The Pandemic situation in Indonesia does not slow-down USAID IUWASH PLUS team to support communities in improving their WASH access. Through the implementation of Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation that consists of six steps notably (1) capacity building, (2) data collection, (3) review of action plan (4) data analysis, (5) community meeting, and (6) stakeholder meeting, USAID IUWASH PLUS facilitated the collaboration of community, Local Government (LG) and other key stakeholder.
On the third week of January 2021, USAID IUWASH PLUS supported the cycle four (4) stakeholder meeting with theme “Functioning” that is part of CDEF concept (Connecting, Developing, Enabling and Functioning). The theme is related to USAID IUWASH PLUS exit strategy that is ensuring the collaboration of community and the key stakeholder, and ensuring that WASH ecosystem established by USAID IUWASH PLUS is “Functioning”. Most of the events were conducted through hybrid online and in person meeting, due to COVID-19 pandemic. Participants of the events consists of LG, community member, private company including local bank, and other organization such as BAZ (Badan Amil Zakat), PMI (Palang Merah Indonesia/Red Cross). USAID representatives Trigeany Linggoatmodjo joined the event in Kota Surakarta and delivered her speech while Nur Endah Shofiani delivered her speech in Kabupaten Sragen
These stakeholder meeting conducted in six cities/districts namely Kota Surakarta, Kabupaten Sragen, Kabupaten Wonosobo, Kabupaten Probolinggo, Kabupaten Lumajang, and Kota Pematang Siantar. The opening speech in Kota Surakarta was deleiverd by head of Bappeda, in Kabupaten Wonosobo and Sragen delivered by vice Bupati, in Kabupaten Lumajang by head of Bappeda, in Kabupaten Probolinggo delivered by Kasubid Bappeda, and in Kota Pematang Siantar was delivered by the Mayor.
During the events communities that was represented by member of Participatory M&E team explained their action plan to get support from LG and key stakeholder. It was successful events noted that the LG appreciated the work of USAID IUWASH PLUS in assisting community to better understand WASH, improving their hygiene behavior, promoting WASH, and take the initiatives to improve WASH condition of their neighborhood.
During the stakeholder meeting in Kabupaten Probolinggo, Lutfi Yudhistira of Bappeda Kabupaten Probolinggo stated his appreciation on his comment, “USAID IUWASH PLUS work has changed the mindset of community (in Probolinggo), especially in Kalibuntu that is long known as the most difficult slum area, now they have change and became an active community and help government to develop better plan WASH program.” In the meantime, during the stakeholder meeting in Kota Pematang Siantar, The Mayor of Kota Pematang Siantar share his appreciation to community that able to present their data and action plan, also clearly stated that it will be replicated and continue to implemented to improve the quality of government plan.
During the stakeholder meeting, LGs provided positive response to the action plan presented by communities, and shared their plan to support the action plan. LGs also stated their plan to replicate USAID IUWASH PLUS work with communities, and will directly use data from community to support the planning process and Musrenbang. On the other hand, other stakeholder also shared their commitment to support community action plan in improving WASH access.
