About G&RI

*taken from EWB

Engineers Without Borders’ Governance & Rural Infrastructure (G&RI) team works with local partners in Ghana to improve their infrastructure planning capabilities, to better meet water, road, education and healthcare needs of rural communities.

We are testing new approaches to evidence-based planning and developing strong decision-makers to address the root causes of widespread infrastructure failure.

Planning based on evidence

EWB volunteers are working with district staff in Ghana to implement infrastructure planning cycles based on everyday realities in rural communities. We are working in conjunction with local partners to create surveys, analyze trends, and aggregate existing data to get a better picture of where infrastructure is needed most. Because of this, district planners can base their decisions on tangible data, and prioritize clean water, education, transportation, and healthcare to the most vulnerable communities.

Recently, EWB supported the rural Saboba district in performing a district-wide survey to collect water data. Based on our work, a large development partner was able to build 30 wells in areas of high-need.

Our approach led to a critical investment in Saboba’s future, and positively impacted the lives of many people.

Fostering district accountability and leadership

To ensure strong decision making, our work has indicated that elected officials must be held accountable for planning decisions. We know that communities can play a role in making this a reality. As a result, EWB volunteers are testing new approaches to involve communities in planning decisions, through bulletin boards, gazettes, posters, and public hearings.

We are also creating a culture of high performance amongst district leaders. To achieve this, EWB has developed a mentorship program matching eight experienced planners with district level staff. This has significantly expanded the quality of planning capability at the district level, which will ultimately result in better decision-making improving the lives of many in Northern Ghana.

For more information visit the Governance & Rural Infrastructure Team blog
at http://ewbgari.posterous.com/