lesson 1: Involve the Community.
Lesson 2: Plan for problems.
Lesson 3: Don’t cut corners.
Lesson 4: Conduct proper follow-ups.
http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blogs/view/388
We have to accept that many unforeseen consequences are virtually impossible to plan for so development projects need to be carefully and meticulously planned and handled with care throughout the entire process.
Further:
Sources: HBR, Unicef; UN foundation, World bank, Andrew Meharg, Aberdeen
Also see:
http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/blogs/view/388
World bank current activities related to this topic.
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