Mott MacDonald is committed to improving people's lives through tailored development solutions such as helping nations recover from war and build fairer societies. They work worldwide to alleviate poverty and reduce inequality through creating sustainable solutions to foster economic development. In developing countries, Mott MacDonald is using technology such as mobile phones as a key enabler to raise standards in education and health provision by improving access to learning and healthcare. They are also tackling malnutrition in Pakistan by improving access to nutritious food for more than half of its population.

1. Development
in action
Helping nations to
recover from war and
build fairer societies
Creating sustainable
solutions to foster
economic development
Working worldwide to
alleviate poverty and
reduce inequality

2. 2 I Development in action I English in Action
Contents
4
Consultants
with a cause
Mott MacDonald is committed
to improving people’s
lives through tailored
development solutions.
6
New technology
can be the key to
unlocking equality
In developing countries
technology is emerging as
a key enabler in the quest to
raise standards of education
and health provision.
14
Seeking out
hidden hunger
We are tackling malnutrition in
Pakistan by improving access
to nutritious food for more
than half of its population.
42
Meeting your
challenges
Whatever challenges our
clients face, and wherever
in the world they are located,
we can deliver the right
combination of expertise.
32
Helping to keep the
peace after the war
We are at the forefront
of delivering interventions
in recovering nations
that improve the lives
of people in need.
26
Healing a nation
through education
By overcoming stigmas
surrounding girls’ education
we are contributing to the
development of South Sudan.
10
10 ways we engage
communities
Community engagement
is vital to the long-term
sustainability of international
development projects.
38
‘We don’t build roads
for the sake of it’
Transport and urban
infrastructure projects are
essential building blocks for
improving social outcomes.
20
Closing the
gender gap
Tackling gender inequity
is a moral imperative but
also crucial to building
sustainable nations.
An individual can find a better job by learning to
speak another language. A nation will transform its
economic prospects if it can improve the language
skills of its workforce. We have changed the landscape
of English language learning in Bangladesh by
developing innovative ways of using low-cost accessible
technologies to aid teaching in the classroom and
the community. By 2017, our programme, funded by
UK aid, will have improved the English proficiency of
7M students, supported 51,000 government teachers
and given more than 28M adults access to learning.
Front cover image (foreground)
Hanoi Photography/Shutterstock
EnglishinAction

3. Big issues
Sectors
Expertise
Connected
thinking
Sustainability
Climate
resilience
Smart
infrastructure
Environment
International
development
Cities
Oil & gas
Power
Transport
Digital
infrastructure
Buildings
Education
Health
Water
Industry
Project/programme
management
Strategic asset
management
Infrastructure
finance
Cost
consultancy
Studies & design
Management
consultancy
Opportunity
Solution
Outcome
The Mott MacDonald
Universe
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Consultants with a cause I Development in action I 54 I Development in action I Consultants with a cause
We work in developing countries to alleviate poverty,
establish good governance, and increase access,
capacity and resilience in healthcare, education,
water, sanitation, transportation, infrastructure and
renewable energy – while safeguarding the environment
and promoting human rights and gender equity.
What makes us different is that we approach
problems from a fresh perspective. As an employee-
owned company, we have the freedom and
independence of mind to find new ways to enhance
human wellbeing and foster social and economic
development through connected thinking.
Innovative, sustainable solutions
We constantly stretch our thinking to seek out
innovative, sustainable solutions for the world’s
toughest challenges: population growth, urbanisation,
food security, climate change and local/regional
conflicts. At the start of every project, we search for the
opportunity to add value in our designs and outcomes.
Our multidisciplinary teams of experts work in
close collaboration with governments, NGOs and
communities in two broad areas: strategic thinking
and actual delivery of a project or programme.
We believe our solutions provide the best life chances
for the present and future generations, in line with the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, because we
never forget our responsibility to the people who should
ultimately benefit from what we design and deliver.
Consultants
with a cause
Mott MacDonald is committed
to improving people’s lives
through creating and delivering
tailored development solutions.
DFID Commercial High Recognition
Award – Micro Organisations Support
and/or Engagement
2016
Sectors
Expertise
Clients
International
Development
Services
GovernanceEnvironment and
climate change
Food security
and agriculture
Economic
development
Education
Health and
nutrition
Social
development
Urban
development
Water infrastructure and
resources management
Water and
sanitation
Power and
renewable
energy
Transport
Programme
management
Technical
advice
Participatory
planning
Governments
Beneficiaries
Multilateral
donors
Bilateral donors
Monitoring and
evaluation
Gender
mainstreaming
Knowledge
management
Procurement
Grant fund
management
Programme
design
Capacity
development
Skills
development

4. 6 I Development in action I New technology in health and education
New technology
can be the key to
unlocking equality
Excellent education tools
Around 90% of the world’s poorest regions are
now covered by a mobile signal. We’re breaking
new ground by taking advantage of this to transmit
learning content to teachers and students.
Low-cost mobile phones and tablets can make excellent
tools to support teacher training and improve classroom
practice in countries like Ghana and Nigeria. They are
also being used to register pupil attendance at schools
in remote areas including war-torn South Sudan, an
innovation yet to be seen in many developed countries.
Mobile learning (mLearning) can support education
reforms and investment in skills that increase
employment opportunities and stimulate economies,
opening up a route out of poverty and into work.
In Bangladesh, meanwhile, we are pioneering
smarter uses of established mass media platforms
– radio and TV, as well as the internet – to create
learning opportunities for millions of people who
have previously had little or no schooling.
Better health outcomes
Affordable technology
can improve health
outcomes in developing
countries too.
We view the mobile phone
as a platform from which
new and existing health
initiatives can be delivered
better, cheaper, faster and
at scale, widening access
to quality healthcare for all.
Yet the mobile phone is
more than an mLearning
or mHealth tool. It can
be used in development
projects to empower
women – for example,
by training them to be
health workers – and
promote gender equality.
Around 90% of the
world’s poorest
regions are now
covered by a
mobile signal.
In developing countries technology is emerging
as a key enabler in the quest to raise standards
of education and health provision and improve
life chances for all.

5. New technology in health and education I Development in action I 98 I Development in action I New technology in health and education
Project
TB REACH
Location
Worldwide
Client
STOP TB Partnership
Tuberculosis (TB) is a
curable disease but it still
kills three people every
minute. Early diagnosis
and treatment are vital.
TB REACH is a global
programme that provides
grants to organisations that
make use of innovative
technologies to improve
detection rates among
poor and hard to reach
populations in low income
countries. Our role is
to assess whether the
programme is delivering
real value for money and
achieving its intended
outcomes – effective care
for all who need it and the
progressive eradication
of TB. In the first year
alone the programme
achieved a 33% increase
in case detection and to
date close to 2M people
have been treated in
nearly 50 countries.
Project
Transforming Teacher
Education and Learning
Location
Ghana
Client
UK aid
Getting well-trained
teachers into Ghana’s
schools is critical for
upskilling its population
and strengthening its
economy. Transforming
Teacher Education and
Learning (T-TEL), a four
year programme managed
by us, is harnessing
cutting-edge technology
to transform the delivery
of teacher training in the
country. The Raspberry
Pi, a low-cost credit
card-sized computer, will
enable student teachers to
make the most of limited
internet connectivity
at colleges and access
quality teaching materials.
This is believed to be the
first time that a UK aid-
supported international
development programme
has used technology of
this kind. T-TEL is also
providing colleges with
tablets to enable trainees
to access resources that
support their professional
development and learn
how to use mobile
computers as teaching
aids in the classroom.
Project
Strengthening South Africa’s
Revitalised Response to AIDS
and Health (SARRAH)
Location
South Africa
Client
UK aid
MomConnect aims
to improve maternal
health and reduce child
mortality in South Africa by
registering expectant girls
and women on a national
database and sending
regular text messages
to their mobile phones
to help them during their
pregnancy and look after
their baby’s health. It was
launched after research
revealed that, with 95%
of pregnant women and
mothers having access
to a mobile phone, it was
a more effective channel
for communicating public
health advice than radio or
television. MomConnect
was rolled out as part
of the UK aid-funded
SARRAH programme
of mHealth initiatives.
Project
School inspection system
Location
Jamaica
Client
World Bank
Years of a child’s education
can be ‘lost’ if bad
teaching goes undetected.
Our consultants are
helping Jamaica to make
sweeping improvements
to its school inspection
system that will improve
life chances for young
people and boost the
island’s economic
prospects. We developed
an innovative software
portal to schedule
inspections, capture data
in the field, and create and
share reports, the ultimate
benefits of which are
more and higher quality
inspections to support
school improvement plans.
Delivering better outcomes
by using the right technology
Building healthier communities
Training community health
workers at Efaye clinic,
KwaZulu-Natal, to capture
data using mobile phones for
the SARRAH programme.
AnthonyHuszar
T-TEL

6. 10 I Development in action I Engaging with communities
Community engagement is key
to the long-term sustainability
of international development
projects. Carole Lelarge, one
of our social development
consultants, explains how we
achieve it on our programmes.
10 ways
we engage
communities
1.Investment in research
Engaging with
communities requires
insight and understanding
of the realities on the
ground where programmes
are to be delivered.
We invest time and
money in learning about
the challenges people
face, the environment
they live in, and their
cultures and traditions.
2.Working in partnership
We develop strong,
long-term partnerships
with NGOs, stakeholders
and community groups,
and draw on their local
knowledge. This helps us
to develop relationships
with communities
based on respect,
trust and openness.
3.Effective communications
We make extensive
use of different kinds
of communication to
keep communities fully
aware of a project’s aims
and progress. Making
information widely
available promotes buy-in
and encourages volunteers
to come forward and
participate in projects.
4.Evidence-based
management
During the course of a
programme we gather
evidence of what works
and what doesn’t to drive
continuous improvement.
It helps us to keep
communities informed
of how our interventions
are achieving results.
5.Empowerment of
local communities
Devolving decision-
making fosters a
sense of ownership
among beneficiaries.
Communities are able
to identify their priorities
and needs themselves,
and feel empowered and
become proactive about
tackling the issues that
affect them the most.
6.Gender and social equity
To engage all sections
of a community it is
essential that girls, women
and vulnerable and
marginalised groups are
given a voice. Several
of our projects stipulate
that decision-making
bodies must include
female members.
7.Strengthening
accountability
Local accountability fosters
buy-in and ownership and
is especially important
in fragile or conflict
affected nations with weak
government structures. In
Nigeria, for example, we
are strengthening school
governance frameworks to
enable education reforms
and raise standards.
9.Creating demand
for services
The success of our English
in Action teacher training
programme in Bangladesh
led to demand from
other teachers for similar
services. They organised
themselves into groups
and sourced funds locally
to deliver training.
10.Highlighting benefits
of resilience
We demonstrate how
projects designed to
strengthen the resilience
of communities to
withstand climate change
can contribute to economic
prosperity, encouraging
participation in their day-
to-day management.
8.Co-ordination with
government
We sustain new practices
by finding ways to
embed programme
activities in local and
regional government
systems and structures.
This means that when
a project ends, its work
can continue, and even
be scaled up, as part of a
government-led initiative.
AndreeaCâmpeanu/CharlieGoldsmithAssociates
EnglishinAction

7. 12 I Development in action I Engaging with communities
Towering challenges
An estimated 2M children
in South Africa have lost
one or both parents to
AIDS. They face challenges
that tower above their
years – an absence
of parental protection,
the burden of loss and
grief, and heightened
vulnerability to child abuse,
neglect and exploitation.
Thousands of people have
stepped up to volunteer
in their communities
to care for and protect
orphans and other
vulnerable children, but
they often lack the skills
to help them effectively
and need emotional
support themselves.
Taking care
of the carers
Thogomelo means ‘caring’
or ‘taking care’ in Venda, one
of South Africa’s 11 national
languages. It is a fitting name
for a project we co-managed
that aims to care for and
protect the Rainbow Nation’s
vulnerable children by increasing
the knowledge, abilities and
wellbeing of those who are
responsible for them.
Sustainable solution
We partnered with PATH
and the International HIV/
AIDS Alliance to design
interventions that are cost-
efficient, sustainable, and
relevant to tackling South
Africa’s HIV crisis and the
needs of people living in
poverty. The Thogomelo
project maintains a dual
focus on delivering child
protection training and
psychosocial support to
community caregivers. We
helped to draw up three
nationally accredited skills
development programmes,
incorporating exemplar
training practices, and
develop the capacity of
training service providers.
Enduring outcome
The five year project was
extended by three years,
and then for a further year,
and is set to become an
enduring part of South
Africa’s child protection
efforts now that the
government has agreed
to take over the project. In
eight years the Thogomelo
project has trained 3650
people. The wealth of
training materials and
learning aids produced can
be accessed by providers
across South Africa, and
are applicable in any
setting or country where
there are community-
based initiatives to support
vulnerable children.
Project
Thogomelo
Location
South Africa
Client
USAID
KerryMangold

8. Seeking out hidden hunger I Development in action I 1514 I Development in action I Seeking out hidden hunger
Seeking
out hidden
hunger
Malnutrition caused by
micronutrient deficiencies
threatens the lives and life
chances of children and adults
across the globe. We are
tackling this form of hunger
in Pakistan by improving access
to nutritious food for more
than half its population.
Special report by Lucy Palmer, Mott MacDonald health
specialist, and Radhika Srivastava, Micronutrient
Initiative regional communications manager – Asia
©MicronutrientInitiative

9. 16 I Development in action I Seeking out hidden hunger
The effects of poor
nutrition on health
Razia Bibi fears for her
two-year-old daughter,
Atiqua. The toddler has a
poor appetite and does not
play as much as the other
children in her family’s
home village. Atiqua is
less active because she
is malnourished, a victim
of ‘hidden hunger’.
Lack of vitamins and
minerals such as vitamin A,
iodine and iron is the main
cause of ‘hidden hunger’,
so named because it
tends not to show any
outward symptoms.
This form of malnutrition
affects more than 2bn
people worldwide.
Pakistan is one of the
countries worst affected.
The last national nutrition
survey revealed that 50%
of women of reproductive
age were anaemic. In
children under five, 44%
had stunted growth and
32% were underweight.
New hope for the malnourished
Now there is hope for children like Atiqua. UK aid is
funding the Food Fortification Programme (FFP) as
part of its five year Supporting Nutrition in Pakistan
scheme, which will complement the Government
of Pakistan’s own efforts to combat malnutrition.
The FFP initiative will be jointly implemented and
run by Mott MacDonald, which has managed
large-scale health improvement programmes in
Pakistan for more than 10 years, and Micronutrient
Initiative (MI), a Canadian not-for-profit organisation
which has run a wide range of nutrition and fortification
projects in Pakistan for a similar length of time.
Food fortification involves adding micronutrients to
foods that are widely consumed. The aim of FFP
is to enhance the lives of millions of vulnerable women
and children by improving their access to sufficient
nutritious and safely fortified wheat flour and edible oil.
Nearly half of the programme’s £46M budget will
go towards equipment for wheat and oil millers and
subsidies on premix they can add to their products.
Food fortification
for the masses
In Pakistan, the Universal
Salt Iodisation programme,
supported by MI, helped
to increase the number
of Pakistani households
consuming iodised salt
from 17% to 60% since
2006, contributing to
a reduction in iodine
deficiency disorders such
as mental impairment
in newborns, goiter
(swelling of the thyroid
gland) and stillbirth.
FFP is on a much bigger
scale. The ambition is to
get 57% of Pakistan’s 190M
population consuming
fortified flour and 72% of
the population consuming
fortified oil (or ghee). When
combined with nutritional
education, improved food
safety and micronutrient
supplementation, food
Effective enforcement
of standards
We are engaging with
key Pakistani public and
private sector players,
such as district, provincial
and national governments.
Our remit includes
providing support to
strengthen fortification
standards, mandatory
legislation and regulatory
frameworks, and making
certain there is effective
government enforcement
against businesses not
adequately fortifying food
or guilty of supplying
adulterated or counterfeit
goods. The backing
of the food industry is
equally important and
we will be working
closely with industry
associations, mill owners
and managers to obtain
buy-in and build capacity.
For food fortification to
work, it is necessary
to ensure that the food,
once fortified, retains its
original properties – in
particular its appearance
and taste – in order to
be easily accepted by
people. Advertising and
marketing campaigns will
be needed to persuade
consumers to pay a little
extra for genuine products
and not buy cheaper
products that may be
adulterated or fake.
44%of children aged under
five in Pakistan have
stunted growth
72%of Pakistan’s population
could benefit from FFP
33%FFP aims to reduce
iron deficiency
anaemia among
women of reproductive
age by a third
©MicronutrientInitiative
fortification can yield
sustained improvements
in nutritional health. It
is estimated FFP could
contribute to a one third
reduction in iron deficiency
anaemia among children
under five and women of
reproductive age, a 50%
reduction in neural tube
defects in newborns and
a one third reduction in
vitamin A deficiency.
FFP/BlackBoxMedia

10. Seeking out hidden hunger I Development in action I 19
Project
South Sudan Agribusiness
Development Programme
Location
South Sudan
Client
Government of the Netherlands
More than 25 years of
conflict have destroyed
much of South Sudan’s
agricultural production
capacity, making the
nation highly dependent
on food imports and
causing 51% of the
population to live below
the poverty line. With the
lack of public funds to
invest in the sector, the
South Sudan Agribusiness
Development Programme
(SSADP) is promoting
entrepreneurship to
reduce poverty and
improve food security.
By improving access to
support and lending from
commercial banks, the
project aims to establish or
strengthen 250 small and
medium agribusinesses
and farms by 2017.
How we are
alleviating hunger
in other parts
of the world
Project
Framework for Resilience and
Effectiveness of Irrigation Systems
Location
Nepal
Client
UK aid
Agriculture supports
the majority of Nepal’s
population and contributes
30% towards the country’s
GDP. However, the sector’s
infrastructure is vulnerable
to climate change while
population growth means
land holdings are now so
small that they struggle to
meet even the subsistence
needs of most families.
We are developing a
framework to improve
the planning and delivery
of resilient, effective
irrigation systems that
suit the requirements of
small- and medium-scale
farmers. Our study will
help direct investment to
where it is needed most
to boost the country’s
agricultural productivity
and its economy.
Project
Char Development and
Settlement Project Phase IV
Location
Bangladesh
Client
Government of the
Netherlands/IFAD
Every year flooding,
cyclones and erosion
destroy the homes and
livelihoods of up to 30,000
Bangladeshi families.
Many of these uprooted,
destitute people are forced
to resettle on vast banks of
sedimentary material that
build up in river deltas and
along the coastline. Known
as ‘chars’, this marginal
land is regularly flooded,
making it difficult to grow
crops. The objective of the
Char Development and
Settlement Project Phase
IV is to reduce poverty and
hunger by building climate-
resilient infrastructure that
offers protection against
tidal and storm surges, and
by providing households
with a legal title to land.
Food fortification is a
very cost-effective public
health intervention.
According to the
Copenhagen Consensus,
a team of Nobel laureate
economists, for every
US$1 spent on reducing
chronic undernutrition,
there is a US$30 return
on investment through
greater productivity
and reduced healthcare
expenditure. The team also
found that micronutrient
interventions – fortification
and supplementation with
vitamins and minerals
– were the most cost-
effective investment.
The international nutrition
community agrees, and
the FFP initiative was
designed with this in mind.
The road ahead appears
both promising and
challenging. Nevertheless,
a first step has been made
towards ending hidden
hunger in Pakistan – and
ensuring that its most
vulnerable people can
look forward to a brighter
and healthier future.
Follow FFP’s progress
on Twitter @ffp_pk
Forevery
U
S$1spent
on
reducing
chronic
undernutrition,there
is
a
U
S$30
return.
IFAD

11. Closing the gender gap I Development in action I 2120 I Development in action I Closing the gender gap
For decades gender equity has been a core element
of all the projects designed by Mott MacDonald –
across governance, education, health, private sector
development, water, environment and social protection
– creating pathways to empower girls and women in
developing countries around the world. In each of these
programmes, we strive to improve the economic and
social status of women and strengthen their resilience
to sustainably manage their own lives and livelihoods.
Here’s how we are working to promote
gender equity and equal access to rights and
opportunities across all sectors of society:
Collecting better data on women enables us to
learn more about their needs and design projects
that are more effective at reducing inequality.
For the RWASH programme in Nepal we developed
a monitoring and evaluation framework and a
web-based management information system that
were gender sensitive. This had a major impact
on raising awareness of gender issues at national
and district levels in a nation where women play
a key role in rural water supply and sanitation.
By employing a certain
percentage of women in
leadership and decision-
making roles, our
projects help to promote
women’s interests.
As part of a water
treatment plant project in
Bangladesh, we consulted
local women on the
design and installation
of new piped water
supply systems. It had a
positive effect on women’s
livelihoods – spending
less time collecting water
meant women could take
up paid employment.
Closing the
gender gap
Tackling gender inequity is a moral
imperative, says Mott MacDonald
consultant Tahmina Shafique, but it
is also crucial to alleviating poverty
and building sustainable societies.

12. Closing the gender gap I Development in action I 2322 I Development in action I Closing the gender gap
Investing in sexual and
reproductive health
services gives girls and
women more control over
their fertility, improving
their ability to finish
school and find jobs.
We were commissioned to
evaluate the Nepal Ministry
of Health’s initiatives to
increase access to quality
family planning services
to particular groups of
women and young girls
who have the highest
need and demand for
family planning. This
included studies to
better understand factors
affecting access to, and
use of, family planning
services among four
selected population
groups in Nepal: migrant
couples, the urban poor,
young people, and
muslim communities.
10%When 10% more girls go
to school, a country’s
GDP increases by
an average of 3%
150MClosing the gender
gap in agriculture
could lift 100M to 150M
people out of hunger
$120Achieving universal
access to sexual and
reproductive health
services could yield
a return of $120 for
every dollar spent
Source: High-Level Task Force for
the International Conference on
Population and Development (2015)
“We can’t close the
gender gap without
closing the data gap.”
Melinda Gates
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Promoting female entrepreneurship helps
women to contribute to the family income,
which increases their status in households.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Rural Development
Project in Bangladesh has boosted employment
opportunities for women excluded from society due
to cultural stigma. Outcomes include: 2500 women
employed as labourers with equal wages for men
and women; separate sanitation facilities and day-
care for women with infants; 50% of market spaces
allocated to women sellers and entrepreneurs; training
courses in vegetable production for women.
Improving women’s official recognition
within agriculture gives them more
control over their livelihoods.
We are currently implementing the South Sudan
Agribusiness Development Programme, which
aims to help establish or strengthen 250 small and
medium businesses and farms. Gender equity is
being promoted in this programme, not just through
the explicit inclusion of women on training courses,
but also through the inclusion of the South Sudan
Women Entrepreneurs Association on the project
steering committee, which meets twice a year.
Widening access to
education not only
improves young women’s
employment prospects,
they learn more about
their rights and how
to enforce them.
The EQUIP-Tanzania
programme is
strengthening the quality
of primary education,
especially for girls, in
seven educationally
disadvantaged regions
of Tanzania. It will deliver
better education outcomes
for more than 2M children
and high-quality training
for 48,000 teachers.
Better education outcomes
The EQUIP-Tanzania programme
is improving the quality of
teaching and learning in primary
schools, especially for girls.
IFAD

13. Closing the gender gap I Development in action I 2524 I Development in action I Closing the gender gap
Project
Blue Gold
Location
Bangladesh
Client
Government of the Netherlands
The Blue Gold programme
will stabilise an area of
115,000ha across four
of Bangladesh’s coastal
districts and improve the
safety of the population
by strengthening dykes
and clearing silt from
drainage channels.
Management of the fragile
land is crucial to the
region’s long-term socio-
economic development
Think water
management
is just about
water?
Think again.
and the alleviation of food
and water insecurity.
We formed water
management organisations
(WMOs) to give local
people control over the
work affecting their lives
and stipulated that women
make up 30% of the
membership, including at
executive committee level.
By allocating almost a
third of places to women,
we ensure their voices
are heard and that they
can shape the future of
their communities. This
has a positive effect
in the villages more
generally. With visible
female leaders, women
and especially young
girls feel empowered
to take on other roles
in the community.
The WMOs are
complemented by Farmer
Field Schools (FFS)
which equip people with
skills in horticulture and
aquaculture, helping
them to improve the
quality and diversity of
their produce and create
new streams of income.
One of the women to
benefit is Mahinoor
Begum, who used to
struggle to grow enough
vegetables on her
homestead in Dakshin-
Purba Kalbari to just feed
herself and her family.
She attended the FFS in
her village and learnt how
to grow a wider range
of crops: country beans,
sweet gourd, papaya and
brinjal (aubergine). She
is now able to harvest
produce every week,
and she has also begun
rearing poultry, again using
skills taught by the FFS.
The steady income from
her fruit and vegetables
and poultry has enabled
Mahinoor to start clearing
her debts, pay for her
daughter’s education
and plan for a brighter
future. In her words:
“Blue Gold has been a
blessing to my family.”
Project
Amaqhawe
Location
South Africa
Client
US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
‘Nothing for us without
us’ has become a popular
slogan. The Amaqhawe
programme puts it into
practice – it is designed
by and for the sex
workers it seeks to help.
Amaqhawe aims to reduce
HIV infection among sex
workers who frequent
taverns in Gert Sibande,
Mpumalanga, a district
experiencing a severe
epidemic and one of the
worst affected by South
Africa’s HIV crisis.
The area straddles
several major trucking
routes and has numerous
drinking places where
drivers stop and local
women, who have few
employment opportunities,
engage in sex work.
Despite a clear need for
HIV prevention initiatives,
our research found that
there were no projects
targeting this high-risk
population. In response,
we developed the five year
Amaqhawe programme.
Amaqhawe delivers risk
reduction workshops
which offer advice on
health, safe sex and
nutrition, and guidance
on protection from the
threat of crime, rape and
gender-based violence.
Every quarter the
programme publishes a
glossy ‘Cosmopolitan’-
style magazine, the
first high-end health
promotional material of
its kind for sex workers,
which combines articles
on beauty and fashion
with key messages around
HIV risk reduction and sex
workers’ rights if arrested.
Research has revealed that
the magazine resonated
with sex workers and they
were acting on the advice
provided in the articles.
‘Nothing for us without us’
KhalidHossainAyonandAnisPervez

14. Girls’ Education South Sudan I Development in action I 2726 I Development in action I Girls’ Education South Sudan
Healing
a nation
through
education
Mott MacDonald is leading an
innovative education programme
in South Sudan designed to
transform the lives of 200,000
girls and help lift their families
and communities out of poverty.
By tackling ingrained stigmas
surrounding the education of
girls we are contributing to the
long-term development of the
world’s youngest country.
Project
Girls’ Education South Sudan
Location
South Sudan
Client
UK aid
AndreeaCâmpeanu/CharlieGoldsmithAssociates

15. 28 I Development in action I Girls’ Education South Sudan Girls’ Education South Sudan I Development in action I 29
Barriers to success
South Sudan, a young
nation where 51% of
the 10M population live
beneath the poverty
line, faces huge practical
challenges in rebuilding
itself following decades
of civil war and now
new internal conflict. By
giving an education to
girls, communities gain
a tool to break the cycle
of intergenerational
poverty. Yet, the barriers
to success are high in a
country where only one
girl in ten completes
primary education, and
girls comprise just a
third of the secondary
school population.
The primary aim of Girls’
Education South Sudan
(GESS) is to transform
the lives of a generation
by improving teaching
and learning in schools,
and increasing access,
retention and completion
among primary and
secondary schoolgirls. A
key challenge has been
changing perceptions
about female education in
patriarchal communities.
Girl-friendly learning
GESS is rooted in a
communication campaign,
which aims to bring
changes in social and
individual behaviour
towards girls’ education,
and a whole-school
development approach.
Working with schools
and community-based
organisations, our
specialist team is helping
to build partnerships with
governments to create
safe, girl-friendly learning
environments in schools.
A key component of GESS
is to encourage enrolment
and retention of girls by
providing cash transfers
to girls in education. In
addition, capitation grants
to all not-for-profit schools
help supplement running
costs and improve learning
environments to make
them more attractive
and student-oriented.
So far, 120,000 girls
have received direct
payments, freeing them
to stay in school by
supporting their families,
while over 3000 schools
have received grants.
Rapid progress
The programme aims to
benefit at least 150,000
girls in primary school and
50,000 girls in secondary
school, and share the
lessons nationwide. To
date more than 240,000
girls and 300,000 boys
have benefited from the
programme’s broader
package of support, a
million other girls will
be reached through
communications to
families, communities
and leaders, while learning
outcomes will improve and
drop-out and repetition
rates will decrease
across South Sudan.
Progress has been rapid.
On 7 July 2015, National
Girl Education Day in
South Sudan, the
combined enrolment at
primary and secondary
schools broke the 1M
barrier for the first time,
of which 417,116 were girls.
Putting communities on
the same frequency
One of the most innovative aspects of the GESS project
is the use of radio broadcasts – created by BBC Media
Action – to tackle prejudice and raise awareness of the
importance of education for girls.
Broadcast in seven local languages on 29 radio stations,
‘Our School’ is a series of 15 minute factual programmes
that includes real-life stories of girls, families and schools
to highlight the benefits of girls staying in school.
The producers use local voices to discuss the negative
cultural attitudes and practices that can hinder girls’
education. These barriers range from leaving girls to
walk to school on their own – where they will often face
harassment – or giving them too much housework to do
when they come home. At the same time, through
positive role models, the programme shows girls how
they can succeed.
For those ‘media-dark’ areas – where there is no radio
network – GESS has found ways to help audiences listen
on wind-up or solar-powered media players.
South Sudan is a melting pot of different tribes and
languages, so the outreach teams organise listener
groups, street theatre and debates – which mirror the
themes set out in each radio programme – for those
communities that speak a different language from the
one broadcast.
Transforming lives
through education
Posikina, a student in the
8th grade, takes part in
a lesson under a tree
at Genain Girls Primary
School in Wau.
AndreeaCâmpeanu/Charlie
GoldsmithAssociates

16. 30 I In Development I Girls’ Education South Sudan Girls’ Education South Sudan I Development in action I 31
‘‘The thirst for education is turning
things around’’
“I’m genuinely staggered by the success
of this project in a context where
conflict has re-emerged in what was a
post-conflict nation, with schools closing
and attendance falling. The local
thirst for education is turning the
situation around in a way that might
surprise people who are sceptical
about international development.
“Before we tendered for the contract,
ten of us spent time in South Sudan
to find out what each of the individual
states really wanted. We spoke to
children, parents, carers, chiefs
and administrators in person. We
asked them what they needed, and
how best to make that happen.
“We learnt that lack of education
in South Sudan is tied to poverty,
rather than cultural taboo. By putting
money directly in the hands of girls
and schools – without strict conditions
– we were told that this could provide
opportunities that weren’t there
before. Indeed this has proved
to be the case. Every day, our teams
need to think on their feet. This initiative
succeeds through the efforts of local
people who know the best way to
engage local communities.”
John Shotton
Design team leader, Mott MacDonald
One of the outcomes of GESS has been to help
South Sudan achieve the United Nations-backed
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In particular,
it addressed MDG1: Eradicate extreme poverty
and hunger, MDG2: Achieve universal primary
education, and MDG3: Promote gender equality
and empower women. GESS runs until 2018 and will
therefore also contribute to the UN’s new Sustainable
Development Goals on education and gender.
The experiences of GESS may provide best
practice for similar projects worldwide. For
example, the production of radio dramas in local
languages has shown to create awareness and
stimulate discussion about girls’ education.
The use of direct cash transfers to girls who
regularly attend school is tackling poverty barriers
to education, and injecting money into communities
where it is needed most. Likewise, the cash grants for
schools ensure that infrastructure and teachers are
prioritised. The distribution of both of these economic
measures depends on accurate attendance data
and the application of real-time SMS technology
to accomplish this can be replicated elsewhere.
The programme is also generating valuable
knowledge and evidence about girls’ education
in a post-conflict context.
A benchmark for innovation
Looking smart
Schoolgirls wearing the new
uniforms they bought with the
money they received through the
project’s cash transfer scheme.
AndreeaCâmpeanu/CharlieGoldsmithAssociates

17. Helping to keep the peace after the war I Development in action I 3332 I Development in action I Helping to keep the peace after the war
Helping to keep the
peace after the war
Managing development programmes in
war-torn parts of the world requires innovation
and flexibility. We design tailor-made interventions
that enable recovering nations to provide the basic
services that improve the lives of people in need.
Special report by Bert Koppers, senior consultant, Mott MacDonald
Working in fragile, conflict
and post-conflict affected
states presents some of
the toughest challenges
that we are ever likely
to face in international
development.
In these scenarios we
face challenges to
the design, planning,
management, monitoring
and evaluation of projects
and programmes as
we are confronted with
high levels of risk and
uncertainties compared
to working in more stable
parts of the world.
Governance is often
‘absent’, with a lack of will
and/or the resources to
provide people with even
the most basic services –
clean water, healthcare,
and education, in a secure
environment, and where
there is transparency and
accountability of those
who take decisions.
Such states where we
are currently working
include Afghanistan,
Democratic Republic of
Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Somalia, Somaliland,
South Sudan and Yemen.
Flexibility is key
Working in volatile,
governance-light
environments requires
an approach to
programme design and
management that allows
for maximum flexibility
so that interventions can
be quickly adapted or
redirected, scaled up or
down, or, if necessary,
even discontinued.
If we are to succeed at
supporting large-scale
systemic change, we need
to know what works, under
what conditions, why and
how. More importantly,
we need to learn from our
mistakes, and then adapt
and change quickly.
This ‘learning by doing’
approach is more effective
than offering a fixed
technical solution at
the outset. Operational
flexibility, along with
adaptability and
experimentation, enables
us to develop innovative,
sustainable solutions
that provide donors and
financial institutions with
optimum value for money.
Flexibility, however,
can still be combined
with predetermined
administrative and
financial demands, such as
mitigating against fiduciary
risks through robust
systems and procedures.
Our main focus should
always be on the
achievement of results
rather than just the
delivery of outputs or
ticking boxes. Close and
systematic monitoring
is necessary to assess
whether outputs are
contributing to improving
people’s lives. Contracts
with subcontractors
should set down payment
mechanisms based on
achievement of milestones
and adherence to key
performance indicators.
If we are to succeed at supporting
large-scale systemic change, we
need to know what works, under
what conditions, why and how.
More importantly we need to learn
from our mistakes, and then adapt
and change quickly.
KateMartin

18. Helping to keep the peace after the war I Development in action I 3534 I Development in action I Helping to keep the peace after the war
Improving accountability
Irrespective of their
content, projects and
programmes in fragile,
conflict and post-conflict
states are ultimately all
aimed at rebuilding a
responsive state that is
accountable to its citizens.
Limited provision of
services and the absence
of legal and regulatory
frameworks prevent the
development of a strong,
accountable relationship
between a government
and the population.
This hampers efforts to
build political stability,
social cohesion and
economic prosperity.
Improved governance
is intrinsically linked to
increased accountability
and transparency, which
is vital as these states
not only have to be seen
as being capable but
also trustworthy. Better
governance will help to
strengthen the state-
citizen relationship.
By increasing
accountability and
transparency, we help
governments and
institutions to build up
levels of trust among their
citizens and stakeholders
for spending public
funds wisely and fairly,
and achieving clear and
sustained outcomes.
This is essential to
attract international aid
and bolster domestic
revenue generation.
We are currently
working in Somalia
where accountability for
spending of public funds
and achieving effective
outcomes is limited due
to the political situation
and the legacies of its
long-lasting conflict.
We are tasked with
shaping the definition of
accountability, translating
ideas into practical results-
oriented actions that are
acceptable, workable
and affordable. We’re
also responsible for
evaluating performance
of subcontractors so that
good practices can be
rapidly replicated and
repeat failures avoided.
Reaching out to
communities
Funding from international
donors and lenders
often also hinges on the
provision of effective
social protection. This
encompasses cash
transfers, social insurance,
school meals, health
insurance, micro credit
and skills development.
We provide support to
governments to take
over responsibility for
the planning and delivery
of these basic services,
helping them to reach
out to communities most
affected by conflict.
We design social
protection programmes
that will deliver consistent
standards of service – by,
for example, improving
the reliability of benefit
payments – which will
help to reduce extreme
poverty. It’s all part of the
nation-building process.
Improving water access for
communities in Somaliland
The Government of Somaliland, which proclaimed
independence from Somalia in 1991, currently lacks the
skills, systems and resources to ensure effective delivery
of services to its citizens. In fact, most services are
provided by the private sector, communities, NGOs or
development partners.
Abdi Hashi, an agro-pastoralist, lives in Laalayska,
a village about 24km west of Somaliland’s capital,
Hargeisa. Lack of water in the region has turned the
trees black and the soil dry.
Over recent years, persistent water scarcity, recurrent
droughts and soil erosion have led to poor harvests and
killed many of the livestock he owned.
A project implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, and
funded by the Somaliland Development Fund (SDF), aims
to improve access to water in the area through the
construction of soil bunds – conservation structures that
reduce hillside run-off, increase water infiltration and
prevent soil erosion. Berkads, underground water tanks
designed to store water, are also being renovated.
“The project was launched at a crucial time when severe
land degradation had already occurred,” Hashi says. “It
had become so bad that we were very worried about the
future of our land which is quickly turning into a desert in
front of us.
“Before, most of the people used to travel a long
distance, up to 6km, to fetch water. This is no longer
necessary.”
Even if rain fails, they can now call for water trucks to fill
the berkad. “This is more sustainable and makes life
easier,” he adds.
Managed by us, the SDF is supporting the Government
of Somaliland in the delivery of basic services and the
communication of results to build accountability and
transparency.
At the same time, this will strengthen the state-citizen
relationship and enhance domestic revenue generation.
This, in turn, should lead to more stability and prosperity
in Somaliland.
Improved governance is intrinsically
linked to increased accountability and
transparency, which is vital as these
states not only have to be seen as
being capable but also trustworthy.
Collecting water is a daily task for many
Lack of basic services, such as clean water, prevent
the development of a strong, accountable relationship
between a government and the population.

19. 36 I Development in action I Helping to keep the peace after the war
It is common for people to walk for hours to gather
water in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one
of the least developed countries in the world following
years of bitter civil war and intra-regional conflict.
It’s a daily, backbreaking chore typically undertaken
by girls and women, who often have to travel
through unsafe areas in their search for water
– many are victims of rape or assaults. They
have no choice because they cannot afford the
prices charged for water by street vendors.
Even when they find a natural source of
water so they can cook, wash and drink, it is
not clean, which can make them sick.
More than half of DRC’s population are in need of
adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH)
services. Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian NGO,
is being funded by UK aid
to improve access to safe
drinking water and basic
sanitation for the residents
of the two largest urban
centres in Eastern DRC
– Goma and Bukavu.
We provided technical
advice and quality
assurance on the Mercy
Corps proposal for the
design and implementation
of the infrastructure
needed to deliver potable
water at a reasonable cost.
We supply critical
independent review and
insight on current best
practices with respect
to design, public private
partnerships, tariff
Some parts of Pakistan are extremely fragile and
conflict affected, which include the southern
districts of Punjab and the northern districts of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where we are supporting
the UK aid-funded Provincial Health and Nutrition
Programme (PHNP). Other regions are prone to natural
disasters, particularly earthquakes and floods.
Stronger health systems and robust health and nutrition
services can help to reduce the impact and vulnerability
that conflict and disasters cause. We are improving
resilience in Pakistan’s health sector by working with
relevant public and private service providers to build
capacity to respond to emergencies, and develop
ways to aid recovery following major incidents.
A key part of our work involves drawing up health
reform roadmaps to drive delivery of immediate health
sector priorities and harness political commitment.
This puts senior political leaders firmly and visibly
in the ‘driving seat’ and enables them to demand
improved performance and accountability from
managers and service providers, helping to strengthen
the relationship between government and citizens,
a key building block of stability and resilience.
We have made substantial progress: the number of
deliveries with a skilled birth attendant present in
primary healthcare clinics has increased by more
than 20,000 a month, and immunisation coverage
increased from 52% to 70% during the first half of 2015.
Stronger health
systems and
robust health and
nutrition services
can help to reduce
the impact and
vulnerability
that conflict and
disasters cause.
setting, procurement
and payment systems,
along with guidance on
the new governance
mechanisms necessary
for communities to hold
providers accountable
for the delivery of WaSH
services. We also provide
recommendations on how
to make improvements
to infrastructure and
services to promote
gender equality.
The five year Mercy
Corps programme,
which runs until 2019,
will have significant and
sustainable impacts on the
region as the scheme will
initiate a transition from
post-conflict emergency
New infrastructure creates cleaner
and safer places to live in DRC
Strengthening health
systems will bolster
Pakistan’s resilience
recovery work to long-term
development planning.
With the installation of
tap stands linked to
reliable water networks
and located close to their
homes, the gathering
of water now takes
minutes for families. It
means children are free
to attend school, more
time for mothers to earn
an income, and improved
health for everyone.
It all adds up to a safer,
cleaner environment
and a better place to
live for the residents
of Goma and Bukavu.

20. ‘We don’t build roads for the sake of it’ I Development in action I 3938 I Development in action I ‘We don’t build roads for the sake of it’
‘We don’t
build roads
for the
sake of it’
Transport and urban infrastructure
projects are essential building
blocks for improving social
outcomes, writes Mott MacDonald
consultant Farook Chowdhury.
A new road or bridge
represents far more than
a quicker way for people
to get from A to B.
Improved transport
connections are routes
to prosperity for areas
of poverty, creating
economic corridors and
helping to rebalance
economic growth.
This is especially true
in developing countries.
This is what shapes our
thinking when we plan and
design transport schemes.
We don’t build roads for
roads’ sake. Our thinking
goes further. We look at
how connectivity can
alleviate poverty,
reduce inequality, and
bring other social and
economic benefits.
Improved mobility will
help people of all ages
to travel more efficiently,
more quickly, and give
farmers in rural areas
greater access to markets
in towns and cities.
With more than half of
the world’s population
living in cities and
urbanisation advancing
rapidly, our approach
to urban development
places priority on
improved resiliency
and sustainability,
healthier lifestyles,
and better provision
of essential services
to all income groups,
particularly the poor.
Inclusivity is high priority
If infrastructure schemes are to bring wider economic
and social benefits, they have to be inclusive. This is
why we pay particular attention to women, indigenous
communities and marginalised groups to learn how we
can improve their lives.
We conduct in-depth surveys and collect vast amounts
of data to understand the issues faced by the most
vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society.
We invite them to participate in workshops and focus
groups. The findings from our public consultations
heavily influence the final designs we put forward.
This ensures the business objectives of a project are
aligned with the development goals of the local people.
Having a shared vision results in an economic return
for both investors and the community.
We believe the impact of any investment in infrastructure
should not be measured purely in financial terms. Its full
value will only be realised if you consider all the human,
societal and environmental benefits it brings.

21. ‘We don’t build roads for the sake of it’ I Development in action I 4140 I Development in action I ‘We don’t build roads for the sake of it’
Project
Climate Change Adapted Urban
Development Programme
Location
Bangladesh
Client
KfW Development Bank
When tasked with
identifying ways to
strengthen the climate
resilience of the coastal
town of Satkhira in
Bangladesh, our
assessment paid particular
attention to the needs
of its most vulnerable
and disadvantaged
citizens. Following
public consultations,
we recommended
investments that would
benefit the poor and
women in particular. These
included improvements
to drainage, water supply
and sanitation, urban
roads, housing and
transport facilities. We
also identified climate
resilience measures that
would bring benefits to the
population not only during
extreme weather events
but also during normal
periods – for example,
providing adequate water
supply and sanitation
facilities in schools likely
to serve as temporary
shelters for residents made
homeless by flooding.
Project
Sustainable Rural Infrastructure
Improvement Project
Location
Bangladesh
Client
Asian Development Bank
Better transport
infrastructure is crucial
for the expansion of
Bangladesh’s national
economy. A key outcome
of this project has been
widening access to
economic opportunities
by upgrading 800km
of roads and building
cross-drainage structures,
such as culverts and
bridges. The facilities of
92 markets, known as
hats or bazaars, have
also been improved
including the construction
of dedicated sections for
women in 50 of them. The
project has raised incomes
in more than 20 districts.
Project
Chaglla Hydroelectric Power Plant
Location
Peru
Client
Inter-American
Development Bank
The Chaglla hydroelectric
plant not only provides
clean electricity – 6%
of Peru’s total energy
requirements – it has also
created 2500 direct jobs
and 10,000 indirect jobs in
the local town. A training
programme called ‘CREER’
was established to develop
local skills capacity for the
project. More than 1500
local people have acquired
masonry, carpentry and
driving skills at no cost
to them. Other positive
social impacts include
a new road which has
improved local residents’
access to health services,
education and trade.
Travelling to the nearest
main town previously took
six hours on a substandard
road, with no reliable
public transport available.
Now the journey takes
one hour and two local
transport companies
provide a regular bus
service on the new road.
Project
Institutional Capacity Building for
the Transport and Roads Sector
Location
Kenya
Client
European Commission
Improved transport links
promote trade which leads
to economic growth which
in turn alleviates poverty.
This was the objective
of our work in Kenya to
improve the management,
development and
maintenance of its
national, rural and urban
road networks. We
supported a range of
government institutions
in Kenya, including the
Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructure and Nairobi
City County. Our technical
assistance encompassed
asset management,
public private
partnership best practice,
transport planning,
traffic management,
public transport, road
safety, institutional
reforms, and legal and
procurement processes.
We apply our
lateral thinking
to all kinds of
infrastructure
projects
“This nationally significant project
will impact Peru’s economic
development considerably by creating
thousands of jobs and increasing
its electric generation capacity to
meet the needs of the country’s
rapidly growing economy.”
Clare Rhodes-James
Chaglla project director, Mott MacDonald

22. Meeting your challenges I Development in action I 4342 I Development in action I Meeting your challenges
Integrated Water Resources
Management Programme, Rwanda
Promoting social equity
among 13M people
Sexuality and HIV Prevention
Education Project, South Africa
Nearly 4000 young people
have benefited from this
HIV/AIDS project
National Cash Transfer
Programme, Pakistan
Alleviating poverty for
7M women and
their families
Teacher Development
Programme, Nigeria
Enhancing the life
chances of 2M young
Nigerians every year
Resilient Urban
Development, Sudan
Improving water, waste
and sanitation services
for 0.5M residents
Roads PPP
Programme, Brazil
Part of a US$66bn logistics
investment programme to
stimulate economic growth
Skills for Employment,
Mozambique
Training provided for more
than 5000 graduates
Meeting your
challenges
Mott MacDonald’s creative
and connected thinking is
centred around our clients.
We’re joined-up across
sectors and geographies,
giving you access to a vast
array of specialisms and
capabilities, encompassing
education, health,
infrastructure, urban
development, economic
and social development,
water, environment,
renewable energy and
climate change.
Working with us, you
get the advantages
of size and stability
that come from being
one of the world’s top
engineering, management
and development
consultancy firms.
Yet, you will benefit from
the kind of openness,
friendliness and personal
commitment you might
associate with a much
smaller business.
Whatever challenges our clients
face, and wherever in the world
they are located, we can deliver
the right combination of expertise.
Global know-how,
local delivery
To help you meet your
challenges, we can
draw on decades of
experience in international
development, the
resources and skills of
more than 16,000 staff
around the world and a
vast network of 180 offices.
We are proud of the teams
we put together and of
the results they achieve.
In 2015/16 we
worked on over
230international
development
projects in
more than
45countries

23. Opening opportunities with connected thinking.
ids@mottmac.com
mottmac.com/international-development