Lagos, Nigeria is a densely populated city with rapidly growing urban and peri-urban areas and over 200 informal settlements that pose unique challenges for water supply access. These challenges are exacerbated by poor performance of existing water utilities, inadequate public financing, insufficient water infrastructure, and lack of revenue generation. The lack of access to safe…
Trust is a vital but often overlooked element of international development. Whether in formal spaces such as state healthcare or informal projects like community campaigns, trust has the power to make or break development initiatives. If those involved in a project trust each other, the chances of its success and sustainability are vastly improved. Yet…
Trust flavors our life choices. It lays the foundations of our social and professional relationships. It colors the way we engage with organizations, services, and people. Globally, trust in public institutions appears to be decaying. The ‘fake news’ phenomenon has damaged perceptions of traditional media. The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to widespread vaccine hesitancy, in some…
“Research enables us to identify how best to address the challenges that impact society. The good thing is that governments are starting to acknowledge the potential for research to drive national development.” Joy is unequivocal, and her belief in her work is easy to see. “This is my passion: ensuring that evidence can impact policy…
How do we build inclusive spaces when developing geospatial services? How can we ensure that the services developed by SERVIR benefit all of society—particularly the most vulnerable—in the context of a rapidly changing climate? SERVIR applies a user-centric and collaborative approach to answer these questions, applying Earth observations, geospatial science and technology to address development…
Recently discovered reserves of natural gas and minerals have bolstered Mozambique’s economy. With 13 million Mozambicans living in poverty, many citizens have yet to feel the benefits of increased national prosperity, further eroding trust in government. Boosting provision of and access to health, education, water, and sanitation public services will not only help address pressing…
This case study is one in a series highlighting Chemonics’ experiences and lessons learned with thinking and working politically and applied political economy analysis (APEA). Drawing on the Chemonics-implemented USAID/Guatemala Biodiversity Project, this case study highlights the process, findings, and tools of the project’s baseline APEA (and second APEA iteration) and how these APEAs oriented…
This post was adapted from a story that originally appeared on the USAID HRH2030 program’s website. Effective partnerships allow stakeholders to apply lessons learned and adapt methodologies to meet the needs of beneficiaries. In Colombia, the Human Resources for Health in 2030 Program (HRH2030) is partnering with local organizations to learn from the country’s social…
Imagine you are the sole female provider for a family in Khatlon, Tajikistan, a province in which food insecurity is an everyday reality, and the agricultural sector dominates the market. Your livelihood might rely on your ability to sell your apricots, to feed your children uncontaminated milk from one of your cows, or to churn…
We’d like you to meet Alejandro “Alex” Arrivillaga! Alex is a biologist and the deputy chief of party for the USAID Guatemala Biodiversity Project. He shares some of the insight he’s gained over the course of his 25-year career working with communities to develop shared solutions for biodiversity conservation. Alex is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1.…