The document summarizes the significant service improvements achieved through social accountability initiatives in the health sector in Malga Woreda, SNNPRS, Ethiopia. Key results include the construction of residential houses for health professionals to improve access and availability of services, provision of medical supplies and equipment like motorbikes, and infrastructure improvements like additional toilet facilities. These changes addressed prior issues like lack of services especially at night due to professionals living far away. As a result, health service utilization has increased, especially for maternal and child health services, improving access to care, especially for vulnerable groups. Social accountability approaches like community scorecards were used to engage communities and stakeholders to prioritize issues and monitor improvements.
Remarkable health service improvements in Malga Woreda
1. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 1
Remarkable Results of Social Accountability Initiatives: The
Empirical Experiences of Action for Self Reliance Organization
(AFSR) and Its Partners1
1. Acknowledgements
Action for Self Reliance Organization (AFSR) and its partners would like to express their
deepest gratitude to MA of ESAP2 for its technical and financial supports for the
implementation of ESAP2 project. The print and compilation cost of this best practice
document was also covered by ESAP2.
The Ethiopian Social Accountability Program 2 (ESAP2) project coordination unit AFSR is
also very grateful to the project management and technical team members of AFSR and its
partners for their surpassed efforts on the overall preparation of this publication.
Special thanks must also go to the co-operating interviewees from sector offices, elected
councils, service providers, service users, and SAC members for their participation in
answering interview questions which has contributed a lot for the success of this
publication.
1
This empirical experience is prepared by Gebrye Kefelew, Senior Social accountability program Specialist at
AFSR
2. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 2
2. Introduction
Action for Self Reliance Organization (AFSR) is a registered “Ethiopian Resident Charity”
under the Ethiopian law (registration No: 0137) working with low income and marginalized
groups in development for self-reliance. AFSR was established in 2000 by a group of
development professionals. Over the past years, AFSR has grown more to serve the poorest,
most vulnerable and marginalized segments of the society through participatory community-
based development programs.
AFSR emphasizes on promoting sustainable economic development through awareness rising,
transfer of knowledge and skills, empowering women groups, and implementing green
livelihood strategies by consistently utilizing different development models and approaches
relevant to the targeted communities and beneficiaries. The overall development interventions
of AFSR can be summarized into five categories: Education, Health, Child Protection and
Development, Women Empowerment (WE) and Food Security and Environmental Protection.
At present, the organization is operating in Addis Ababa and SNNPR.
Vision: AFSR aspires to see a future Ethiopia without poverty where sustainable development
and people‟s empowerment prevail.
Mission: AFSR is dedicated to reduce the vulnerability of poor and marginalized groups by
working with them for improving their socio-economic conditions and that of their physical
environment.
Objectives:
1. Improve access to basic social services
2. Promote community empowerment with particular emphasis on women, children
and youth
3. Contribute to improve food security and sustainable climate change adaptation
mechanisms for low-income and marginalized groups
Values:
Partnership: We work together with local institutions, communities and donors to find best
solutions to problems.
Respect: We believe that differences are crucial for sustainable development.
Responsibility: We account for our work to our donors but above all to the communities and
local institutions we work with.
Self-Reliance: We are constantly improving our capabilities for guaranteeing high level
interventions, uniting long-term vision and know how
Governance: The General Assembly is the highest governing body and the Executive Board is
the advisory and supervisory organ of the organization. The overall day to day activities of the
organization is headed by the Executive Director and highly competent staff members.
3. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 3
3. Background
The Ethiopian Social Accountability Program 2 (ESAP2) is part of the Promotion of Basic
Services programs, which is implemented by the Government of Ethiopia at regional, woreda
and kebele levels in cooperation with the World Bank. The Program has a countrywide scope
and articulates the needs and concerns of citizens regarding their access to education, health,
water and sanitation, agriculture and rural roads. Working through civil society organizations,
the program opens up channels of communication between citizens, responsible government
bodies and public service providers. The overall objective of the Ethiopian Social Accountability
Program (ESAP2) is to strengthen the capacities of citizen groups and the Government to work
together in order to enhance the quality of basic public services delivered to citizens. The
program seeks to give voice to the needs and concerns of all citizens on the delivery and quality
of basic public services in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and
rural roads. Finally, the use of social accountability tools, approaches and mechanism by
citizens and citizens‟ groups, civil society organizations, local government officials and service
providers should result in more equitable, effective, efficient, responsive and accountable
public basic service delivery.
Action for Self Reliance Organization (AFSR) and its partners, OPRIFS (Organization for
Prevention, Rehabilitation and Integration of Female Street Children) and ASDA (Association
for Sustainable Development Alternatives) are among the civil society organizations that have
got the opportunity to implement ESAP2 project. These partner organizations have been
implementing ESAP2 project entitled the Together for change: Collaborate Community
Government and Civil Society to Enhance Social Accountability in Public Service Delivery since
January 2013 within five woredas by using various SA tools. These are:
SAIPS Region Woreda Applied SA tools Target
sectors
AFSR SNNPRS2 Hawassa CSC3 (January 2013- December 30/2014) Education
CSC and GRB4 (January 2015- December 31/2015) Education
AFSR SNNPRS Malga CRC5 (January 2013- December 30/2014) Health
CSC and GRB (January 2015- December 31/2015) WASH
OPRIFS Amhara Adet CRC (January 2013- December 30/2014 ) Health
CSC and GRB (January 2015- December 31/2015) WASH
OPRIFS AddisAba
ba
Arada
sub-city
CSC (January 2013- December 30/2014) Education
CSC and GRB (January 2015- December 31/2015) Education
ASDA Oromia Ziway
Dugda
CSC (January 2013- December 30/2014) Agriculture
CSC and GRB (January 2015- December 31/2015) WASH6
2
Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Regional State
3Community Score Card
4Gender Responsive Budgeting
5Citizen Report Card
6
Water and Sanitation
4. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 4
The project has resulted in various remarkable service improvements of the targeted sectors.
The service improvements are also focusing on improving the equitability, effectiveness,
efficiency, and responsiveness of the targeted sectors of all intervention Woredas. Thus, this
publication depicts AFSR‟s and its partners‟ experiences with social accountability project by
illustrating the most significant changes in service deliveries that have been achieved in
targeted sectors and woredas, its impact on the people, and how social accountability acts as a
catalyzing agent for the service improvements case by case.
4. Health Service Improvements in Malga Woreda of Sidama zone, SNNPRS
With the aim to improve the problems of poor basic public service deliveries in the health
sector, AFSR has been implementing ESAP2 project since January 2013 by using CRCi as SA
tool. Malga Woreda is located about 26 Kms from Hawassa town. Before ESAP2 was
introduced, the health centers in the Woreda faced various service provision problems. For
instance, lack of residential houses for medical staffs and accessible road (Haro and Tenkaro
health centers) and absence of tap water service in Manicho health center were few of the
problems that characterized the health centers. Consequently, Tenkaro health professionals
were forced to live in Wotera by travelling a 14 Kms trip on foot to and from the work place for
the roads ware not accessible with public transport. This situation had also aggravated the rate
of absenteeism at the health center. Similarly, Haro health center is found 10 Kms from the
main road with dry weather road which was also not accessible with public transport. The
professionals of this Health Center also lived outside the health center on a rent house. Due to
this, the communities were not provided proper health services. In fact, Mrs. Work Banta,
women representative from Tankaro kebele said “Due to absence of residence for the staffs in
the health center, previously we faced difficulty in getting service providers in Tenkaro Health
center especially at night session.” Similarly, Mr. Kebede Keyamo, Tenkaro kebele SAC
chairman said “For the last years, ambulance service was not provided in Haro and Tenkaro
due lack of accessible roads. The communities of Minicho town and health centers also used
pond and stream water for cleaning and drinking purposes. All these situations were worst for
women, people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHIV), children, and people with disabilities
(PLW).”
Results that have been achieved due to SA intervention in Malga Woreda
Social accountability intervention has resulted in a huge number of service improvements on
the accessibility, equitability, effectiveness, efficiency, and responsiveness of the health sector.
The following significant service improvements are worth mentioning on the health sector:
- Five midwifery professionals and three health officers have been deployed to the three
health centers as per the standard.
- Six toilet rooms have been constructed for service users in Haro Health Center.
- Five rooms for health professionals‟ residence were also constructed in Tenkaro health
center. Haro health center professionals‟ residence is also under construction
- Medical supplies have also been purchased for all health centers.
- Two motorbikes were purchased for Manicho and Tenkaro Health Center.
- The compound of the Manicho health center was cleaned.
5. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 5
- The awareness creating work done on mothers has improved delivery at the health
centers‟ in Malga woreda.
In addition to the aforementioned ones, other similar changes have also occurred in water and
rural road sectors such as the construction of accessible rural roads towards Haro and Tenkaro
health centers, and the installation of tap water in Malaga woreda. Alternative reasons cannot
be ruled out for these improvements, but various stakeholders (service users and service
providers) including Malga woreda government officials‟ credit SA initiatives for significantly
contributing to the outcomes.
The ways in which the changes and improvements have been brought about
To improve the problems of poor basic public service deliveries in Manicho, Tenkaro and Haro
health centers of Malga woreda, AFSR has conducted a CRC survey to prioritize and take into
account their needs and concerns. Women, men, vulnerable members of the community and
service providers have participated in the survey. Before conducting this CRC survey, AFSR had
established kebele and woreda SAC and organized extensive trainings for citizens, service
providers, government officials and SAC members on the concept of SA, its tools and how they
use the tools to build up evidences for dialogue. Then, the communities, government officials
and service providers have conducted interface meeting on CRC survey findings which resulted
in the identification of eleven major problems including: shortage of health professionals
(midwifery and health officer), lack of medical supply, lack of motor cycle in Manicho and
Tenkaro health centers, poor fencing of Tenkaro health center, absence of toilet in Haro health
center, low awareness of mothers to deliver at health centers, unclean compound in Manicho
and Haro health centers and long queue card registration in Manicho and Haro health centers.
During the interface meeting, a joint action plan (JAP) was developed which acts as service
improvement plan agreed by the Participants. Then, the JAP has been properly handed over to
SACs for follow up. Accordingly, AFSR and SAC members disseminated the findings of the CRC
survey and the JAP at kebele, woreda, Zonal, and regional levels for advocacy with relevant
stakeholders. For example, woreda and kebele SAC members together with other
representatives from service users and service providers have organized a meeting to discuss on
the JAP with Malga woreda council and other relevant sector offices. These actions have
resulted in the following outcomes:
- Woreda Water Office has allocated 3,237,200 ETB for the construction of Tap water
facility in Manicho town and health centers,
- Woreda Council approved a budget of 940,000 ETB for the construction of health
professionals‟ home in Haro and Tenkaro health centers.
- Woreda and kebele SAC members, woreda health office, and health centers
professionals and one to five development armies jointly conducted awareness raising
campaign on the importance of delivering at health centers by using one to five
development structures, self-helping Associations (Iddirs) and religious meetings
within 26 kebeles of Malga Woreda.
- Woreda health office also purchased two motor bikes with a total price of 200,000 ETB
for Manicho and Tenkaro health centers.
- The woreda council increased the annual medical budget of health centers from 40,000
to 170,000 ETB
- Woreda health office allocated 100,000 ETB to construct new toilet facilities in Haro
health center
6. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 6
- Woreda rural road program allocated 2,700,000 ETB for the construction of accessible
roads towards Haro and Tenkaro health centers.
- Communities have developed sense of ownership to demand quality services and have
also contributed to their improvement. In this regard, Getachew Tumura, who is an
Iddir representative said," service improvement is something that we are seeing because
of these kinds of efforts from services users; we are now able to voice our concerns.
Now, we are giving very good feedback for service providers and contributing our time
and resource to improve service provisions. For instance, communities have fenced
Tankaro Health Center with an estimated cost of 12,500 ETB; and the employees of
Manicho health center together with the dwellers started cleaning the health center
compound every 15 days.”
Reasons which make the service improvements so significant
The service improvements are very significant as they are essential basic services which
guarantee providing quality health services in particular and human existence with dignity in
general. For instance, the construction of Tenkaro health center professionals‟ residence has
resulted in the provision of quality services for women, people living with PLWHIV, children,
and PLW. In relation to this, Mr. Muse Garo, Malga Woreda health expert says, “following the
construction of professionals‟ residence due to SA initiatives, punctuality and office time have
been maintained, and absenteeism of health professionals became zero. Instead of travelling 14
kms per day on foot, the professionals are now living in their health center and serving the
communities for 24 hours. Besides, senior professionals, who previously requested us to
transfer to Wijigira health center (Town based), have now lifted their request for their need of a
house has been successfully answered here.
Mrs. Tigist Duguna, women representative from the catchment kebele of Tenkaro health center
says that they were not able to get proper health services for different emergency cases related
to delivery and other cases from Tenkaro health center during the previous times, especially at
night sessions as the professionals used to live in Wotera. As She says, the previous year, her
neighbor‟s son had been sick at night and was brought to the health center, but he hadn't got
services from the center due to that problem. But, they are then getting proper services at any
time from the health center as the professionals are living in the newly constructed residence,
TenkaroHealth Centerprofessionals‟residence,June2015
7. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 7
according to Tigist. The Women Representative also said that she had got proper cares and
supports while she delivered her child in the health center after the improvements
The woreda health office report also reinforced this. Because of the works done on community
capacity enhancement processes of SA, recruitment of health professionals, fulfillments of
health amenities and collaboration among stakeholders helped the three health centers to
attract higher numbers of outpatients, especially women seeking to give birth at health centers,
receive antenatal care and bring their children for immunizations. For example Mr. Birahanu
Samuel, Malga Woreda SAC & Woreda Health expert said, “Before gaining knowledge on their
entitlement through the SA project, most mothers in Malga woreda delivered in traditional
system, which exposed them to death and others harmful incidence. However, now as mothers
are equipped with the necessary knowledge on their entitlement; the number of women seeking
to give birth at health facilities in Malga woreda has increased from 17 percent to 50 percent as
compared to the previous years; they are also receiving antenatal care and bringing their
children for immunizations.”
Moreover, Abdela Shume, SAC member and service provider of Manicho health center said,
“The existed hand pump water service of Malga woreda was interrupted for the last three years
due to technical problem. Hence, the community and health centers used pond and stream
water for cleaning and drinking purposes. As a result, the communities were affected by water
borne diseases, but now, proper tap water has been installed by the Government with an
estimated cost of 3,237,200 ETB following SA initiatives and SAC members‟ pressure.
Therefore, SA project has brought us from darkness to light as it created great opportunity for
us to solve various service provision problems of our health center and absence of tap water in
Manicho Town simultaneously and also enabled us to use tap water for drinking and cleaning
purposes.”
Head of Tenkaro health center, Ashebir Mengstu says that ambulance service was unthinkable
during those years in Tenkaro health center due to lack of accessible roads though we had
ambulance car, due to this, the community used to transport patients to the health center by
carrying on shoulder through a wooden bed called „Karesa‟. That history has changed today,
thanks to the Almighty God! Ambulance services are now possible as a result of the
construction of accessible road towards Tenkaro health center.
Before SA intervention and hand pump
water was interrupted for the last three
years, Manicho health center used water
from this pond for different purposes.
Following SA initiatives, Manicho health
center is now enjoying tap water
8. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 8
The social accountability approach offers a number of particular benefits for PLWHIV and
PWD. In this regard, Mr. Dawit Amerew, representative of vulnerable groups said, “Due to SA
interventions, the woreda council has now increased the annual medical budget of the three
health centers. As a result of this, drug stores of the health centers are full of anti- retroviral
drugs and able to provide appropriate services to PLWHIV and other communities. The special
needs of PWD have also been considered during the construction of service users‟ toilet in Haro
Health Center. Besides, the woreda administration has planned to consider the special needs of
vulnerable groups in all basic service provisions systems.”
This achievement has resulted in various service improvements of the health center. In this
regard, Ato Muse Garo, Malga Woreda Health officer said that after the construction of
professionals‟ residence by SA initiatives, punctuality and office time is maintained, and
absenteeism of health professionals has minimized to zero level. Consequently, community
complaints incurred as a result of these factors decreased. Instead of travelling 14 kms per day
on foot, the professionals are living in their health center and serving the communities for 24
hours. He added that even those professionals who sought to be transferred to another place
have cancelled their request.
Other similar changes have also taken place in the health centers. Alternative reasons cannot
be ruled out for these improvements, but the health workers and Malga woreda Government
officials‟ credit SA initiatives for significantly contributing to the outcomes. In particular,
health professionals (midwifery and health officers) have been deployed in the three health
centers as per the standard. Card services of Tenkaro and Manicho health center are also now
computerized as ICT equipped staffs have been recruited in the card department. The woreda
council has increased the annual medical budget of each health center from 40,000 ETB to
170,000 ETB based on the demand of citizens and SAC members. As a result of this,
pharmacies of the three health centers are now full of essential drugs and able to provide
appropriate services to citizens. The Woreda health office has also allocated 100,000 ETB to
construct new toilet facilities for service users of Haro health center, therefore, experimental
examinations related to stool and urine are now easily conducted. In addition, woreda health
office has purchased two motor bikes with a total cost of 200,000 ETB for Manicho and
Tenkaro health centers.
Accessible road towards Tenkaro health center which was constructed by Malga
Woreda rural road program, June 2015
9. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 9
Moreover, the existed hand pump water service of Malga woreda was interrupted for the last
three years due to technical problems, according to Abdela Shume, SAC member and service
provider of Manicho health center. Hence, the community and health centers used pond and
stream water for cleaning and drinking purposes. As a result, communities and service
providers were affected by water borne diseases, but today, says Abdela, tap water was installed
by the Government with an estimated cost of 11,000,000 ETB following SA initiatives and SAC
members‟ pressure. As said by Abdela, SA project brought them from darkness to light as it has
created great opportunity for them to solve various service provisions problems of their health
center and absence of tap water in Manicho Town simultaneously, and enabled them to use tap
water for drinking and cleaning purposes.
In addition, Birahanu Samuel, Malga Woreda SAC & Woreda Health expert spoke, “Due lack of
awareness, most mothers in Malga woreda used to deliver in traditional way which exposed
them to death and others harmful incidences. To improve this, woreda and kebele SAC
members, woreda health office, health center professionals and 1to 5 development armies
jointly conducted awareness raising campaign on the importance of delivering at health centers
through the structures like 1 to 5 development army, self-helping associations (Iddirs), and
religious meetings within 26 kebeles of Malga Woreda. Thanks for our collaboration due to SA
initiative; the number of women seeking to give birth at health facilities in Malga woreda has
increased 17 percent to 50 percent as compared to previous years; they are also receiving
antenatal care and bringing their children for immunizations.”
Currently, service users have developed sense of ownership to demand quality services and
contribute to its improvement. Getachew Tumura, an Iddir representative tells that service
improvement is something that they are seeing. Due to these efforts from service users, where
they are able to voice their concerns. Now, they are giving very good feedback for service
providers, according to Getachew. They are also starting to contribute their time and resource
to improve service provisions. For instance, communities fenced Tankaro Health Center and
started cleaning the health centers compound in every 15 days, he added.
Moreover, SA project has improved synergies among Government development initiatives.
With the aim to facilitate these synergies among initiatives, SACs has organized a special
dialogue called ensuring accessible health centers for citizens. This dialogue reinforced the
view that collaboration between the Woreda rural road program and the health sector prevailed
to create accessible roads towards the health centers. Accordingly, Woreda rural road program
allocated 2,700,000 ETB for the construction of accessible roads towards Haro and Tenkaro
health centers. Currently, road towards Haro health center is under construction whereas the
construction of road towards Tenkaro health center is finalized. Ambulance service is also
commencing in Tenkaro health center.
The way forward
In the scaling up phase of water and Sanitation sector, AFSR trained 120 people from Watera,
Minicho 2 and Centro kebeles for three days on the SA concept, including service providers.
FGDs of women, men and other vulnerable groups were formed. Then 40 people per kebele
were trained on how to integrate CSC and GRB, also for three days to learn to assess the
service, to generate an improvement plan, and to create good relationships with the sector.
After that, traditional coffee ceremonies were organize d and served during FGD meetings to
identify the issues in the water sector. While the interface meeting has already been conducted,
a plan was agreed and is now being implemented. All these tasks have been done during the
project extension period.
10. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 10
Sustainability
Following the remarkable results of SA, various stakeholders from the health center, Malga
woreda administration and service users recognized SA as an important instrument to ensure
the improvements of basic service deliveries. The achievements registered so far is highly
encouraging to sustain SA in the future. For example, representative of Malga woreda council
Beyene Godano says SA initiative has directly assisted the woreda council and sector offices to
allocate enough resources based on community needs and priorities and improved synergies
among Government development initiatives. In the previous time, the communities were not
able to explain their needs and concerns on service dissatisfaction, but now, they are able to
identify their problems so that we are under pressure to deliver and if we do not, we have to
explain why. Hence, we have planned annual SA day celebration as a strategy to continue SA in
the future.” Besides, Kebele SAC member, Dawit Amerew said ”the woreda and kebele SACs
have created strong linkage with FTA7, local media, Iddir, and gudmale (cultural gatherings
event) for wider dissemination and keeping the momentum of SA going on.”
5. Education Service Improvements in Hawassa city of SNNPRS
AFSR used CSCii to enable the ultimate service users and service providers to enforce
accountability and transparency, providing them with an opportunity to scrutinize the service
provision deficiencies of Ethiopia Tikdem primary school, Tabour primary school and Addis
Ketema Secondary and preparatory school. Children, parents, SAC members, teachers, and
Government officials have participated in the CSC tool application processes to prioritize and
take into account their needs and concerns. Before applying CSC, AFSR has established Kebele
and woreda SACs and organized extensive trainings for citizens, service providers, government
officials and SAC members on the concept of SA, its tools and how they use the tools to build up
evidences for dialogue. Then, communities, government officials and service providers have
conducted interface meetings on CSC results which led to the identification of the following
major problems:
A. Addis Ketema Preparatory School:
- Bad smell emitted from the nearby soap factory,
- Lack of separate toilet facilities for male and female students,
- Absence of students‟ participation on school management,
- The delay of the construction of meeting hall,
- Absence of student cafeteria,
- Lack of awareness among students about school resource managements,
- Lack of potable water, and
- Absence of ramp for physically challenged students.
B. Ethiopia Tikdem Primary School
- Lack of accessible secondary school,
- Lack of potable water,
- Lack of laboratory inputs,
7
Financial transparency and accountability
11. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 11
- Lack of text books
- Lack of desk,
- Absence of ramp for physically challenged students, and
- Lack of school fence.
C. Tabour Primary School
- Lack of student text books,
- Absence of radio education,
- Poor library service,
- Absence of chair and table in the class for teachers,
- Lack of photocopy machine,
- Lack of separate toilets for male and female students,
- Interruption of the school mini media, and
- Absence of ram for physically challenged students
At the times of interface meeting, joint action plans (JAP) are developed on the prioritized
issues–agreed/ negotiated action plan; agreed on the responsibilities for activities in the action
plan and set time frames for the activities (appropriate people take appropriate responsibility–
community members, students, teachers, Government staff and SAC members. The JAP has
been properly handed over to SACs for further follow up.
Achievements obtained due to SA Intervention
- Hawassa city administration municipality together with other relevant bureaus provided
land in other area to the owner of soap factory which is purposely prepared for industries
by considering the location of the land in terms of these social services. Besides, the
Municipality has also ordered the factory to produce soap during the night time until
finalizing the building processes of the factory. The owner of the factory then took the land
which has been compensated by the city administration for the construction of soap factory,
- Students were not properly participating on school‟s management in Addis Ketema
Preparatory School. Now, the school has formed SA club to make SA as part of the school‟s
service delivery system. The members of the club have started to participate on school‟s
management by voicing the needs and concerns of the students. Various stakeholders have
also asserted SA as an important instrument that enabled the community to act on the
development planning processes,
- After a request made at the interface meeting, separate toilet rooms for boys and girls have
been built in Addis Ketema Preparatory and Tabour Primary Schools.
12. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 12
- The issue of lack of potable water was solved in Addis Ketema preparatory and Ethiopia
Tikdem Primary schools,
- The availability of relevant reference and text books have been fulfilled in all cases as per
the standard,
- Students have now developed a sense of belongingness to demand quality services and
protect the school‟s resources from damage, Students‟ disciplines have also improved by the
coordinated efforts of Parent Teacher and Student Association (PTSA), SAC members,
schools administration and teachers in Tabour and Ethiopia Tikidem primary schools,
Girls‟ Toilet before ESAP2 Intervention
in Addis Ketema Preparatory school
Girls‟ Toilet after ESAP2
Intervention in Addis Ketema
Preparatory school
Boys‟ Toilet before ESAP2 Intervention
in Addis Ketema Preparatory school
Boys „Toilet after ESAP2 Intervention in
Addis Ketema Preparatory school
13. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 13
Ethiopia Tikdem Primary School
Teacher
SA project has directly assisted the
Government to allocate resources in
line with community needs. The
teacher of Ethiopia Tikdem Primary
school said that the lobbying of the
combined forces of government
officials, Teachers, students and the
community influenced the district’s
decision to construct accessible
secondary school. When the need
came from citizens, the Government
realized that they really needed the
requested school nearer to Ethiopia
Tikdem Primary school. That is how
the Government planned and
immediately acted on the construction
of the secondary school with an
estimated cost of 11,000,000 ETB.
Ato Negash Atsibha, SAC
member
Since January 2013, a number of
meetings were held by which
communities were introduced the
government education standards
and scored our school based on
community-generated measures.
This has equipped us with the
negotiation skills and knowledge
about our entitlements. We have
also been forced to take action to
fulfill our entitlements.
- Ramps have been built for physically challenged students in Ethiopia Tikdem and Tabour
primary schools, so these physically challenged students are attending their classes
properly,
- Photocopy machine was bought by the local
government for Tabour Primary School; the school
can now duplicate exams and worksheets for students
in their school without extra expenses,
- Separate student cafeteria has been arranged in
Addis Ketema preparatory school,
- Building of meeting hall in Addis Ketema preparatory
school has finalized by community contribution,
- Problems related to laboratory services of Ethiopia
Tikdem primary school are solved by the coordinated
efforts of the school administration, PTSA, SAC
members, and woreda officials.
- Renovation of class rooms have been carried out by
community participation in Ethiopia Tikdem primary
school,
- The service time of the library in Tabour primary
school has been extended,
- Broken old student desks were mended by the
coordinated effort of the school administration,
PTSA, and SAC members in Tabour and Ethiopia
Tikidem primary schools,
- Necessary inputs to run radio education have been
bought by the schools to respond the needs and
concerns of students and SAC members in Tabour
primary school, and
- The fence of Ethiopia Tikdem Primary school was also reinforced with the joint
involvement of parents, PTSA and the school administration.
Ways in which the changes and results registered
Through practical exercises and awareness creation, ESAP2
has improved the common understandings of the community
members, service providers, SAC members and Government
officials to improve and identify the service provision
deficiency issues. As community members, service providers,
higher government officials and SAC members have
participated in the interface meeting of the facility at kebele
and woreda levels, they have reached consensus to take joint
action to solve service provision deficiencies. Local
government has reallocated resource from other sectors and
activities to correct the high priority service delivery
deficiencies in the affected sector. The communities have
also contributed resources for the construction of a meeting
hall of Addis ketema secondary and preparatory school and a
secondary school nearest to Ethiopia Tikdem Primary school.
14. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 14
Things that will happen next
Even though, the soap factory which is found around Addis Ketema preparatory school was
ordered to produce during night time, the task of transferring the factory to industry zone was
delayed. The bad odor which comes from the factory during the night time is still polluting the
school environment. Therefore, the already started efforts of all stakeholders should further be
strengthened to speed up the reallocation process of the factory to the industry zone.
The attention has now shifted for scaling up to other non- targeted facilities (Misrak Primary
school, Bahil Adarash primary and Adarea secondary schools) by using GRBiii and CSC
together. The scaling phase has finalized until interface meeting. JAPs were agreed and are now
being implemented.
Sustainability
To keep the momentum SA going on, the following tasks have been accomplished:
- Various capacity building trainings have been provided for SACs,
- Social accountability clubs have been established at school level,
- Adoption of SA to the neighboring kebeles,
- Strong linkages have been created with CBOs8 and FTA9, and
- The concepts and approaches of Social accountability have been introduced for girls
club.
8Community based organizations
9 Financial transparency and accountability
15. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 15
6. Social Accountability Council (SAC) Hero in Arada sub city of Addis Ababa
Since January 2013, AFSR and the partner OPRIFS were implementing the Social
Accountability (SA) project in 810 schools of Arada sub city. After SA intervention, service
providers and clients are working together to address problems. Consequently, a vast number
of service improvements have been achieved in all the schools. For the realization of this aim,
SAC has played significant roles due to some committed actors. This case study therefore
focuses on one of the SAC a hero who is working as SA promoter for community services.
SAC hero: Mr. Wondimu Oumer is a 34 young professional who is working in the education
sector of Arada sub city, Addis Ababa. He joined the movement of stimulating social
accountability (SA) initiatives in January 2014 for community services as Social Accountability
Committee (SAC). He was elected by the representatives of vulnerable groups, students,
teachers, citizens, government officials, and elected council members for he was very much
eager to support vulnerable children. Wondimu is also sociable and capable of working
effectively with other SA stakeholders. His being a director of Meskerem Secondary School
coupled his responsibility in supporting vulnerable children and students to determine their
fate by their own potentials, to cultivate the best fruits of their own brain and shaping their
behavior to be successful in any sphere of life.
Opinions and testimonies of others
As Mr. Wondimu has gone extra miles to achieve service improvements for vulnerable and
marginalized groups for SA initiatives, various SA stakeholders called him SA promoter for
vulnerable and marginalized students. In fact, Yabebal Moges, a grade 10 blind student of
Meskerem secondary school, says, “Wondimu has a special place in transforming our school
through social accountability initiatives. He is a means and bridge for the success of vulnerable
and marginalized students to realize our tomorrow dream.” Moreover, Kirsnesh
Yimanebirhan, SAC member of woreda eight said, “Wondimu is sociable and has good abilities
to work in team spirit with other SA stakeholders. To transfer his skills for other SAC members,
he was facilitating the way how we disseminate the results and processes of SA to the wider
audiences. He was also motivating other stakeholders to work exhaustively with SA to improve
public service provisions not only in education sector but also in all basic public service sectors.
Practically, he has depicted remarkable achievements on SA intervention in Meskerem
Secondary School.”
Head of Woreda eight education and training office Mr. Bayew Berhane also testified saying,
“The remarkable service improvements of SA interventions in the education sector of our sub
city paved us to link SA with General Education Quality Assurance Package (GEQAP). In this
regard, Wondium has played pivotal roles to reach on this decision.”
Achieved results
As a result of SA intervention, a large number of service improvements have been achieved for
physically challenged people and marginalized groups in Meskerem Secondary School. Among
10Dagmawi Menelik Preparatory School in woreda 9, Meskerem Hulet Secondary School in woreda 8,
Bihere Ethiopia primary School in woreda 7, Kebena primary School in woreda 7, Meskerem Hulet
primary School in woreda 8, Kedamawi Menelik Primary School in woreda 9, Dagmawi Menelik Primary
School in woreda 9 and Mehale Ginfle Primary School in woreda 9
16. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 16
those which have been achieved by Wondimu‟s relentless efforts, the following service
improvements are highly related to the needs and concerns of vulnerable students:
- Educational materials (brail paper, stylus, cane, writing board, and etc) have been
fulfilled for visually impaired students.
- Special needs education library room has been opened with the necessary equipment
like computer, tape recorder, and reference materials,
- Separate toilet rooms have been built for girls and boys,
- Ramps have now been constructed for physically challenged students,
- Transportation and food services are arranged for those students who cannot afford
these basic needs,
- Library and laboratory services have been improved by fulfilling various inputs,
- The number of water taps in the school has increased to 16 changing the ration from
1:761 to 1:23,
- New and comfortable playground was constructed in the school,
- Instead of eating on different corners of the school, students are now having their meals
in their own lounge,
- Physically challenged and marginalized students have now developed a sense of
belongingness to demand quality services and contribute to its improvements.
To scale up the aforementioned initiatives to other schools and government sectors, Wondimu
has planned to utilize different communication channels and public structures. These include:
local media, brochures, panel discussions, government organized meetings, and different
existing government structures and service provision systems. By doing so, the promoter will
be able to disseminate the processes of SA and its empirical results on Meskerem Secondary
17. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 17
school. Using Innovation in community mobilization can also be utilized for the purpose
of dissemination.
Mr.Wondimu has exerted extraordinary efforts to promote SA to the wider communities by
using the following approaches:
- He presented the concepts, approaches, and remarkable results of SA initiatives on his
school to higher government officials, teachers, and school directors at government
organized meetings,
- He has also exploited monthly PTSA11 and weekly 1 to 5 meetings to promote SA to the
wider communities at school level,
- He refreshed woreda and sub city SAC members‟ awareness on SA and discussed the
implementation statuse of the JAP during monthly meeting.
- He used Meskerem secondary school‟s mini media to disseminate the ideas of SA for
teachers and students.
- He organized awareness raising sensitization sessions on SA for the members of
different co-curricular clubs (gender, Ethics, anti-corruption and mini-media clubs).
- He has sensitized the concept of SA and its remarkable results for his school SIP (school
improvement program) committee members.
In order to convince others to involve in the promotion of SA for community service, he has
explained properly its concepts and remarkable results on service improvements. Through this
approach, he convinced Woreda eight education and training office to recognize the valuable
contributions of SA for better implementation of GEQIP. Accordingly, the education office
distributed circular letter for Meskerem primary and Secondary Schools to remind them to
implement SA project together with GEQIP in the future. Moreover, Wondimu was supporting
SA expert by identifying a list of participants for various SA events equally from different social
groups. Hence, physically challenged and marginalized students have got equal opportunities
to participate in all phases of the social accountability processes. The results of their
involvements have also been observed in the improved service provisions of the schools and
service issues identified for improvements. As a result, Wondimu was able to obtain trust from
those physically challenged and marginalized groups.
Ownership and motivation
Before ESAP2 was introduced, Meskerem Secondary School was facing various service
provision problems. In order to solve the problems, Wondimu was assigned as a director of the
school in December 2013. To discharge his duties and responsibilities, Wondimu was very
much eager to find out alternative solutions to solve the problems of the school. So, he has
participated on community score card (CSC) application processes of the school as service
provider. When Wndimu was asked about the factors that motivated him for being SA
promoter for community service, his answer was the following:
“From the CSC processes, I understood that SA is an important approach to participate
citizens, citizen groups and communities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of
community service deficiencies. In order to enhance my understanding on the results of SA, I
have also reviewed the Uganda Children‟s Participation and School Monitoring case study
11
parent teacher association
18. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 18
parallel with the processes of CSC application. The case study has also assured me to rely on SA
to solve the service provision problems of my school. Then, I decided to develop a sense of
ownership to transform the history of my school by promoting SA to address the problems of
physically challenged and marginalized students in particular, and the school communities‟ in
general”
Resource mobilization
After Wondimu had taken resource mobilization training, he has brought dramatic changes by
mobilizing financial resource from parents, teachers, individuals, NGOs, and government
officials to solve the problems of school which have been identified via CSC. The reason that
makes his resource mobilization argument dramatic is not only the moment and amounts of
resource mobilized, but also the attitudinal change improved on the communities to solve their
development challenges by themselves. In the first place, he mobilized the school‟s local
resources by maintenance, reorganization and arrangement. Then, he organized resource
mobilization event in the school. Through this, the following resources were mobilized:
- 800,000 ETB was collected from the community to build 3m by 1m playgrounds for the
school,
- Individuals have contributed library reference materials with a total cost of 4,500 ETB,
- Although school registration is done for free, parents themselves proposed to pay for
the registration of their children. Due to this, 121,989 ETB was collected. This was spent
on building separate toilet rooms for boys and girls,
- Some 4,500 ETB was collected from NGO.
- Individuals and school communities have arranged food and transport services for poor
students with a total cost of 4,000 ETB/month.
Moreover, Wondimu has prepared project proposals and submitted to potential funders.
Subsequently, the following resources were mobilized:
- Ministry of education donated different school furniture worth 450,000ETB and
- Lab equipment along with plasma TV, and different school furniture was donated by
ICT center with an estimated cost of 100,000 ETB.
Sustainability
In order to sustain the momentum of SA in the future, Wondimu has contributed through
ceaseless efforts to introduce the following institutionalization strategies:
- SA club has been formed in school. The club and Woreda SACs are linked with the
existed students‟ parliament,
- Woreda eight education and training office was introduced SA project within the
GEQIP,
- Strong linkage was created between SAC members and the school PTSA, and
- Community groups who have shown better performance on SA project implementation
have appointed educational Ambassador
19. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 19
The health Centre guard
We worked with the church to solve attitudinal
problems. Previously there was marginalization
and abuse if you were poor, but now even
without relations you can get the service to
which you are entitled. In the card section the
staff used to abuse people, but some of them
were transferred, and the ones who are there
now are treating the patients well. This is not
only in the card section, but also in other areas.
7. Health service improvements in Adet Town, Amhara Region
AFSR and partner OPRIFS are implementing
the Social Accountability (SA) project on the
health sector in all three kebeles of the Adet
town located in Amhara Region. Adet town is
the capital of Yilma Densa Woreda which is
found 45 kilometers away from Bahir Dar
city. This case study was capitalized by MA
team during their monitoring visit in Adet
town on 8 September 2015.
Major achieved results in the services
of health centres
Lack of chairs and enough beds in the
waiting area and the maternity ward
respectively has been resolved. In
addition, the system of the more
service oriented cards section has also
been computerised.
Since there were three different
treatment rooms in the health centre,
the patients did not know where to go.
Now they are properly informed and
get the service they need. Because of
the improved communication, patients
no longer fear to speak with health
centre staff and can call them by name.
The health workers are also punctual,
After the request at the interface
meeting, the HIV-AIDS and other
medicines are now made available in
the Adet town health centre,
The accessibility of ambulance has
improved. Because, the driver on duty
is now comfortably sleeping in the
health centre with the newly bought
matrass and blanket, the schedule of
the ambulance drivers with their
names and mobile phone numbers has
been posted at the health centre,
The midwife issues were solved, and
there is a clean delivery room now.
Shower service is also available in spite
of the water shortage,
Traditional Birth Attendants were
given training, and now they also
support women to go to the centre for
The Mayor of Adet town
There used to be many issues that could not be
solved, but due to collaboration and discussion
with citizens, we can now solve these issues. The
sanitation of the town has, for instance, been
organized.
Good governance has improved, because citizens
are being demanding. Their attitude has
changed. Citizens have become part of the
problems as well as the solutions: the
government is no longer the only one to solve
problems.
We are collecting revenue and we can spend it
with financial transparency and accountability.
We are posting the budget, so that citizens can
learn about our revenue. Together with citizens,
we can now identify the issues to be addressed.
The social accountability project has been very
good for the town. The awareness raising and
trainings have been very useful for both us and
for citizens, but we will still need some support
from the NGOs to further capacitate both
parties.
The water problem is now the priority of the
community, and we are discussing how to solve
it. We want to scale to other sectors after this.
20. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 20
delivery. Previously, women used to go to Bahir Dar for medical care, but now they are
staying here,
Staffing has changed with higher expertise, and there are more health extension workers as
per the standard,
A generator was bought by the local government to overcome power outage. Therefore,
patients can now get laboratory results within the standard time. The laboratory has posted
a list of tests with the time it takes to get each result, so patients are able to manage their
time properly. Owing to these achievements, the laboratory was recently awarded.
The Government has allocated 80,000 Birr for free health services to vulnerable groups.
The health centre Head says that they will expand the rooms in the future and will hire an
additional guard as well. According to the Head, The SAC is providing support to do
satisfaction assessments, and to help solve material problems in the health centre. He
continues saying that all these achievements happened due to the commitment and efforts of
the SAC, which is commendable.
The SAC has also worked with the bank which gives service in priority to the health centre
treasurer. This has solved the shortage of change at the pharmacy, while previously extra
payment by patients was made due to absence of change at the pharmacy.
Waste disposal in the town has also improved with the co-operation of the public. These days,
Everyone is collecting waste in a sac and properly dispose them. For this, a memorandum of
understanding was signed with the Government which now pays a salary for waste collectors:
500 Birr for 15 youth for waste disposal.
Communal latrines in the town which were out of order are now open again. They are cleaned
by selected people who get a small payment from the mayor‟s office. The construction of a new
communal latrine is in process. The latrine block has now been planned near the grain mill so
that it is easily accessible for women.
The SAC is mobilising citizens, and is working well with the administration, which is one of the
main success factors. The office of the mayor is very collaborative and so is the speaker of the
house. The integration and communication are smooth. The NGO has also trained the council
in the SA concept and all the members can understand SA.
The SAC is using the woreda communication media so that citizens can easily be reached. The
woreda communications office has a mini media in the town, and this is used to spread SA
flyers prepared by OPRIFS on market day for instance. The communication office has also
transmitted information about the SA project and its results through Bahir Dar FM. The
schools are also collaborating and transferring messages through drama. The commitment of
the community and kebele SACs is also very high since they want to see changes.
A religious leader also explains, “For citizens, SA is like a college which tries to raise awareness
on what it means to be human. The attitude of the people was very backward in the past, and it
affected everything. With SA we can see that if everyone takes responsibility, things can be
improved. Even those in power have changed and are more accountable. We all have
responsibility. SA reflects important messages in the bible like love and taking care of each
other. That is why why the religious leaders are helping. They are well respected by the
municipality, just like Iddir leaders, and the municipality is really benefiting from the work of
these institutions.”
21. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 21
Each kebele SAC has 7 members, there are also 9 extra members in the woreda SAC, so there
are 30 active citizens and service providers to promote SA in the town. The 9 WSAC members
are divided into 3 groups so that each group can link with one kebele SAC. The monthly report
is reviewed and evaluated if there are challenges. Each sector tries to give support and
directions as per the need identified in the JAP.
Previously the service providers think that the service is good, but the service users were very
disappointed and SA has provided a forum to communicate. To assess the situation in the
health sector, the Community Report Card (CRC) was conducted by high school teachers.
Representative samples of different vulnerable groups were identified. As a result, there were
almost 50 issues raised. The SAC compiled them to
20 issues to make it manageable. The raised issues
were discussed in Focus Group Discussants of
vulnerable groups, and they all agreed together on
the priority issues. The SAC members then agreed
when to meet with the service providers and the
interface meeting took place. In the Joint Action
Plan, which was developed after the interface
meeting, everyone has responsibilities. After it was
developed, the SAC meets regularly to plan and
monitor and, each kebele SACs report regularly to
the woreda SAC. The Mayor has given recognition to
the SAC so that it can get proper support from the
sectors where needed. SAC members also report to
the Government.
Contrary to ESAP2
recommendations, the
SAC composition is
majority officials, and
they are very
committed and active
to involve and serve
the people. Since the
previous committee
was not working,
active and committed
people were then
selected. These are not
the higher officials, so
they have time to
dedicate to the
people‟s cause.
Woreda SAC
composition:
Pharmacist (chair)
Administration office
Woman, Children
and Youth Affairs
office
Water office
Municipality
Communications
officer
Citizen representative
Religious leader
Representative of
people with disability
SA committees and other stakeholders have participated in experience sharing with other
woredas. The SAC shared messages about cooperation and entitlements using woreda media
and drama. Women's groups have also been actively involved in the drama. All this made the
Woreda political official
SA worked with the health sector
and did a lot to mobilize citizens. It
is not simple what has been
achieved so far. The Government is
supporting SA because it wants to
make citizens more responsible. SA
is in the interest of the Government,
and has been accepted, because the
Government believes that citizens
can do better in solving the
problems. SA can also expand to
the other sectors. It has created an
opportunity for the Government to
work with citizens.
SAC members have been selected
for their commitment not for the
sake of being there, but the SA
committee member is committed to
solve citizens’ issues. That is why
we can get results like this. We
should scale it up to other kebeles.
22. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 22
Gender Responsive Budgeting
Men and women should see every
issue together and find the best
ways forward for the family. Now
the husbands are more supportive
to the women's issues
community cooperated with the SAC, and everyone is motivated to solve issues together. The
SAC presents issues, and the community discusses on the solutions. The list of SAC members
has been given to all stakeholders. The council is also using the SAC since it represents the
citizens.
What next
The CD412 count machine which can only be made available at hospital level is still an
outstanding issue. Because the nearest CD4 machine is in Bahir Dar, and this means that
PLWHA have more to travel for more than 1.5 hours every month to the city. Adet is a big
town, and the government is considering constructing a hospital.
An SA day was organised with the SAC, the council and the administration to celebrate SA and
its results. The attention has now shifted beyond the health sector to the water problem. Due to
the road construction between Bahrir Dar and Adet Town, the old electricity lines have come
down. So, the town water pump is not working. The SAC has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the water sector, like it did with health sector before. Therefore,
they have prepared a joint long and short term action plan.
The Community Score Card (CSC) and Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) tools have been
selected, instead of CRC. The CRC works with an expert to
study every group in the town using random sampling, but
gender was not integrated well, and the CRC instructions are
not useful to empower the community. After combining CSC
with GRB, it really helped to see the gender issues, and this
creates much more discussions and dialogue. Now, gender
issues, which is especially important for water which affects
men and women very differently have been identified. One
SAC member says the following: “Gender means men and
women - benefits for men and women, not only for women.
Women have a serious problem especially when they are
pregnant, so the health services are very important for them, and women are affected more
than men by water shortage, because they have to go the distance to fetch water. In an urban
context, the water problem may not be that much, but men and women should see every issue
and find the best ways forward for the family. Now the husbands are more supportive to the
women's issues.”
In the scaling phase to water, OPRIFS trained 120 people from three kebeles in three days on
the SA concept, including service providers. FGDs of women, men and other vulnerable groups
were formed. Then 40 people were trained on Community Score Card and Gender Responsive
Budgeting, also in 3 days, to learn to assess the service, to generate an improvement plan, and
to create good relationships with the sector. After that, coffee ceremonies were organised
during FGD meetings to identify the issues in the water sector. The interface meeting has
already been conducted. A plan was prepared, agreed and is now being implemented. All this
has been done in the last three months. So, this shows experienced kebele and woreda SACs
can do SA in a significantly shorter period of time. A new drama which shows the issues was
also developed (see the video13).
12cluster of differentiation 4
13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H0WmUNGJYM
23. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 23
Sustainability
The SAC strongly believes that it can continue to discuss with the responsible stakeholders in
other sectors when things are not going well. They feel it is the
responsibility of the SAC to continue, because these are their day-to
today issues. Even though the project stops, they know how to proceed.
They understand the process and the various stakeholders are
collaborating, so they can make action plans together and do better in
the future. They would still prefer to have some support to further raise
awareness of the community, and to gain support from well-versed
people and other government sections so that they can join hands and
give the SAC some budget to function. SAC makes costs, like mobile
phone card for the chairperson to call people for meetings.
Citizens in the kebele SACs observe that the Government has many
issues to solve, and they need the future support from NGOs to help
mobilise citizens to solve future problems. The SAC also needs support
from NGOs for the surrounding kebeles, to go into agriculture and
education. There is a lot of work to be done. The SAC has made a good
start, but the capacity can still become much stronger. The kebeles SACs will try their best, but
if NGOs can continue, it would be very beneficial. Government alone cannot be fruitful, as they
already have too many duties and other priorities. To scale SA, the 30 members of the SACs
should be strengthened further, and get exposure and experience sharing. This is very
necessary to scale it up.
The woreda SAC chair once said: “Scaling to other kebeles has already been discussed in the
SAC, because NGO can‟t stay forever. They gave the direction and the SAC can follow it. Every
sector should take SA as its own, but it needs a long term plan, because there are so many
things to do. To bring behavioural change and awareness to others, some operational costs
need to be covered. We can do it. Improving one health centre is good, but it needs to spread to
all 11 health centres in the Woreda. We are ready as a committee to continue in other sectors.
We are at a discussion stage, we have the strategy, but we need some functional support and
time to solve all the problems that exist everywhere, and because it is behavioural change, it
needs time. Some of the solutions also need a lot of resources, and enough time.”
7. Agriculture Service Improvements in Ziway dugda woreda, Oromia Region
Since January 2013, ASDA, the sub Partner of AFSR was implementing a Social Accountability
Project (ESAP2) in the three kebeles14 of Ziway dugda woreda. ASDA selected the agriculture
sector as the sector faced various service provision problems. As summarized in the
introductory part, ASDA applied CSC in the agriculture sector. Like its partner organizations,
ASDA has established Kebele and woreda SACs and organized extensive trainings for citizens,
service providers, government officials and SAC members on the concept of SA on its tools and
how they use the tools to build up evidences for dialogue before applying CSC. Then,
communities, government officials and service providers (DA) have conducted interface
meetings on CSC results which have resulted in the identification of the following major
problems.
1. The agricultural inputs are not accessible in Halo and Deneba kebeles,
14 Halo, Deneba and Mejashenen kebeles
Woreda health expert
Many NGOs tried to work
with the health Centre to
find solutions, but they
couldn't until this SA
approach came along. It
puts pressure on us and
we find solutions together
with the people. The
committees are so
committed, thank you!
24. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 24
2. Lack of water pumps for irrigation in the three kebeles,
3. Lack of toilet room for FTC in Deneba Kebele,
4. Lack of improved pullets in the three kebeles,
5. Lack modern beehives in the three kebeles,
6. Absence of small scale irrigation in Halo kebele,
7. Lack of cooperation between farmers and development agents,
8. Lack of drinking water supply in Deneba Kebele,
During the interface meeting, participants have developed joint action plan with clear roles and
responsibilities of each stakeholder throughout its implementation.
What results achieved due to SA
Intervention
SA equips citizens to engage in evidence-
based dialogue with development agents
(DA) and the local government in order to
improve the accountability of agriculture
sector service provisions. Specifically, SA
equips citizens with an understanding of
the standards that government has set on
the performance of facilities in the
agriculture sector. In this regard, citizens
learn about the number of DAs, agricultural
inputs, equipment, and materials that the
government set per kebele. Equipped with
this evidence, citizens were organizing
discussion forums with government
officials and service providers at which all
stakeholders review the implementation of
the Joint action plan for the improvement
of services. Consequently, social
accountability initiatives have resulted in a
huge number of service improvements like
in other woredas. Some of these changes
are:
- The accessibility of agricultural
inputs has improved. Before the
introduction of ESAP2,the framers
of Halo and Deneba kebeles get
agricultural inputs after travelling 5
to 7 kms, but the farmers are now
getting the inputs within 0.5 km
radius of their dwelling.
- ESAP2 project develop unities of
citizens with government officials
and development agents to solve
their problems by themselves.
Ato Aman ALiye, speaker of Woreda Council
In Ziway dugda woreda, there is growing recognition
that SAC approaches are useful mainly for impacting
effectiveness of service delivery. We have the ground
and empowering citizens to say how services are
being deliver better. Thus, we have started to include
SAC members as participants of the assembly so that
they raise issues, which need the attention of the
council. This act helped the council to allocate budget
to solve service provision problems identified by
citizens through SA. Besides, the council has taken
ownership of Social Accountability better than before
and is regularly creating awareness among the
Kebele council members so they can genuinely
involve their respective community members to be
part of the planning and budgeting process. This is
due to the fact that:
- SA is useful to realize the objectives of our
good governance initiatives by strengthening
the links between citizens and local-level
governments and assisting local authorities
and service-providers to become more
responsive and effective.
- The concept of SA is closely related to the
notions of citizenship that give added
emphasis to citizens‟ rights, roles and
responsibilities and lead to enhanced citizen
engagement.
- SA has strong potential to contribute to
poverty reduction via more-pro-poor service
improvements
- To keep the momentum of SA going on, we
plan to apply SA approaches to gather
relevant information on the grievances of
citizens which need the attentions and
concerns of the council.
25. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 25
Ethiopian Social Accountability project has well empowered and developed the unity of
citizens to strongly struggle for the improvements of basic public service deliveries. It
also helped service providers and users to understand their roles for service
improvements and express their needs and concern for improved quality services.
Making citizens as part of solutions for their problems by mobilizing their resources is
also the concern of ESAP2. Accordingly, SAC members of Deneba Kebele and Ziway
Dugda woreda have brought a dramatic change by mobilizing financial resource to solve
serious drinking water shortage, which is identified by using communities‟ SA
competencies and practices within the targeted agriculture sector. By mobilizing
citizens, government sectors, CBOs, NGOs and different Associations, SAC members
have mobilized 160,000.00 ETB from citizens to solve this community problem. OSHO
(Oromo self-help organization) that is a local non-governmental organization is
promised to cover the whole water hole digging expenses. From SAC members, water
development committee has also been established to follow up the implementation of
these critical tasks. The money has been deposited in a closed bank account of the water
development committee. By considering this promising community initiative, the
woreda administration has also promised to support 850,000.00 ETB to alleviate this
critical problem. The reason that makes the resource mobilization events dramatic is
not only the moment and amounts of resource mobilized, but it has brought attitudinal
change on the communities to solve their development challenges by themselves. The
kebele was ranked first from the last in this kind of infinitives in the previous years. But
now It is becoming exemplary for other kebeles of Ziway duguda woreda due to the
effective implementation of ESAP2 project.
- In addition to local government‟s allocated budget, the communities have contributed
money for the purchase of water pumps for irrigation,
- The Government has allocated budget for the construction of Toilet room of FTC15.
Accordingly, toilet has been constructed for FTC in Deneba Kebele,
- Now, improved pullets have been purchased and distributed for farmers in the three
kebeles,
- Modern beehives have also been purchased and distributed for farmers in the three
kebeles, and
- Local government has allocated a budget of 813, 000 ETB for the expansion of small
scale irrigation in Halo kebele.
Next Plans
Like other woredas, the attention has now shifted to scaling up to water and sanitation sectors
by using GRB and CSC together. The scaling phase has finalized until interface meeting. JAPs
were agreed and are now being implemented.
Sustainability
To keep the momentum SA gonging on in Ziawy dugda woreda, the following sustainability
initiatives have been done:
- Various capacity building trainings were provided for SACs,
15 Farmer training center
26. ESAP2 project empirical experiences of AFSR and its partner (OPRIFs and ASDA) Page 26
- Woreda council has recognized the roles of SAC for the promotion of SA and includes
SAC members as participants of the assembly,
- Strong linkages have been created with woreda good governance package and FTA,
- The concepts and approaches of Social accountability have been introduced for Iddir
Conclusions and Implications of SA Approaches
As we have seen from the aforementioned empirical experiences of AFSR and its partners, Social
accountability approach offer governments, donors, NGOs and multilateral institutions effective
method to transform the delivery of quality and essential services, such as health, agriculture
and education, in low-resource contexts.
The approach offers a number of particular benefits which translate into measureable and
sustainable improvements in basic public service deliveries. It is particularly effective method to
ordinary citizens to remain active participants in the services that are essential to their well-
being.
The approach develops a functional relationship between citizens and government, or rights
holders and duty-bearers. The development of a functional relationship between these actors
lays the foundation for a long-term sustainable approach to both the delivery of quality and
essential health, agriculture, rural road, water, and education sectors‟ service provision. The
experiences have shown that the link between information dissemination on basic service
standards and accountability is clear. When communities have access to information and are
aware of their entitlements, they become active participants for the improvements of essential
service services. Access to information knocks down one of the most important barriers to
effective social accountability. However, it is access to information in combination with the
development of positive and functional relationships between duty-bearers and rights holders
that differentiates social accountability from other forms of monitoring services. It is this
difference which leads to sustainable improvements in the implementation and quality of
essential services and a sense of ownership of the services by both governments or other services
providers and communities.
Consequently, various donors, Government and NGOs need to work jointly to scale up this
initiative to their respective sectors. These actors should introduce SA initiatives on other
development agendas like women empowerment, child protection, education, health, climate
change as it help to bring all development actors on board for solution and positive thinking.
i CRC is a simple but powerful tool to provide public agencies with systematic feedback from users of
public services
iiCSC is a tool by which citizens monitor the quality, access, efficiency and effectiveness of basic services
iiiGRB is taking into account the different needs and priorities of women and men in government budget
processes, but not separating budgets for either gender