Partnering with Organizations: How to implement your best practices?

Published on by in Non Profit

Hi,

I run a small non-profit based in the US that partners with in-country organizations on clean water and sanitation projects in rural communities. I have developed best practices for projects that aim to make them sustainable, environmentally friendly, and able to be maintained using locally available material. Ideally, low tech when it makes sense so that the community can easily repair and maintain them. 

On my last project I ran into some resistance to implementing some of the ideas that I thought would be beneficial to the community. Basically, the organization I was working with has been established for a long time, and they have their way of doing things that they think are best. For example, I suggested composting toilets, and was told that the community would not accept them because of social stigma about them being dirty. I suggested educating the community about composting toilets, and after a few times back and forth couldn't get them to budge on it. 

I realize that in-country organizations know what works in their location, and I'm not just ignoring their ideas and saying mine are better, I want a mix of the best ideas from both organizations. But I think that like anyone, they can get stuck in their ways. I don't want to go in and impose my ideas on the community, but I also have a vision for my organization that I think will make our projects successful, and will allow me a better chance of raising money for the projects. I'm also very aware that I am a white man from the US, which makes me even more hesitant to push my ideas too hard. 

So how do I make sure that everyone is on the same page from the beginning? Is this just a matter of discussing these things upfront, and coming to some agreements, but if they're not willing to do something that I think is essential, like setting up a water council to maintain any equipment (among other things), I pass on the project?  What about if everything is agreed upon, but then when it comes time to implement a part of the project they won't do it, or drag their feet on it? 

Do contracts outlining the project and signed by both parties ever come into play? Do they hold any water (no pun intended)? 

I'm guessing this is something that is not uncommon, so I was wondering what thoughts people had. 

Thank you!

Brian

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5 Answers

  1. Thanks for all of your responses. A lot of good information. Maybe I just need to work on my salesman skills and get better at (gently) selling my idea haha. I understand that cultural differences are huge and that, along with location,available resources, etc are factors. I think I was just taken aback a bit when my in-country partner wasn't even willing to bring it up to the community because the idea was rejected in a different community years ago. And I also think that while we need to be sensitive to culture differences, just because something has always been done a certain way, or there's a stigma about something, it doesn't mean that new ideas shouldn't be pushed a little harder. Guess it's just a balancing act. 

    Nigel, your filter looks interesting. I'll contact you directly. 

    Thanks again.

  2. Hi Brian,

    We re-purify any kind and flow of wastewater into potable with zero pollutant emissions to the environment (air, soil, water), 95% minimum efficiency and very low operating costs between another sustainable and economical advantages as a real integrated solution to SDG#6 under a Water Circular Economy model.

    Regards

    inprosu.ze@gmail.com

  3. Dear Brian,

    I am a global consultant currently semi-retired as an expat in the Philippines for quite some time now.  It is true anywhere that we must meet a perceived client need (and restrictions) to be successful!  If they can be educated to an understanding of new approaches they will adopt them or require them in due time.  The LAST thing that anyone really wants to hear (even from a consultant) is that you have the only (or even best) solution!  We need to guide them to optimal approaches gradually, even if they are the ones who asked us for help in the first place.

    Oftentimes there are very legitimate local reasons for attitudes and perceptions, including the local climate, economics, raw materials, and cultural mores.  What we are accustomed to having at hand, or consider affordable, may not be the case in many parts of the world.  A large difference in perspectives on automation and machinery compared to manual labor may also be evident.

    It's best to not only observe what are common practices in a region but try to find out how they were developed and who keeps them going currently.  Popular support is always nice, but there are usually just a few key "rulers" by any title that really control the public works.  If they want it done, it usually happens.  If they have ANY objections for even seemingly unrelated issues, it will be much more difficult or impossible to get anything installed.  As you noted, more important to success is a good infrastructure to MAINTAIN whatever is put in place!  I've seen too many abandoned projects in many developing country locations because they either didn't have the necessary funding and/or the planning for the continuation of the project.

    Cheers,

    Steven

  4. y Brian - having worked for a water utility for 17 years before starting my own consulting firm, I can say from experience be patient and provide case studies. Agencies are very risk averse and want to know without a doubt (which is impossible) that your ideas, services, devices will work 100% of the time. And they do know their customers. If you feel strongly about pushing specific ideas, keep working on educating them and provide them with several successful case studies that they can visit or learn more on their own. But you may never convince them or you may be planting a seed for a later project. Flexibility needs to come from both sides. At the end of the day, they are the client and need to feel completely comfortable with their decision. Creating a well laid plan with enough details that will answer their questions and their customers questions is very beneficial and include references to similar projects.

    Best of luck!

  5. Hi Brian - I can sympathise with your situation and some of your frustration. In terms of contracts, a charity I worked with used a "memorandum of understanding" to define the relationship between parties. It seems that the way money is routed is pretty key as well to ensure control. The setting up of a local water council to carry out and pay for ongoing maintenance is important . My small non-profit company WaterReach has developed a self washing filtration system which has no ongoing maintenance and uses local materials to build - thereby avoiding some of the issues you mention. Happy to share more about this if of interest. I attach a leaflet incase.