Car project for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation in Three Divisional Headquarters and Surrounding Rural Areas Appraisal Report

2.6 
Participatory Approach to Project Identification, Design and Implementation 
2.6.1
The project design adopted the participatory approach. After a mission to review 
the status of the water and sanitation sector in early 2007, the Bank identified Government 
priorities and, with funding from the African Water Facility, backed the Drinking Water 
Supply and Sanitation Study in CAR’s sixteen divisional headquarters conducted between 
2007 and 2009. The study also followed the participatory approach. Apart from surveys 
carried out among the population concerned and future beneficiaries, divisional and 
municipal authorities also attended launching and validation workshops on the two phases of 
the study (diagnosis and definition of priority selection criteria, preliminary and final design). 
Locally elected officials were also involved in the workshops. The Bank participated in all 
the restitution workshops, in addition to undertaking a field trip to the project areas, meeting 
and discussing with the beneficiaries. 

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2.6.2
This approach took into account the investment priorities expressed by the 
population and local authorities (priority to drinking water) and led to the adoption of 
technical options that reflect the socio-economic realities of targeted beneficiaries, especially 
with regard to sewage and solid waste disposal. The project implementation will follow the 
participatory approach through which the beneficiaries will contribute to the works and share 
in managing water and sanitation facilities via user associations and economic interest groups 
(EIGs). Moreover, judging from Government’s resolve to promote decentralization and 
devolution, field activities will be managed and monitored by municipal councils and DGH 
decentralized services.