From ‘things happen to me’ to ‘I make things happen’

Twaweza’s approach

Rakesh RajaniGovernance DP Group, 1 April 2010

Development is meantto enable millions

of Tanzaniansto live

a better life

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

Policy process

Development doesn’t work when it a) places faith and funds in

unaccountable governments, b) runs short-lived boutique projects

that reach very few, orc) gets good people to participate in

dysfunctional policy processes

H

H

Which information networks work?What do we find in every village & urban n’hood?

a) religion, b) mass media

c) mobile telephonyd) consumer goods networks

e) teachers (and teachers’ union)

Why not ride these waves?

H

H

Information that sparks the imaginationa) basic rights, policies, budgets

b) disaggregated to the local levelc) comparative perspective

d) stories of changee) Ability to get but also generate stories

and data and communicate them up/laterally

H

H

Conclusion

This approach is about energizing development

through imagination

by creating opportunities for people to know, connect and act

and by creating incentives for those in charge to be

more responsive and deliver

Optional example of one initiative

An example of howwe are doing it at Twaweza

Daraja: Raising the Water Pressure

For millions of people in Tanzaniagetting water is a daily struggle

Dissatisfied Citizens

• An underperforming sector with unmet demand• An opportunity? Citizens’ motivated for action

A Sustainability Challenge

• Only 54% of rural water-points functioning in 33 surveyed districts

All Waterpoints (including non-functional points)

Functional Waterpoints Only

Average coverage

Nzega District

• Distribution of WPs highly unequal• Targeting of new funds?

Less than half (40%) of new funding going to wards with below average

coverage

An Equity Challenge

Citizens Database

Media

Local Government

SMS-based feedback mechanism

Media partnerships for accountability

Popularising information