As Magelang city government is committed to improving WASH access, the administration has expanded the urban community based-total sanitation (STBM) program from five USAID IUWASH PLUS assisted urban villages to 12 others since August 2020. Similar to USAID IUWASH PLUS supported areas, the participatory M&E teams from the 12 urban villages also replicated the urban STBM approach and implementation in their respective areas.
However, after six months of the urban STBM expansion took place in the 12 urban villages, not all participatory M&E teams could implement the program smoothly. “The community tends to hand sanitation issues back to us, as if we are the only ones who have to solve the issues. I have no idea what to do and who we should talk,” shared Mr. Rindu Hepi Asbriastanto—a member of the participatory M&E team from a replication urban village, Potrobangsan.
Due to the participatory M&E teams’ important roles, USAID IUWASH PLUS proposed the development of the communication forum for M&E teams. This idea came up in February 2021 in the urban STBM discussion held by USAID IUWASH PLUS and WASH Forum of Magelang city—whose members included representatives from local government offices and communities. This idea also received warm responses from the participatory M&E teams and the Mayor of Magelang city, Mr. Muchamad Nur Azis.
In July 2021, the participatory M&E teams from 17 urban villages agreed to form Forum Tembang Tidar (Forum Temu Rembuk Babagan Pembangunan Sanitasi Air Minum dan Perilaku Hygiene) and selected the board of committee. The Forum Tembang Tidar serves as a communication forum for the participatory M&E teams and will support the urban STBM implementation in all urban villages in Magelang city.
Between July and August 2021, the Forum Tembang Tidar members conducted meetings to complete the committee and to develop work plans. Following the meetings, the Forum held the first meeting to introduce themselves to the relevant local government offices, sub-district and urban village governments, and sanitarians on September 7, 2021.
The presence of the Forum Tembang Tidar also gives high hopes for their members. “We are glad that we have a communication forum so that if face issues, I can discuss them with the participatory M&E teams from other urban villages,” said Mr. Rindu Hepi Asbriastanto. Forum Tembang Tidar will also provide a strong foundation for sustaining the Urban STBM implementation and accelerating WASH services in all urban villages in city of Magelang.
The Chairperson of the ForumTembang Tidar, Mr. Untung Argono, also shared the forum’s big dream, “We want to become the government’s partners to improve WASH access in a participatory fashion.” The Head of Magelang City’s Bappeda, Ms. Handini Rahayu, reiterated what Untung has said and promised to support the Forum to be optimally involved in the WASH development.
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