Partnership

This O&M project has been selected in 2010 by the Fondation Ensemble (survey performed with Hystra) for Partnership with 8 other projects.

O&M InterAide projects are described as follows: Distribution of an ingenious pumping system, facilitating access to drinking water for 3.75 million users of existing rural, hydraulic works. Creation of a local network of craftsmen for maintenance and for the distribution of spare parts.

See complete information on link : www.fondationensemble.org/newsletter/NL17_GB.pdf

Area Mechanic presentation - Tikonze Mjigo

Area mechanics (AM) are identified with help of the District and the communities, then trained CBM1 (Community Based Management Level 1) & CBM2 on Afridev.

Tools kits and Push bike provided when they sign a 2 years contract in which they engage themselves to be active in their catchment’s area and attend monthly meeting s organized by the project. They have to work as independent workers and get labour charges from the communities. At the beginning of the project, they get technical supports and tips on community social approach from InterAide Maintenance assistants (one is present in each district and is mobile with a motorcycle).

During the monthly meetings, they report on the contracts signed, get in touch with the maintenance project and share experience with others AM.

There are 2 main types of contracts:

• The reparation contract to repair a broken hand pump. Cost between 500 Mk and 1.200 Mk. The contract has a guarantee of one month.
  


• The maintenance contract only deals with functional hand pump for preventive maintenance (4 visits per year). Cost around 1.200 Mk.

Contacts

Tizonze Mjigo - Maintenance System project
InterAide
Area 47/3/213
P.O Box 31405
Lilongwe 3
Malawi

Tel: +(265) 01 761 780
Fax: +(265) 01 761 779
Email: maintenance.interaide@gmail.com

Project Officer: Laurent Cochet +(265) 0 995 457 868

Madzi Mjigo & TIMMS
From the fusion of Madzi ndi Moyo and Mjigo Usafe
BASEDA
Lilongwe
Malawi

BASEDA Executive Director: John Chimukho +(265) 0 999 291 891
Project Manager: Shadreck Mhango +(265) 0 999 512 950

Shops presentation - Tikonze Mjigo

As Tikonze Mjigo project is cooperating with Chipiku stores, these selling points are in area not covered by them. Selling points are identified in trading centres and market places. Communities can make 10km trip to reach that place (see Mchinji map with 10km circle radius). A shop must have at minimum 250 hand pumps in its catchment’s area to have a sufficient business to motivate it.
Once choosen with the help of the District and the communities, they are trained CBM1 (Community Based Management Level 1) to be able to advice the communities on spare parts.

They are provided a 10,000.00 Mk initial stock of spare parts when they signed a 2 years contracts in which they engage themselves to maintain that stock of spares and to sell it at fixed prices (controlled thorough cash receipts).

InterAide provide them way to re-supply at 2 different prices, either by being delivered at their shops, either to come to InterAide depositories. We make their follow-up at the beginning of the project, and then their motivation on the sales benefit (around 25%) is enough to make them to continue the activity. We also provide them presenting shelves, advertising posts and fliers campaigns.

Fliers

Regularly, hundreds of fliers are provided to the shop owners. Distributed on market places, it has 2 faces:

- Face is to inform population about the shop existence and location, the spare-parts availability and its prices (for Afridev),
- Back provides information about Area mechanics available in the area, and an example of their rate.

Specific fliers were done for each shop.

Their cost 1 kwachas only each (6 fliers were done per page).

These fliers had a great impact on O&M Project acknowledgement in new area. Even if its impact decrease after time, regular distribution maintain link with population, in case of price or area mechanics change.

They were also given to Area mechanics, to be given straight to people when doing a quotation to certify spare parts prices.

Example of Lipili shop flier below:

Mchinji - Area Mechanic work

Since May 2008 to August 2009, Area Mechanic have done 379 contracts (Repair or Maintenance). Enlarge the table below to get full details.

The best one, Mr Phiri, have done 42 contracts and has collected 25.000,00 Mk (170 $) as labour work from the communities.

The number of contracts was high at the beginning of the project, but has started to decrease. We think that this decrease is due on the fact that most of the hand pumps are repaired and not because of Area Mechanic demotivation. To prove it, we are assessing on the hand pumps functionning ratio now, to compare to the one in May 2008. The results of this assessment will be published soon on this Blog.

Fishing pipes tools

About 10 tools like the one pictured there were done.

Cost of the tool (rope included) : 5.000 Mk

It was lent freely by InterAide to Area Mechanic who had fallen pipes in their area. Area Mechanic had then opportunity to charge more for such a service.

In some case, pumps unworking for some year started again. In other cases, the tool stayed stuck in the pumps ...

In Mchinji, for 1 tool lost, 5 pumps were saved in the first month of this initiative.

It was about the same efficiency and ratio success/lost tool in Dowa and Salima.