BACKGROUND
The Kenya Water and Sanitation CSOs Network (KEWASNET), the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Swedish (Agency for) International Development Assistance (SIDA) and the
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Introduces the Water Sector Innovation Awards 2016 (WaSIA 2016).
In its maiden year, WaSIA 2016 seeks to recognize the outstanding contribution by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Government Agencies, individuals and Private Sector Institutions for innovations geared towards increasing access, improving quality, promoting conservation and governance in the water and sanitation sector.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of WaSIA 2016 is to identify, recognize and reward the most outstanding innovations in the WASH sector that have contributed in the achievement of Kenya’s WASH goals under Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, WaSIA 2016 seeks to:-
- Provide a Platform for sector players in the public, private and civil society to showcase their activities
- Provide visibility for work done in the WASH sector and the sector actors
- Help remove the fragmentation and silos in the WASH sector.
- Act as an incentive to bring WASH sector players together to share what they do.
- Recognize and promote the work being done in the WASH sector
- Bring to light new methodologies like WASH financing, approaches in undertaking development e.g. solar kiosk and blue technology
The Innovation awards have been categorized into the public, private and civil society. The rationale for the organizations to take part in the innovation awards include:-
Government
- Awards create a forum for government to interact with private sector and CSOs in the WASH sector;
- Since it has the responsibility in provision of water and sanitation services WaSIA provides the government opportunity to recognize the need of involving different stakeholders ;
- It is part of policy; innovative ideas to get into policy and funding
- Water is a source of conflict in some case, government can use this awards to bring peace
- Recognition of its agencies that have been outstanding in WASH service delivery
Private Sector
- WaSIA provides Visibility and recognition of the private sector;
- WaSIA leads to In-house capacity building in order to attain the awards;
- Private sector can use the awards as a branding tool;
- WaSIA awards gives market advantage to private sector Institutions
- The Awards provide a platform to interact with other players in the WASH Sector
Civil Society
- WaSIA provides an opportunity for survival of the institution – justify reason for existence
- Civil Society has expertise and funding in the water sector that government does not have. The Awards therefore provides an opportunity for CSOs to showcase their innovative ways
- WaSIA is a Platform for accountability for CSOs
- Provides an opportunity for policy influencing in the WASH sector
Individuals and organization can nominate themselves or nominate other individuals and organizations for the several categories available for the awards. For those nominating others, kindly ensure that the nominee has provided all the required information and has given their approval by signing at the end of this nomination form. The nomination form must be completed in full and submitted in either hard or electronic copy to the address provided.
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