edition 10Educating thE FuturE

Editorial Welcome to our new look Cardno Connect. In this edition we feature stories on the theme of Educating the Future.

With a new look to reflect its status as a global publication, this edition of Cardno Connect demonstrates the depth and breadth of our experience in emerging markets and highlights just some of the great success stories from this area of our business.

Here you will read how Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division is shaping the future for communities around the world through the facilitation of sustainable programs, many of which involve an educational component.

As a vital element of social infrastructure development, education creates opportunities for people to avoid or escape poverty. It enables communities to make informed decisions about their future, and can unlock the potential of countries to develop enterprise and generate incomes. An educated population strengthens political and social inclusion, and contributes to more responsive and accountable governments. Its power and potential cannot be underestimated.

The success stories highlighted here demonstrate how our Emerging Markets Division is working to strengthen education policies and systems, to help governments optimise their investment in education, and

to provide technical support to improve the management of financial investments.

Underpinning this work is Cardno’s belief that investment in infrastructure—be it social, physical or environmental—can contribute to the transformation of communities and the livelihoods of the people who live in them. Our global team of 6,500 employees are working from 250 offices worldwide to plan, design and deliver physical, social and environmental projects which work towards long-term benefits for those communities. Across a broad range of projects in more than 85 countries, Cardno is forming strong partnerships with clients to create opportunities for significant, lasting change in both emerging and developed economies.

I’d like to acknowledge Cardno’s Emerging Markets team for their ongoing dedication and the innovative ways they make a difference to communities worldwide.

Enjoy the issue.

Andrew BuckleyManaging Director and CEO, Cardno

Of all the building blocks of development, education may be the most sustainable. We can provide seeds for the poorest people to grow their own food, but unless we support them in learning the best ways to cultivate their fields they will not eat well, nor for long. We can empower governments to establish good governance policies in emerging democracies, but the policies will be maintained only if elected leaders and others understand how and why to use them. Education is about how we live today and how we can shape the world of tomorrow.

This issue of Cardno Connect, the global magazine of Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division, highlights several of our projects and programs that are involved in education. Some of the articles focus on the most fundamental elements of education—schools and training programs. Some are more subtly connected to learning and innovating or even to our own learning process as we face new challenges. We hope that you, our reader, will come away from this issue with more knowledge and insight into the integral work of Cardno.

In these pages you will read how communities in West Sumatra and West Java were supported by the School Reconstruction

Program as they endeavoured to reconstruct schools devastated by earthquakes. You can learn about a nationwide program in Angola—which possesses one of the lowest rankings in the United Nation's Human Development Index—to increase financial education and access to bank accounts for vast numbers of citizens. You will gain insight into how an Australian Tsunami Warning System was developed and installed following a devastating earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and subsequent tsunami. You will hear one woman in Jharkhand, India explain the profound impact that a workshop about gender and social inclusion had on her and her work. Finally, you will be amazed by the successful training of over 20,000 Ugandan government officials in only six months.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Cardno Connect and will share it with others who embrace our passion for shaping the future. As Victor Hugo said, 'He who opens a school door, closes a prison.'

Jean-François Floury General Manager, Emerging Markets Division

Cardno Connect edition 10 | quarter two | 2012Educating the Future

This edition and past editions of Cardno Connect are available from our website: www.cardno.com/emergingmarkets

Please send enquiries or comments to: cardnoconnect@cardno.com

Copyright for photos is held by Cardno unless otherwise credited.

All material in Cardno Connect is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from the publishers. © 2012. All rights reserved.

Editorial and productionTamar Abrams, EditorJennifer Frean, EditorHelen Cumming, Desktop PublisherKathy Franklin, Copy EditorJean-François Floury, Strategic Adviser

03 Cover Story Shaping Education in Indonesia: School Systems and Quality

In this issue3 Shaping Education in Indonesia

School Systems and QualityRobert Kingham, Irfani Darma, Brian Spicer and Russell Keogh

7 Improving the LinksAAACP connecting producers and trading partnersMariane Tambwe

9 Lessons Learned in India:Enhancing the capacity of local institutions to innovateKachina Chawla

11 Harnessing the Power of Water:Utilising resources to meet 21st Century demandSteven Segerlin and Sarah Friedfeld

12 A Street-Level View:'Bankita' campaign increases financial access and education in AngolaStacey DelBeccaro

14 Cardno Staff Head Back to School:Teaching and learning provide life-long rewardsTamar Abrams

15 Aiming to be the Best:Contracts staff on track for certificationTamar Abrams

16 Workshop Overcomes Scepticism: Enhancing gender and social inclusionKachina Chawla

17 The Chicken, the Midwife and the Manager:A tale of generosity and adventure from UgandaRebecca Husband

19 Scholarships Program: Supporting investment in AfricaWill Wright

21 Sparking New Ideas for Malawi:Local Procurement Study TourWill Wright

23 Creating Community-Accessible Services:Through the Australia Indonesia Partnership for DecentralisationSyalomi Natalia and Bonnix Maulana

25 Uganda Trains Thousands:New local councillors take part in induction trainingJoshua Lubandi

26 From the Outback to the Ocean:Australian Tsunami Warning SystemPeter Read

28 Restoring Full Access to the Hiritano Highway:A giant task nearing completionSena Ratnayake and Ronnie Minong

30 A Community Effort:The School Reconstruction ProgramEkky Octavianto, Galuh Herlambang Perkasa, Gerome Rich and Jennifer Frean

32 NoticeBoard:Cardno activities around the world

In appreciationThe editorial team would like to thank Katherine Casey, who left Cardno in March to explore other opportunities. Katherine guided Cardno Connect through many of its editorial cycles with grace and creativity. She has been the ultimate learner and educator, constantly improving upon the contents of this magazine in an effort to connect with readers. Katherine's presence will be felt within the pages of Cardno Connect for many years to come.

The AusAID-funded School Systems and Quality Program supports the Indonesian Government's commitment to provide all children with access to nine years of basic education.

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Shaping Education in Indonesia School Systems and QualityRobert Kingham, Irfani Darma, Brian Spicer and Russell Keogh

Australia’s Education Partnership with Indonesia (the Education Partnership) is currently the largest intervention funded by the Australian Government anywhere in the world. Through the Education Partnership, Australia supports the Indonesian Government’s long-term strategy to strengthen and consolidate its national education system, with a particular focus on the current Indonesian five-year plan (2010 – 2014) and also implements support for the initial stages of the subsequent five-year plan (2015 – 2019). The Education Partnership builds on the successes of previous Australian Government support to the Indonesian education sector by strengthening government systems. Both of these—the Australia Indonesia Basic Education Program (AIBEP, 2006 – 2011) and the Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS, 2005 – 2011—were managed by Cardno during the previous five-year plan period. The Education Partnership is implemented by three managing contractors, with Cardno managing the largest contract, School Systems and Quality (SSQ).

Through SSQ, Cardno brings considerable experience and networks, gained through past programs in Indonesia, to its collaboration with principal counterparts: the Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA). SSQ consists of three components, each relating to a different aspect of the Education Partnership. SSQ is managed through a central office, conveniently located in the same building as Cardno’s Jakarta office, while staff implementing each component are embedded within their relevant counterpart ministry. The central office oversees the program’s operations, financial management and contract compliance, whilst providing monitoring and evaluation of the work performed under each component.

Each of the SSQ-supported components is national in scope, supporting existing government structures.

Component 1 focuses on strengthening systems for infrastructure development within the education sector—specifically, supporting MoEC to assure quality construction of new junior secondary schools.

Component 2 is centred around the professional development of school and district management, particularly school principals, supervisors and district education officials. Staff for both of these components are collocated in MoEC.

Component 3 supports MoRA’s five-year plan to achieve universal national accreditation of private madrasah (Islamic schools) in the Islamic education sub-sector. Australia’s aid program in Indonesia focuses on alleviating poverty; Component 3 provides access to Islamic education for Indonesian children, broadening their horizons and opening up future employment opportunities. Further, Component 3 strives for the quality of education in madrasah to achieve parity with that delivered by state schools, while strengthening the ministry’s capacity to support the Islamic education sub-sector. All components focus on primary and junior secondary levels of schooling, supporting Indonesia’s goal of universal basic education through nine years of compulsory education.

Component 1: School ConstructionThe governments of Indonesia and Australia have a long-standing partnership in basic education, which has resulted in significantly improved access to junior secondary schooling across Indonesia. Previously, under AIBEP, Australian funding built more than 2,000 schools in Indonesia using a community-based

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construction model. This program utilised and strengthened an existing Government of Indonesia (GoI) model of community-based school construction that has been implemented over the last 14 years. The school construction component of the Education Partnership represents the largest Australian funding allocation to the overall program of support. The AU$210 million, channelled through Indonesian systems, will support construction of up to 2,000 new junior secondary schools (providing around 300,000 new student places) across the archipelago.

Component 1 of SSQ supports the GoI’s commitment to provide all children—particularly those from poor and remote communities—with access to nine years of basic education. Further, the new schools will be equally accessible for boys and girls, and for the physically disabled.

Indonesia is on track to meet the Millennium Development Goals’ education target for primary schooling (95 percent net enrolment rate [NER] in 2007). However, access to junior secondary schools nationally was significantly lower (73 percent NER in 2007) at the time of program design. Access to junior secondary schools also varies markedly between and within provinces. The GoI has established time-bound targets for the creation of new junior secondary school places in districts with a gross enrolment rate (GER) of less than 90 percent. School construction will aim to increase the percentage of districts with a GER of 90 percent or more from 61 percent in 2010 to 85 percent in 2014.

The current school construction assistance under SSQ will continue to build on the success

of AIBEP, which demonstrated the benefits of creating new school places—results that included increased access to schools and higher enrolment rates. SSQ’s Component 1 is building on this significant and lasting success by addressing factors that influence children’s ability to access education, such as:

> lack of schools in close proximity to communities;

> lack of facilities that cater to the needs of both boys and girls (e.g. separate toilets), and that accommodate physically challenged children;

> the prohibitive cost of private education; and

> family perception of the value of education for boys and girls.

SSQ supports the GoI in directly targeting the lack of school places accessible to communities, and the lack of facilities available to all children. Component 1 is being implemented through the GoI’s community-based school construction system, which was utilised and strengthened through AIBEP. Key features of the system include the provision of block grants, technical assistance to communities managing the grants, and the engagement of district governments throughout the implementation cycle.

The Education Partnership puts a high emphasis on quality construction. Cardno supports the GoI’s implementation of Component 1 whilst helping to promote and protect the integrity of Australian funds. Cardno’s primary role is to support construction-monitoring activities, ensuring compliance with quality standards for school construction. Moving forward, Field Monitor

engineers will be engaged and stationed at the district level, each responsible for four or five schools. They will work closely with the school construction committees, with the Construction Management Consultants engaged by the GoI, and with the districts’ education offices. Cardno will also support the GoI in managing the database for the site selection and construction reporting system, and with the provision of resources for a complaints handling system. Finally, Cardno will provide financial management training to school construction committees.

Component 2: School and District ManagementIndonesia is on the verge of major economic change. A high-quality education system will directly impact the country’s ability to compete successfully with regional powerhouses such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and China. By supporting school and district management and professional development (PD), Component 2 of SSQ continues to build on the significant contribution of AIBEP, enhancing the quality of basic education in Indonesia. The primary focus of Component 2 is to support the GoI in achieving this goal.

AIBEP addressed quality improvement by supporting areas such as: madrasah curriculum; national education standards; gender mainstreaming; inclusive education; school-based management; and school and madrasah self-evaluation (EDS / M). These individual elements grew under AIBEP into a broad cohesive program for systemic reform through quality improvement and quality assurance. Together, they included a range of

Sub-national Implementing Partner (SNIP) Panel Assessment

'Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.'

- William Butler Yeats

supporting legislation relating to the selection, preparation and ongoing PD of school and madrasah principals.

Through SSQ’s Component 2, the Education Partnership builds on both the individual and systemic strengthening activities begun under AIBEP. Cardno’s role as SSQ contractor is to continue supporting and working in partnership with the Indonesian Government. SSQ assists the GoI to institutionalise a continuing PD system for school and madrasah principals. This system is implemented alongside PD initiatives to strengthen the quality of supervisors, district and provincial education officials, and district and provincial education offices, as well as the quality of management at the school level. It is expected that these government programs will, in time, be the foundation for ongoing systemic change.

A key element of SSQ’s Component 2 is supporting implementation of the continuing professional development (CPD) system for the life-long professional and personal growth of school and madrasah principals. This includes a Principals’ Preparation Program (PPP) designed to ensure quality recruitment and the best possible start to a principal’s professional career. Both of these programs focus on improving ‘competence’—improving the ability of the principal to carry out his or her diverse tasks and to utilise the many skills and abilities that they will need during their career. This is a major paradigm shift for PD, which until recently has concentrated on building knowledge, rather than competence.

Acting as a firm foundation for the PD program for school supervisors, Component 2 is aimed

at building competence of school supervisors to support school quality improvement and supporting the professional growth of each school principal in their region. While initially concentrated only on some basic units of learning, in time it is expected that a full CPD program for supervisors will result. With the right training, supervisors have the potential to become one of the major resources guiding educational quality improvement in Indonesia.

Component 2 also funds a foundation PD program for district education officials, enhancing their capacity to better support the management of education systems within their respective districts. Supporting the broader GoI agenda for decentralisation, this program will focus initially on human resource management and strategic planning, which are key to the success of the principals’ CPD and supervisors’ PD, while building greatly-needed capacity at the regional level. In conjunction with this focus of the component, the PD program for provincial education officials parallels that of the district program, focusing more on the provincial coordinating role for all sectors and levels of the education system.

Under Component 2, SSQ will implement a ‘new school’ induction program that will ensure school management committees at the new schools, funded through Component 1, are able to meet system requirements and the expectations and aspirations of the local communities in which they are situated.

The national focus of the Indonesian Government’s Medium Term Plan is clear: to enrol every principal from national schools and madrasah (more than 250,000) in CPD by

2016. With the support of Component 2, it is expected that more than 33,000 supervisors from both the national and Islamic systems will participate in the foundation PD program, strengthening the capacity of individuals and expanding overall system-support capacity. Component 2 will support each district, reaching at least 25,000 aspiring principals by 2014. Of particular note is the participation of all 33 provinces and over 500 districts in the programs for district and provincial education officials—approximately 10,000 officials in total. Furthermore, all new schools are expected to be completed and to be part of the school induction program by 2016.

Component 3: Madrasah AccreditationIndonesia’s education system is the fourth largest in the world. Indonesian schools provide education to around 57 million students delivered by a teaching service of over 3.8 million in 314,000 schools located across 33 provinces. Although the exact number of Islamic schools is unknown, it is believed to exceed 45,000; over 90 percent of these are both private and independent educational institutions.

Madrasah are an important part of the education system in Indonesia. Local communities often established them in their villages in the absence of any other formal education. Although each has unique characteristics, in Indonesia they generally fit the following profile:

> Madrasah generally have a higher proportion of economically poor students;

> Madrasah often have a higher proportion of female students;

Sub-national Implementing Partner (SNIP) Panel Assessment Inclusive classrooms with a focus on active learning

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> Madrasah are typically situated in remote and disadvantaged communities;

> Madrasah frequently suffer from lower-quality facilities than their state school equivalents; and

> Madrasah may offer lower-quality educational servicesthan their state school equivalents in the national system.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) has identified improving the quality of education offered in madrasah as its highest priority and has embarked on an ambitious program that will see all private madrasah accredited to national education standards by 2014 / 2015. Accreditation is very important as it integrates madrasah into the national system, provides them with access to government funds, and enables students to obtain an official school-leaving certificate which guarantees them access to other formal educational opportunities. National accreditation is one of a suite of strategies that MoRA will employ to achieve the objective of quality madrasah education services.

Component 3 activities commenced in September 2011. SSQ provides technical assistance to MoRA through this component in the form of capacity development and madrasah quality improvement packages. The Australian Government also funds an extensive program of block grants to 1,500 madrasah and supporting institutions at the provincial level.

The technical assistance provided so far has resulted in a series of significant policy improvements. The most important has been the issuing of a regulation concerning a national strategic framework for accreditation that outlines the steps individual madrasah must take in their effort for accreditation.

The suitability of madrasah participating in the first phase of the grants program has already been assessed.

Cardno has been supporting the Australian Government’s initiatives in the Islamic education sector across Indonesia since 2004. The Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS)—the first Islamic sector program developed by AusAID for Indonesia—was also managed by Cardno. LAPIS supported initiatives in: local sustainable practice; quality improvements and capacity improvements in leadership; quality teaching; active learning; curriculum, library and health planning; community participation; inclusion and disability; and HIV and AIDS. The learning and training packages developed under LAPIS form core quality improvement materials for madrasah under SSQ. CC

Introduction: Robert Kingham is the Islamic Education Specialist for SSQ, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Component 1: Irfani Darma is the Component One: Manager, Institutional Strengthening—New Schools for SSQ, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Component 2: Brian Spicer is the Component 2: Manager, Education Quality for SSQ, based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Component 3: Russell Keogh is the Component 3: Manager, Islamic School Accreditation for SSQ, based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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For more information on SSQ, please contact the Operations Manager, Sam Muller, at sam.muller@ssq-educationpartnership.or.id

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Improving the LinksAAACP connecting producers and trading partnersMariane Tambwe

As developing nations focus on their agricultural outputs, improving farmers’ linkages to markets is a critical concern. The Cardno-implemented All ACP Agricultural Commodities Programme (AAACP) applied an integrated approach of inclusive business models (IBM) that enables farmers’ organisations to publicise how they manage their business and develop trade relations with various stakeholders. AAACP is funded by the European Union.

The IBM approach provides an analytical tool that facilitates understanding of market interactions and identification of ways to lift barriers constraining local markets. The approach entails: identifying organisations and beneficiary partners; appraising existing business models and formulating upgrading strategies; identifying activities and action plans; implementing priority actions; and organising regional workshops to discuss lessons learned. Under AAACP, work has been carried out in 15 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in the sectors of palm oil, cassava, roots and tubers, and fruits and vegetables.

In Vanuatu, the Farm Support Association has facilitated the entry of some 50 members into the formal fresh produce market chain

by signing contracts with two major traders. In Cameroon, the practice of regular business meetings between cooperatives and potential buyers has proven to be useful in eliminating several constraints to trade relations.

The United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture worked with Senegal’s Pinord—a farmers’ organisation producing rice—to enhance the commercialisation of rice and improve access to credit. Despite efforts to trade quality rice, Pinord was struggling to conclude contracts with companies or supply networks guaranteeing attractive prices and visibility for their trademarked 'Rival' or 'Riz de la Vallée'. With support from the AAACP, they developed a new marketing strategy for the brand which included a feasibility study on potential financing mechanisms.

By clearly understanding market needs and expectations, stakeholders have been able to conduct business with transparency while passing value down the chain to the smallholder farmers. CC

Mariane Tambwe is the Communication Expert for Cardno, based in Brussels.

The all acP agricultural commodities Programme is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. This €45 million program seeks to alleviate poverty by improving and stabilising the incomes and livelihoods of small producers of agricultural commodities in ACP countries. AAACP is designed to build capacity among value chain stakeholders by providing them with both the tools and means to develop and implement efficient sectoral strategies. To achieve its objectives, AAACP opted for an innovative approach, which involved combining the complementary competencies of five international organisations with a track record in agricultural development. These are:

> The World Bank;

> The International Trade Centre;

> The Common Fund for Commodities;

> The United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture; and

> The United Nations Conference for Trade and Development.

Cardno manages AAACP Coordination Unit, providing leadership as well as financial, technical and communications support and guidance to AAACP’s technical partners.

A Caribbean farmer checks his crop

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Lessons Learned in India:Enhancing the capacity of local institutions to innovateKachina Chawla

My husband once made a bet with me that I could not go a whole day without using the word 'systems', and he was right. I tried my best, but couldn’t. Systems are an essential part of life and my professional and personal goal is to ensure that those systems that we work with are in harmony.

It is only fitting then that I decided to join the Maternal Child Health Sustainable Technical Assistance and Research (MCH-STAR) initiative managed by a consortium comprised of Cardno, Boston University, and The Centre for Development and Population Activities, of which Cardno is the lead partner. Its aim is to foster: technical leadership and services; evidence generation and utilisation; policy analysis and advocacy for improved Maternal Neonatal Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) policies; improved program approaches; and resource allocation in key states via specialised Indian institutions. Put simply, we try to help improve systems for a handful of premier Indian organisations that then help the national and state governments improve their systems.

When USAID/India embarked on the MCH-STAR initiative in 2007, it was innovative. India had a plethora of institutions that did work in the area of MNCHN, but many of them had yet to reach any global standard for research agendas. Most were investigator-driven rather than based on the need of the hour, and few attempts were made to publish research findings or even use them to influence policy makers. MCH-STAR, therefore, set about to enhance the capacity of staff within our

STAR Supported Institutions (SSIs) to deliver global standard products and services, from research design to execution to advocacy and, eventually, to policy change. We realised that we were building the capacity of individuals without strengthening the institutional systems from within, which would prove futile in the long run. If we teach you how to write award-winning proposals, but your organisation does not have the systems in place to execute the resulting project, what is the point? Hence, we embarked on some institutional strengthening activities—such as financial management, ability to design and conduct research, proposal writing, and human resource management—to ensure that qualified people can be brought on efficiently.

Since we were viewed as both mentor and client, the innovative nature of MCH-STAR naturally opened space for confusion, because we could not easily be slotted into the ‘client’ or the ‘implementer’ box—especially since the mandate of MCH-STAR was to enhance the capacity of local Indian institutions to lead the innovation. How can one put out calls for proposals and at the same time assist potential awardees in writing them? Consequently, there was a lack of clarity in understanding the role of MCH-STAR by many of our SSIs as well as by other key stakeholders, such as the national and state governments.

As a member of the MCH-STAR team, I often felt conflicted by my role as well. We frequently found ourselves entrenched in the implementation of projects with our SSIs, yet we were also expected to manage the project

grants. We learnt that in capacity building, the sum of the pieces does not equal the whole. In other words, building the capacity of a set of individuals was not the same thing as building the capacity of an institution. For capacity building to be institution-wide, the institution had to have the systems to allow that capacity building to percolate through.

However, once we settled into our paradoxical role, we realised that we were actually in a prime position to push for effective changes from within the SSI. Over the last five years, our continuous capacity building workshops and mentoring have helped raise the bar for individuals within our SSIs—familiarising them with the processes involved in providing acceptable global standards for products and services. SSIs now understand the importance of seeing through technical assistance and research in its entirety—from design to policy change, doing no single phase in isolation. At an institutional level, we have been instrumental in seeing an amazing trajectory in our SSIs. We have helped them build systems that have allowed them to go on and compete for and subsequently win large grants from international agencies, including USAID. In addition, the SSIs are recognised by the state governments as leaders in MNCHN and are called upon to deliver technical assistance—a development that I am very proud to have been a part of. CC

Kachina Chawla is a Consultant for MCH-STAR, based in India.

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Harnessing the Power of Water:Utilising resources to meet 21st Century demandSteven Segerlin and Sarah Friedfeld

The 21st century is witnessing an unprecedented shift toward urbanisation and increased population densities. The UN estimates that the total urban population of the world will reach 6.3 billion by 2050, up from 3.5 billion today—with the majority of this growth coming from the creation of thousands of new medium-sized centres, rather than just a few mega-cities. These new urban areas will be challenged to meet the demands of their expanding populations—who are seeking a higher quality of life—without reproducing the outdated unsustainable urban management models of our past. Compounding this already complex situation is the expansion of the geographic scale due to suburbanisation, the trend of informal settlements prevalent at these growth rates, and aging infrastructure, coupled with ever more extreme climatic variability.

How will cities respond to these issues, all while providing more, for more people, using fewer resources? At the centre of this problem is the provision of water: the essence of life and one of our most vital resource needs. In the face of this adversity, one often disregarded opportunity is available: stormwater management or rainwater capture. Not traditionally seen as a major asset in the urban water resources cycle, these conditions are calling for a restructuring of the discipline. Diverging from conventional techniques, a more integrated approach to stormwater management could actually enhance the sustainability and quality of urban water supplies.

Coinciding with this new paradigm, the business of water has changed with the advent of new technological developments over the past decade. Specifically, in this connected world, an array of innovative solutions and opportunities is now present to drastically enhance the value and performance of existing water management approaches. At the nexus of these capabilities is a heightened understanding of water dynamics and the multiple and competing uses of water—including human and indigenous species consumption, agriculture, energy, and industrial development—that make this awareness so central to achieving true sustainable progress.

In a connected world, electronic infrastructure will provide advanced knowledge systems and decision-making tools for managers to perform water optimisation analyses, thereby

improving resource allocation and reducing overall resource needs. Technology will allow customers to become better informed about the resources available to them. Customers will also likely expect that service providers improve performance and be able to provide complete solutions—ones that integrate a combination of macro and micro water delivery systems in a way that appears seamless to the end user, while actually involving a degree of complexity not evident in traditional least-cost planning systems (i.e. by taking into account the requirements of integrated water management, its life-cycle costs, environmental outcomes, and ecological footprints, etc.).

To achieve these expectations, enhanced asset management programs, formed around a geographic information system (GIS) database, are essential to improve the infrastructure planning, maintenance, and operations cycle. Leading applications of this type integrate stormwater data collection and analytical systems, asset characteristics, service performance, problem logs, photos and repair information. This foundation is then used to guide the development of capital improvement plans for communities; these applications can provide city managers with a better understanding of the real on-ground situation, associated costs, quality projections and impacts of planned works, or even the operations of current infrastructure.

Cardno, a global leader in the creation of these advanced knowledge systems, provides these integrated services and helps support public institutions in making sound management choices, projecting future water demands, identifying feasible water sources, forecasting regulatory issues, supporting stakeholder integration, and developing balanced water portfolios. The typical client base for these activities includes water districts, government entities, utilities, hydroelectric power producers, natural resource agencies, native tribes, and businesses of all sizes.

In January 2012, John Sitton (the Practice Director for Infrastructure and Environment at Cardno’s Washington, DC office) and Kevin Renshaw (Cardno’s Business Unit Manager in Abu Dhabi) spent three weeks on behalf of USAID/Jordan as part of a team analysing how the nation can sustain its scarce water resources. As part of their assignment, the group met with officials from all facets of

Jordan’s water sector, and the USAID team based in Amman.

Jordan is one of the top five most water-poor countries in the world. Over the past decade, it has become a magnet for migration in the Middle East, with many thousands of refugees from various Arab countries contributing to its rapidly increasing urban populations. This growth is compounding the water scarcity issue. Jordan must either reduce demand (although per capita consumption is already low), or find new water sources. The efficient management oversight of all water resources, including the capture of stormwater, is necessary to replenish much needed groundwater reserves.

'Jordan has pretty much implemented all the easy fixes for its water situation', said Sitton. 'They’ve done a lot to improve institutional effectiveness, ring-fenced their distribution utilities, and used management contracts to bring in developed-country expertise. However, financial sustainability is going to be a long-term problem, especially considering the high cost of new water and the political sensitivities toward tariff increases. To overcome these issues, a better understanding is needed about all the available resources, their usage patterns, consumer behaviours, and the related water economics.'

The effects of water on our lives are increasingly being recognised at all levels of government and private industry. Cardno and the Emerging Markets Division are committed to providing the knowledge needed to guide effective development, policy and strategic management, and technical innovation that will achieve cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally responsible strategies in water management. Supporting emerging countries to resolve key cross-cutting issues like water is one of the many opportunities for the Cardno Infrastructure and Environment team, in conjunction with the larger Cardno family, to develop solutions to today’s most pressing issues. CC

Steven Segerlin is a Senior Development Specialist in Infrastructure and Environment Practice for Cardno, based in Washington, DC. Sarah Friedfeld is a Development Specialist in Infrastructure and Environment Practice for Cardno, based in Washington, DC.

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A Street-Level View:'Bankita' campaign increases financial access and education in AngolaStacey DelBeccaro

Todos podem ter conta no Banco!*

Like many other developing economies, Angola’s economic picture is one of contradictions. In the decade since the end of its 27-year civil war in 2002, Angola has experienced tremendous economic growth—an average of 11.1% per annum from 2001 – 2010, thanks in large part to extensive oil, gas and diamond resources. However, this growth has not yet reached the vast majority of Angola’s population. The country remains poor, with low rankings on the UN’s Human Development Index. One indication of this is the low level of financial sector penetration. Despite having a vibrant financial sector—due to the success of the oil and gas industries—as of 2011, only 11 percent of Angolans held bank accounts. Even this dismal statistic represents an increase from just a few years ago. The Governor of the National Bank of Angola (BNA), José de Lima Massano, has prioritised raising this number, with the goal of extending bank accounts to 20 percent of the population within the next year.

The USAID-funded Financial Sector Program (FSP) in Angola, managed and implemented by a team based in Cardno’s Washington, DC office, has partnered with the BNA to conduct a nationwide financial education campaign to educate Angolans about the banking system and the benefits of having a bank account. Since 2008, FSP has been advising BNA on the content of the campaign’s messaging, how best to reach the greatest number of Angolans, and how to refine the campaign to ensure that its message—‘Your money is safe in the bank!’—is heard. FSP designed a training course for campaign volunteers to educate them about the basics of the banking system and the importance of financial education, to enable them to talk to people about the campaign, answer questions and hand out campaign materials. In addition, FSP worked with the Angolan Association of Banks to design new financial products specifically tailored to the needs of Angola’s as-of-yet unbanked population. These products were then rolled out to nine of Angola’s 22 commercial banks to market them to the public.

The campaign began with a pilot roll-out in the main market of Cazenga, a peri-urban district of the capital city of Luanda. Billboards, radio spots and TV ads feature the campaign’s cartoon spokeswoman, 'Bankita', a smiling, successful market vendor, who tells her friends and neighbours that anyone can have a bank account—no matter how much money you

make, where you live, or what your occupation. The pilot campaign was kicked off with a street-theatre performance in which two well-known Angolan actors delighted the crowd by dressing as Bankita’s fellow street vendors to chat about the benefits of having a bank account. Campaign volunteers, or extencionistas, were on hand at the market to talk to the crowd and hand out campaign literature. Short cartoon comic books, all 'approved by Bankita!', feature people from all walks of life, including a student, a barber, a government employee, a micro-entrepreneur, a street vendor and a tailor. They show how having a bank account can benefit anyone by offering greater security for their money, access to the ATM system, and greater ability to save for the future.

In addition to providing technical advice and training the volunteers, FSP is working with BNA to evaluate and improve the campaign as it proceeds. FSP conducted a survey of 1,000 people in Cazenga to study their relationship to the banking system, such as their attitudes toward and trust in banks, at the start of the pilot campaign launch. FSP also hosted focus groups to evaluate how well the campaign’s messaging resonated with its audiences, and to hear what Angolans consider to be the main benefits of having

a bank account. FSP’s research showed the campaign messaging to be largely successful—participants expressed excitement about the campaign, a high level of trust in the banks and a positive attitude towards the benefits of savings. FSP also used the focus groups to advise BNA and commercial banks on how to better serve the new bank clients that the campaign seeks to attract. For example, when a few focus group participants expressed a fear that bank staff would look down on them for never having held a bank account, FSP designed and conducted training for bank staff on how best to relate to this new clientele.

After a successful pilot launch in Cazenga, FSP is currently working with BNA to expand the campaign nationwide. In addition to working with staff from all of BNA’s regional offices, FSP has partnered with local and international NGOs, including the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs of Angola, the Angolan Red Cross, Africare, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Development Aid from People to People – Angola, and World Vision. FSP has trained staff and volunteers from these NGOs in financial education in a Training-of-Trainers program, which the NGOs themselves are repeating with their own staff nationwide. This will enable the

NGO staff to be the extencionistas, carrying the financial education campaign message to the streets of every province in Angola.

The campaign is having an impact: one commercial bank, Banco Keve, reported signing up more than 2,000 new customers with the Bankita accounts within just a few months of the campaign launch.

FSP looks forward to continuing to work with BNA and our NGO partners in the coming months as we formally launch the financial education campaign nationwide in Angola. The project has also been extended to 14 September, 2012. The campaign is an important step to achieving the goal of providing 20 percent of the Angolan population with bank account access by 2013. As Bankita says,'Todos podem ter conta no Banco!'* CC

Stacey DelBeccaro is a Development Specialist in Economic Growth for Cardno, based in Washington, DC.

*Anyone can have a bank account!

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Cardno Staff Head Back to School:Teaching and learning provide life-long rewardsTamar Abrams

Most Cardno staff are lifelong learners and teachers and, for many, formalising that role is both challenging and rewarding. We spoke with a few members of the Cardno team who take the concept of 'back to school' literally.

Russ Webster, Area Manager, Americas, is a guest lecturer at George Washington University (Washington, DC) for a graduate course, International Development Management. He coaches a group of five or six students as they research and design a development project. Last year’s design was women’s empowerment and value chains in Northern Uganda and this year’s topic is local content and community development through partnering with private investors in the energy and mining sectors. He says, 'My motivation is to stay in touch with the next generation of development professionals, learn what they are thinking, share some of my own skills and experience, and explore innovative ways of working that grow from their fresh set of eyes and fertile minds.' He typically spends four hours per month on this activity, and says, 'I host them at the end at an all-staff event where they can present their design / project proposal and interact with staff to learn pointers for their professional development career paths. Some of the students are good candidates either for internships or for employment'.

Sarah Friedfeld, Development Specialist, Infrastructure and Environment (DC), began an MBA program at George Washington University (Washington, DC) in January. She attends two classes a week because, she says, 'It makes me more marketable. As Cardno is evolving, I need to keep up'. She has attended classes on financial accounting, organisations and leadership and managing human capital so far. According to Sarah, her manager, John Sitton, 'has been very accommodating. He is taking an active interest in [her] classes'. She attends classes in the evenings and spends an additional 10 hours a week on classwork, expecting to graduate in December 2014. 'A more educated staff is always a plus',

she comments, noting that it’s also good for her, 'I’m being exposed to other industries and new ways to do things'. Her program includes several short trips to study abroad which she is eagerly anticipating.

Renat Chintalov, Finance Specialist (DC), arrived in the US in 2009 with an education and experience in accounting and finance from Turkmenistan and Russia. Now he is working toward an MBA in Finance at the University of Northern Virginia. 'It was a strategic decision to familiarise myself with accounting and finance in the US, to see how different or similar they are compared to the expertise I already had in that area,' he says. Balancing a day job, family life and school can be difficult, Renat concedes, but organisation is the key. 'I always take evening or weekend classes,' he says. 'This schedule does crash my personal plans sometimes but it also makes it possible for me to dedicate myself to my work. My colleagues always know I am around. It is also my rule to start school projects early to allow sufficient time to complete them in case other things come up.'

Joe Dougherty, Technical Director, Economic Growth (DC), teaches Project Management, Consulting Skills, and Writing for Results at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (Washington, DC) and provides an MBA practicum and 'Executive Challenge' at the University of North Carolina’s Cameron School of Business. 'I believe teaching is a very direct way to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and is also a great way to learn,' he says. Joe says one of his classes in North Carolina is flexible and the other lasts only five weeks so he is able to plan them around his busy travel schedule. 'A lot of my students from Hopkins go on to work in international development. Now they know who we are and, hopefully, have a positive impression of the firm,' he says. 'Teaching forces me to keep my skills up to date, expand my knowledge base, and open myself up to challenging questions from students.'

Claire Jordan, Manager, Belgium, received a certificate from the Solvay Brussels School’s Young Manager Programme, an accelerated mini-MBA for young professionals, in June 2011. She says, 'Winning a $2,000 prize through Cardno’s Harold Davies Scholarship in August 2010 was a determining factor in my ability to apply for the course.' She also credits colleague Luc Verscoore with directing her to the program which provides a broad-based, practical introduction to the main concepts and approaches of management, combined with practical insights intended to be immediately applied in the workplace. Claire is thrilled with the whole experience, saying, 'The theoretical tools and frameworks, but also the group discussions and practical exercises in class, have all been invaluable in expanding my functional knowledge of our business and subsequent growth in my role within the Brussels office'.

Jacky Bass, Practice Director, Economic Growth (DC), teaches a skills institute for graduate students at American University (Washington, DC) entitled: Value Chains and Business Development Services. Her motivation for teaching? 'I wanted to give back to the program that I had gone through at American University,' explains Jacky. 'My students say that they appreciate the more hard-core business skills that they get in my institute as well as more of a practical outlook.' She manages to juggle her teaching duties with her home and work life by planning in advance early in the year and by teaching for only one month out of the year. What she, and Cardno, receive in return is invaluable: 'We currently have one of my students helping us with work in a Ghana business development activity, and I am thinking of bringing another student to work as an intern within the practice unit'. CC

Tamar Abrams is the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications for Cardno, based in Washington, DC.

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Aiming to be the Best:Contracts staff on track for certificationTamar Abrams

The Contracts Department in Washington, DC is on track for all six staff members to obtain certification in Federal Contracting through ESI International and The George Washington University School of Business. The Federal Acquisition Regulations highlighted in the certification are the rules that govern all of Cardno's contractual interaction with the US Federal Government, the client for the majority of the office’s work.

'The courses we are taking bring a wealth of knowledge to Cardno', explains Rachel Sitta, Contracts Manager. Rachel and her colleague Chris Driscoll have already earned their associate’s certificates and are now working toward master’s certificates. Chris says, 'The most important skill set that I’ve learnt in the process of obtaining my associate’s certificate is commonly-accepted best practices both for conducting market research and for procuring goods and services under US government contracts.'

An associate’s certificate requires students to take three selected courses in two years on topics ranging from Contract Management Principles and Practices to a variety of business skills courses. A master’s certificate requires students to take a total of seven courses in a four-year period. For staff members such as Chase Toft, the courses have been essential: 'As someone who came to Cardno without a specific background in contracts, the ESI course I took on federal contracting basics helped to reinforce ideas and procedures previously learnt in on-the-job training. Apart from practice in referencing and finding applicable clauses within the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the course also provided an opportunity to share and analyse real-life situations encountered by other participants, as well as the

instructor—an element which made the course particularly transferable to my job.'

The contracts staff has shared its knowledge with the rest of the office by conducting several trainings, and Chris Driscoll provided procurement training for representatives from three field offices (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) under the USAID-funded Central Asian Republics Local Development Initiative. Rachel Sitta says that professional development is important to the contracts staff in order to best serve the client service staff, and many attend additional trainings offered by Inside NGO and other organisations in the area. Other Contracts Department staff include Julie Grygiel, Arthur Crowder and Daniela Dimitrova.

Endre Esztergomi, Chief Financial Officer in Washington, DC, is understandably proud of his team, saying, 'Through these trainings and other ad hoc trainings, the contracts team is fine-tuning their skills in subcontract management, negotiation techniques, contract administration, source selection and navigating the Federal Acquisition Regulation, to name a few. By working towards certifications, they are able to provide the best customer service to our clients and program teams and are top-notch champions in each of their respective areas.' CC

Tamar Abrams is the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications for Cardno, based in Washington, DC.

Russ Webster

Claire Jordan

Renat Chintalov

Sarah Friedfeld

Jacky Bass

Joe Dougherty

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Workshop Overcomes Scepticism: Enhancing gender and social inclusionKachina Chawla

When Sapna Surendran started working as Research and Evaluation Coordinator at Child In Need Institute (CINI) two years ago, her field team was comprised entirely of men whom she had handpicked. 'I preferred to hire men as they could go anywhere, anytime,' she explains. Despite working in the state of Jharkhand, she also was biased toward hiring from other states, as Jharkhand graduates tended to be less qualified.

The discourse behind gender and social inclusion (GSI) was not new to Sapna. She spends her days working 'to achieve sustainable development among poor communities'—the mandate of CINI. In fact, if anything, she had started 'to take it for granted.'

Cardno’s USAID/India-funded Maternal Child Health Sustainable Technical Assistance and Research (MCH-STAR) initiative recently worked with three premier Indian institutions, including CINI, to enhance their ability to ensure that gender and social inclusion remain core focus areas for their staff. These organisations were guided to adopt methods that consider and integrate the specific needs and interests of particular populations—such as socially and economically vulnerable groups—at all stages of the project life cycle.

When MCH-STAR initially approached Sapna to attend a GSI Workshop, she was sceptical. She perceived GSI as a bunch of 'unnecessary and glossy words'. After all, these concepts were inherently built into her everyday work. With some reluctance, she attended GSI tailored workshops, facilitated by MCH-STAR, that introduced participants to local experts, user-friendly tools and frameworks for implementing GSI principles.

Today, Sapna says she has grown personally and professionally, thanks to her work with MCH-STAR. The GSI Workshop helped her in 'identifying the biases I had within myself and developing mechanisms around them'. She describes that as 'a huge breakthrough in changing previous misconceptions about the GSI'. Today, her team is comprised equally of men and women, and she actively recruits Jharkhand graduates. She believes that MCH-STAR has gone beyond enhancing technical skills, and helped her strengthen her softer skills, such as people skills. She is now far 'more in tune with donor requirements', adding to CINI’s marketability. Through MCH-STAR, she has also had opportunities to present her work in international forums such as the Global Maternal Health Conference in Delhi—providing her with global context for her work in Jharkhand.

Although her title has remained the same, her job profile has evolved tremendously. She no longer simply executes research designed by others. She is now involved in designing research in accordance with the systematically assessed needs of beneficiaries and stakeholders. She has moved away from the 'sheer academic joy of it' to thinking about this research in terms of how it can be used for advocacy, always ensuring that is it gender and socially sensitive. Inspired by the GSI coaching she received from MCH-STAR, she and her colleagues at CINI Jharkhand submitted a successful bid to conduct a baseline study on how gender relates to deprivation in Nalanda, Bihar commissioned by Save the Children, India. Most recently, she designed a project assessing the impact of the Indian Government's Integrated Child Development Services in Jharkhand, incorporating the GSI framework. CC

Kachina Chawla is a Consultant for MCH-STAR, based in India.

Participants at the Gender and Social Inclusion Workshop at Child in Need Institute

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The Chicken, the Midwife and the Manager:A tale of generosity and adventure from UgandaRebecca Husband

On a recent trip for Cardno’s Health Initiatives for the Private Sector (HIPS) project in Uganda, I assisted my monitoring and evaluation team colleagues in gathering missing baseline data needed to appropriately measure the impact of an upcoming activity. HIPS collaborates with and builds the capacity of the Ugandan private sector to improve access to and utilisation of health services. Our specific activity would involve assisting one of these partners, a beer company, to implement HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions for actors in its supply chain in districts across the country.

Our task would require travelling to some farther-off districts towards the north and the east, and I was warned that the journeys would be long and dusty, involving temperatures upwards of 40oC. No matter—with the prospect of seeing some of our project partners and beneficiary clinics in person, and discovering firsthand the health needs of the districts we would be working in, I was more than happy to go.

Everything was as expected: six-hour expeditions deftly navigated by our experienced HIPS driver; dust in the eyes and sun on the face; warm welcomes from the clinics and district health offices. We had been making good time, so we stopped at a partner maternity clinic in Agwata Sub-county to check

in and introduce me to the award-winning traditional birth attendant who founded the facility. Based at her home, she delivers hundreds of babies each year in a single delivery room, and provides additional services to her patients, such as HIV counselling and testing. I was impressed not only by the number of women she was assisting with such limited resources, but also by her healthy flock of pigs, goats and chickens that she would eventually sell to bring in additional income.

Suddenly, she held out one of the hens to me, and said, 'This is for you, to thank you for coming to visit'. I laughed, thanking her for her generosity, which I took to be just a gesture, as the hens represented future personal income. But as she continued to hold the poor thing out to me and started to look disappointed, my colleague, Irene, explained to her that, living in Washington, DC, I couldn’t take the chicken with me, but that Irene could take the chicken home herself. 'We’ll probably just leave the chicken at the edge of the farmyard when we leave,' I thought. 'I mean, how on earth can we continue the data collection and the long car ride tomorrow with a live chicken in the car?'

But as we opened the car’s back door and started packing the hen away in a large box, I realised we were actually planning on taking it with us. My colleagues laughed when I nervously explained I’d never been in a car

with a chicken that wasn’t already skinned, in plastic wrap, and stamped with a grocery store logo. 'It’ll be fine', they assured me—adding that the hotel would even keep the hen overnight for us.

Sure enough, when the hotel handed over our hen the next morning, it was just as we’d left it. We packed it away again, and I spent the whole day in the car waiting for the new addition to suddenly come flying over the seats, attacking Chief, our driver, and running us off the road…but it was perfectly serene. We finished up our work and headed for home, where our newest data collector is living out an egg-laying life in Kampala—11 eggs and counting—and not in Washington, DC. And while I didn’t end up with a hen for my backyard, I took home the memory of yet another example of the incredible generosity to be found throughout Africa. CC

Rebecca Husband is Manager, Health Practice for Cardno, based in Washington, DC.

The chicken, now living and laying happily in Kampala

KampalaUGANDA

Agwata

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Scholarships Program: Supporting investment in AfricaWill Wright

‘I could work in the World Bank. I could work in the IMF (International Monetary Fund). I could work in Australia. But I won’t. I will work in Cameroon and help to improve the trade and investment opportunities there.’

It is evident from Erick Tim’s words that he is passionate about his country. Erick is a revenue officer in Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance. During our discussion at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, where he is undertaking the International Trade and Investment Law master’s program, he presents a persuasive argument that Cameroon could do much more to attract investors and compete on the international stage.

‘On the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, Cameroon’s ranking is very low—we are 161st out of 183 countries,’ Erick says frankly.

The ranking system is based on a range of indicators, including the ease of establishing a new company, ease of obtaining credit, protection of investors and taxes payable. A low ranking on the index means the business regulatory environment is onerous to prospective investors.

As part of the master’s program at the University of Pretoria, Erick is writing a dissertation on the legal challenges facing security markets in Central Africa. He is particularly interested in finding ways to improve the performance of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, where there are two stock exchanges. According to Erick, the Douala Stock Exchange in Cameroon has attracted just three companies in 10 years, while the Libreville Stock Exchange in Gabon has had no companies listed in its six years of operation.

‘Clearly we require legal reforms and we need to introduce tax benefits that entice companies to invest in these stock exchanges and set up businesses in Central Africa,’ Erick argues. ‘The procedure for doing business in Cameroon is too cumbersome. Three months is too long to create a company.’

The task of speeding up procedures and improving the business climate in Cameroon will be challenging, but Erick wants to contribute to the effort. The master’s program he is enrolled in seeks to enable Africans to help their countries build capacity in the fields of trade and investment. Erick is being sponsored to attend the course by AusAID through the Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility (AAPF), which is managed by Cardno Emerging Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd.

‘I was so happy when AusAID decided to sponsor my studies,’ he says. ‘Now, I’m improving my skills to encourage greater investment and trade in my country.’

Despite the significant challenges ahead, Erick is upbeat about his country’s economic prospects.

‘We have iron ore, gold, diamonds, oil. In Central Africa, we are the biggest banana exporter to Europe and [Cameroon is] the second biggest logging country in Central Africa, behind Gabon. There’s the potential for more business to come in. I am open to considering all opportunities to help Cameroon attract investors.’

The AAPF is supporting four students on the International Trade and Investment Law master’s program at the University of Pretoria. In addition to Erick, there are students from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia and Tanzania.

left: Erick Tim (Cameroon)

As a lawyer working for a private firm in Kinshasa, DRC, Francky Lukanda had exposure to commercial law prior to joining the course. He had limited experience, though, with international business litigation. Keen to support his government’s negotiations with foreign investors, he decided to enrol in the master’s program so that he could gain the relevant competence.

Although DRC possesses a wealth of natural resources such as coltan, copper and diamonds, most of its population lives in poverty. Since gaining its independence in 1960, DRC has been devastated by a series of political crises and civil wars.

‘My thesis focuses on the renegotiation of long-term investment contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a particular focus on mining contracts,’ says Francky. ‘Between 2007 and 2010, the Congolese Government decided to renegotiate about 60 mining contracts, but they missed out on opportunities to achieve benefits for the communities surrounding these mines. This is one of several reasons why I think the renegotiation process failed. With the knowledge that I gain from my study, when these types of negotiations take place in the future, I will be able to advise the government on the course of action it should take.’

Like DRC, Tanzania is rich in natural resources, but most of its people are poor. Lilian Melkizedeki Kimaro, a legal officer in Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International

Cooperation, says her country lacks the capacity to fully participate in international trade negotiations. Through the International Trade and Investment Law course, she has gained a more comprehensive understanding of the international trade system, particularly the World Trade Organization. Tanzania is trying to liberalise its economy, Lilian says, so she found it especially useful to learn about ways to attract more foreign investment.

Developed countries like Norway, the United Kingdom and Australia have done well using their natural resources, according to Ainna Kaundu, Principal Economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Namibia. She would like to see African countries do the same. As part of her assessment for the master’s program, Ainna is developing a legal framework for petroleum exploration in Namibia that will ensure multinational companies deliver on their corporate social responsibilities.

‘I’m concerned that Africa, in spite of all its natural resources, has not been able to translate that wealth into meaningful work for its people,’ Ainna observes. ‘Developing countries will compromise on a lot of things to attract foreign investment. They get the investors but often they don’t attain their goals, so I’m interested to see how we can strike a better balance.

Technology and skills transfer are essential for reaping better social and economic benefits from foreign investment, Ainna believes. Countries like Namibia cannot rely on rich nations for eternity, she says. Rather than

employing local people in non-technical jobs, Ainna wants to see a commitment from multinationals to provide them with specialised training. With advanced skills and experience in the extractive industries, they would be better placed to help their countries establish stronger and more sustainable economies.

By supporting this scholarship program, AusAID is helping to ensure that students from African countries gain valuable knowledge and skills without having to leave the continent. Many African students study advanced postgraduate degrees in Europe and North America, but then do not return to Africa. The Australian Government has responded to African governments’ requests to support education programs in Africa, enabling African countries to retain their best and brightest.

Erick, Francky, Lilian and Ainna have no plans to leave Africa when they finish the master’s program this June. They say they will use what they have learnt to help advance the economic performance of their respective countries and to help them perform better in an increasingly competitive world. CC

Will Wright is the Communications Support and Planning Consultant for AAPF in Pretoria, South Africa. More information: www.aa-partnerships.org

left to right: Francky Lukanda (DRC), Lilian Melkizedeki Kimaro (Tanzania) and Ainna Kaundu (Namibia) at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa

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Sparking New Ideas for Malawi:Local Procurement Study TourWill Wright

Informative, engaging and enjoyable. In a nutshell, that was the experience of the participants in the recent Local Procurement Study Tour to South Africa and Australia, an Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility (AAPF) initiative. The 12 – 23 March program was organised by Cardno Emerging Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd, which manages the AusAID-sponsored AAPF.

Representatives from government, local chambers of commerce and the mining industry in Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia attended the study tour.

They came to learn about good industry practice and opportunities to improve the capability and competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in their countries, particularly those that could support mining operations. Of particular interest were institutional arrangements in Africa and Australia for the overall growth and development of local businesses.

Participants met local suppliers and community groups and visited multi-national mining company Anglo American’s large-scale platinum mining operations in Rustenburg and Witbank, South Africa. They also attended the Local Supplier Development Forum in Perth, Australia. This forum promoted

leading industry practice in building capability and competitiveness of SMEs operating in resource-rich regions of Africa and Australia.

Local procurement specialist George Brakoh, from the Newmont Mining Corporation in Ghana, told the group that ‘unless the mining company’s core values include real commitments to social responsibility and sustainability, the local business program is unlikely to be successful’.

‘This is not a one-way street, however,’ he said. ‘There are responsibilities and benefits for both parties.’

Patricia Orleen Kaupa, a participant from the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre, said the mining sector in her country was ‘just up and coming’ and so it had plenty to learn.

‘I was not aware that there was a charter in South Africa [requiring mining companies to have local procurement plans when they register for licenses],’ she admitted. ‘Why not Malawi? This is something that should be included in our legislation. These mining companies should actually play a role in supporting their local communities. I’ve learnt a lot about this on this study tour.’

Peter Mzondi Chongwe Chilumanga, from the Malawi Department of Mines, agreed with Patricia. He said the Malawi Government was

developing new mining legislation, which would soon be finalised. ‘It will be important to find a window whereby something with respect to local procurement should be included in the legislation. Without the legislation it would be difficult to enforce.’

The warm hospitality shown to the group by the Mandurah Council in Western Australia was another highlight of the trip. The council organised a boat cruise around the local waterways and a visit to the Peel Zoo, where many participants had their first encounter with kangaroos and other Australian fauna.

A notable achievement of the study tour was that participants shared their experiences with each other. However, the mining companies and councils also gained valuable insights from the visitors. As the Honourable Mayor Kebuseditswe Esther Molete of Joe Morolong Municipality in the Northern Cape, South Africa, put it: ‘The host organisations wanted to learn as much from the group as the group wanted to learn from them’. CC

Will Wright is the Communications Support and Planning Consultant for the Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility in Pretoria, South Africa. More information: www.aa-partnerships.org

left to right: Bernadette Mwakacheya and Banji Ngándu (Zambia), Ana Maria Esteves (facilitator), Calitha Weeks-Bropleh (Liberia), underground in Anglo American's platinum mine in Rustenburg, South Africa.

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Creating Community-Accessible Services:Through the Australia Indonesia Partnership for DecentralisationSyalomi Natalia and Bonnix Maulana

Decentralisation of government services has been a key policy in Indonesia since the 1990s.

From the national government to provincial or local governments, the intent is to improve service delivery. This can be achieved through: improving the participation of local government, civil society and the local community; facilitating local responsiveness; and encouraging accountability. But can this succeed if local governments have only limited capacity to allocate and manage their resources? What if civil society has limited capacity to influence resource allocation and management, as well as decision-making processes? These challenges must be addressed and overcome in order for decentralisation to foster service delivery improvements.

In Indonesia, local governments and the central government share responsibility for proper allocation and spending of local health service budget funds. Thus, it is crucial for local governments to have adequate capacity to manage their public finances.

Through the AusAID-funded Australia Indonesia Partnership for Decentralisation (AIPD), Cardno helps to improve resource allocation and management in the sectors of health, education and infrastructure by working with local government partners. To achieve this, program staff assess indicators such as the percentage of total local government budgets shared for health, education and infrastructure, and how local development priorities in those strategic sectors are reflected in the budgets. For example, one indicator might be the percentage of programs that are in line with strategic plans (known as Renstra), and the Local Mid Term Development Plan (known as RPJMD).

AIPD applies two approaches to improve public services: ‘enabling’ and ‘modelling’. Enabling includes providing conditions which empower local governments to provide better services, while modelling involves providing examples

of good practice that can be replicated in other provinces and districts.

AIPD and modellingOne example used by AIPD for modelling is the multi-donor-supported Indonesian Government initiative, the National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM). Similar to AIPD, the program focuses on public service delivery in the sectors of health, education and infrastructure, with the addition of economic development. In the Pagerwojo Village of Jombang-East Java, the program has successfully provided health services and clean water to the local community.

The head of the village, Robiul Usman (46) said, ‘When PNPM arrived here we clearly mentioned that our priority was not a smooth road or bridge but a place and facilities to look after our wives and mothers when they need to deliver our babies safely, a place where our sick kids receive proper treatment with proper facilities and drugs’. He went on to explain that the community is now happy and has convenient access to these much-needed basic services.

Through modelling good practice such as PNPM, AIPD supports local governments to implement lessons learned. This includes methods to enhance local community understanding of how services must be delivered and also engaging community participation and contribution. The result is that local communities share the responsibility of maintaining their infrastructure by actively

partaking in their local budget participatory planning meetings, or musrenbang, to ensure that there is a proper budget allocation for priorities such as health services.

With the help of AIPD, government stakeholders are able to more effectively allocate and manage available resources. This results in improved public financial management (focusing on health, education and infrastructure), and facilitates the sharing of knowledge to improve services and to support civil society stakeholders (including local parliaments, media and civil society organisations). All this results in the more active engagement of local decision-making authorities in resource allocation and management. CC

Syalomi Natalia is the Communication Coordinator for AIPD, based in Kupang, Indonesia. Bonnix Maulana is the Public Finance Officer for AIPD, based in East Java, Indonesia.

AIPD is a five-year program, operating until June, 2015. The program works with the central government, as well as the five provincial governments of: Papua, Papua Barat, East Java (Jatim), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), as well as 20 district governments within these provinces.

AusAID visit to PNPM area in Jombang.

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Newly-elected councillors attending training.

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Uganda Trains Thousands:New local councillors take part in induction trainingJoshua Lubandi

Like many other districts in Uganda, Serere District has faced severe challenges in the delivery of social services. This poverty-stricken rural district in eastern Uganda is home to nearly 136,000 people—the majority of whom are children. Serere struggles with inadequate health and education facilities, poor road networks, poor sanitation, and child malnourishment.

One of Uganda’s newly created districts, Serere elected its first local government officials last year. Energetic and ambitious, the recently sworn-in district councillors are determined to represent the interests of their communities effectively; they just don’t know how to go about it. Often, they lack knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, the skills to enact bylaws and ordinances, or they clash with district technocrats on how to implement social service programs.

The Government of Uganda recognises the need to prepare councillors to serve their electorates and develop a robust local government system that can serve as the foundation for good governance and effective service delivery. With the creation of new districts in the country, 70 percent

of the nation’s councillors are new to local government. Partnering with DANIDA and USAID, the Ministry of Local Government is conducting a massive induction exercise to equip the new councillors and technical officers with knowledge of their roles and responsibilities. This nationwide exercise is intended to strengthen the new officials’ ability to respond to citizens’ needs and improve the delivery of services.

The induction exercise, implemented through USAID’s Strengthening Decentralization for Sustainability (SDS) Program, which is managed by Cardno, started on 16 January 2012. It targets 22,801 councillors and 2,310 heads of departments in 111 districts. The exercise was preceded by a week-long training-of-trainers workshop for 100 potential trainers. Based on their test results, 90 trainers were selected to induct councillors and heads of departments at district, municipal and lower local government levels.

To date, about 10,487 officials (46 percent of target) have been trained in Northern, West Nile, Midwestern and Eastern Regions, covering 51 districts; the rest will be trained by the end of May. The training is broken down

into 14 modules that cover decentralisation, the local government system in Uganda, recent reforms and legislation, local governments in a multiparty setting, gender issues, ethics and integrity, and natural resources management. The exercise also includes development planning, financial and human resource management, leadership and development in local governments, and mainstreaming HIV and AIDS care at district and lower local government levels.

The Government of Uganda intended that the creation of new districts—from 33 in the 1980s to 111 today—would bring social services closer to the people. Until now, local governments have lacked the financial and human resource capacity to administer the programs. The induction program is envisaged to improve the ability of local officials to monitor government programs and to enact bylaws and ordinances that will make service delivery in their districts more effective, efficient and equitable. CC

Joshua Lubandi is the Communications Manager for SDS, based in Kampala, Uganda.

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From the Outback to the Ocean:Australian Tsunami Warning SystemPeter Read

The major earthquake which occurred in December 2004 off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia and the resulting tsunami devastated many countries bordering the Indian Ocean. More than 230,000 lives were lost across 14 countries. Australia is surrounded to its northwest, north, northeast and east by some 8,000 km of active tectonic plate boundaries, capable of generating tsunami. Waves originating from these boundaries could reach Australia within as little as two hours.

Through its 2005 / 2006 budget, the Australian Government committed to providing a comprehensive tsunami warning system for Australia. The system would support international efforts to establish an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system, whilst also contributing to the facilitation of tsunami warnings for the south-west Pacific.

Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology together created and implemented the Australian Tsunami Warning System (ATWS). Geoscience Australia subsequently commissioned Cardno to work with Geoscience’s scientists and technicians between 2007 and 2011.

The scope of work included designing sophisticated civil engineering structures and buildings for the seismic installations, procurement, and providing overall construction management for the land-based installations.

Phase 1: Upgrading the existing seismic networkCommencing in January 2007, Phase 1 involved Cardno’s team upgrading the existing seismic network by constructing new seismic stations to measure and monitor potential tsunami-causing earthquakes. This required civil and structural works, together with electrical installation for specialised equipment. The work was conducted at 16 separate locations across mainland Australia and on several surrounding islands / countries—including Papua New Guinea, Niue and Christmas Island.

One of the system’s most important requirements was the need to position the sensitive seismic equipment in locations where there is little disturbance in the immediate vicinity. Seismometers measure the direction, intensity and duration of earthquakes

SUMATRA

Christmas Island

PilbarraEidsvold

AUSTRALIA

PNG

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by sensing movement in the ground. Consequently, station sites were selected in remote locations, well away from areas with large populations and high traffic levels which could affect the accuracy of equipment. The isolated locations, coupled with the specialised nature of the equipment, required considerable expertise around logistical planning to achieve program objectives on target.

Cardno’s tasks included:

> Preparing construction contract documents;

> Designing and preparing civil works and technical drawings for the equipment vault (which would house the seismometer and be located 3 metres below the surface of the ground) and other storage facilities;

> Structural design of footings and solar panel slabs;

> Managing local authority approvals;

> Preparing site plans; and

> Contracting administration and construction management for any subsequent design changes.

Phase 2: A world first in the fieldIn 2010, Cardno was re-engaged by Geoscience Australia to assist in further developing the Australian geophysical network that supports the tsunami warning system. Phase 2 incorporated a new technology, representing a world first in the field. Developed by Geoscience Australia, this technology allowed the stations to collect and transmit more accurate seismic data than ever before.

Under Phase 2, Cardno managed and implemented the design and procurement and program management for infrastructure and buildings to support the development of 13 seismic stations. The new site for Phase 2 (in the East Pilbara region of Western Australia) presented greater challenges due to its location in one of the most remote parts of Australia. The Cardno team took great care during design and construction planning, to enable construction to proceed under extreme weather conditions with minimal external support. Each station covers a 26 km2 area and features boreholes drilled 30 metres into the desert to house the sensitive seismometers,

which are powered by solar panels with battery backup. This unique facility represents world-leading technology.

Looking to the futureThe stations completed as part of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Australian Tsunami Warning System are fully functional, measuring tsunami-causing seismic activity around the clock. They support the existing tsunami warning network, monitoring earthquake activity in the Indian Ocean and south-west Pacific region, acting together to collect seismic data and relay it via satellite back to the operations centre in Canberra. The network tracks earthquakes in real time, making the most accurate tsunami predictions possible to help protect from future tsunami disasters. CC

Peter Read is a Physical Infrastructure Consultant for Cardno, based in Sydney, Australia. He was the Project Manager on ATWS from 2007 to 2011.

Eidsvold, Queensland.Pilbarra array, Western Australia.

Australia is surrounded to its northwest, north, northeast and east by some 8,000 km of active tectonic plate boundaries, capable of generating tsunami. Waves originating from these boundaries could reach Australia within as little as two hours.

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Maintaining and rehabilitating the road network across Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a giant task. With the support of supplementary funding by donor agencies, the PNG Department of Works (DoW) utilises government funding to improve the quality of the country’s road network. The World Bank has provided long-standing support to the DoW through the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Project (RMRP). Under the RMRP, the World Bank provides up to 70 percent of net expenditure on road rehabilitation projects, while PNG’s national and provincial governments provide the balance as counterpart funds. The project also receives assistance from the PNG Sustainable Development Program through counterpart funds contributed on behalf of the National Government for selected sub-projects; in the past, RMRP has also received counterpart funding from AusAID.

As the Employer’s Project Manager (EPM), Cardno Emerging Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd has assisted the DoW in managing RMRP from its inception in 2003. To date, the project has maintained and restored 3,576 km of national roads and 833 km of provincial roads.

In addition, it has constructed or rehabilitated 56 bridges across seven provinces of PNG: Central, East New Britain, Manus, Morobe, Oro, West New Britain and Gulf.

Reconstructing the Hiritano HighwaySince 2004, Cardno has managed sub-projects along the Hiritano Highway, maintaining and rehabilitating 153 km of roads and bridges between the nation’s capital, Port Moresby, and the capital of Gulf Province, Kerema. The section of the Hiritano Highway between Malalaua and Kerema, a distance of 67 km, had fallen into such disrepair that it had been closed to general traffic for over 15 years. However, this particular stretch of road is exceptionally important because:

> Once repaired, it offers improved access to services. People in Gulf are able to access services available in Port Moresby, improving their living conditions;

> The alternative travel route between the two cities, by sea, is treacherous. Many people drown every year attempting the journey; and

Restoring Full Access to the Hiritano Highway:A giant task nearing completionSena Ratnayake and Ronnie Minong

Launching the beams to reconstruct the Uamai Bridge.

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> The repaired road fosters economic prosperity. Commercial quantities of gas have been found in Gulf and a second liquefied natural gas project is scheduled to start there by 2015. Oil exploration is also continuing and initial indications are promising. Additionally, accelerated economic activities can be expected in Gulf once a road link is established with Port Moresby.

In late 2009, with the majority of work having been completed under RMRP on the identified provincial roads, the DoW began concentrating efforts in Central and Gulf Provinces.

Construction work on the Malalaua-Kerema section of Hiritano Highway was contracted to PNG road companies, who were managed by Cardno for the DoW. Their scope of work included:

> installing new culverts and constructing new line drains to improve drainage;

> constructing earthworks to widen the road;

> attending to soft areas;

> placing and compacting a layer of sub-base material in order to raise low sections of the road that were at risk of flooding; and

> performing maintenance on Karama Bridge and reconstructing Lakikipi and Uamai Bridges.

Nearing completionThe first section to be completed, Malalaua to Kepamai, was finished ahead of schedule, and opened to general traffic in November 2009. It is currently in very good condition and routine maintenance has been carried out under the subsequent sub-contract for the Kepamai to Uamai restoration.

All works under the Kerema Town to Uamai Bridge contract were completed in August 2011. The road is now open to the public.

The stretch of road between Uamai Bridge and Kepamai has also been restored and has been opened for traffic. The remaining work on the reconstruction of Uamai Bridge was completed in April 2012, ahead of the contract’s approaching end date in June.

At project close, full access will have been restored along the Hiritano Highway between Kerema and Port Moresby.

In 2008, RMRP was independently assessed and hailed as ‘a successful project’ by the PNG Government Public Investment Program

due to consistent achievement of its targets within budget and time frame. As a result of the project’s success, the PNG Government secured funding from the World Bank to continue the project for an additional four years beyond the current contracted date. The new phase will involve sealing the unsealed sections of Hiritano Highway between Port Moresby and Kerema.

Cardno is proud to have assisted the Department of Works in managing this challenging phase of the project to its conclusion. CC

Sena Ratnayake is the EPM Senior Provincial Employer’s Project Manager (PEPM) for RMRP, based in PNG. Ronnie Minong is the EPM Assistant PEPM for RMRP, based in PNG. (The DoW Project Director for RMRP is Gariga Gabi; the Cardno EPM Team comprises: Selva Selvarajah, Sena Ratnayake, Sandy Bottrall, Ronnie Minong, Bore Duba and Delo Tomdawa)

The stretch of Hiritano Highway between Malalaua and Kerema had fallen into disrepair and was closed for over 15 years. The alternative route between the two cities, by sea, is treacherous—many people drown every year attempting the journey.

Lakikipi Bridge before reconstruction. Lakikipi Bridge following reconstruction.

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A Community Effort:The School Reconstruction ProgramEkky Octavianto, Galuh Herlambang Perkasa, Gerome Rich and Jennifer Frean

In September 2009, a series of earthquakes hit West Sumatra and West Java, devastating schools across these Indonesian provinces. The governments of Australia and the United States responded by combining forces to fund the reconstruction efforts of 57 schools under the School Reconstruction Program (SRP).

As the managing contractor of SRP, Cardno implemented a community-based approach to the reconstruction. Block grants encouraged community ownership of the reconstruction and contributed to the recovery of local livelihoods. With the support of a full-time site engineer at each new school location, community members acquired new skills as they formed and led construction teams.

The new school buildings adhered to stringent earthquake standards, including strengthening of steel reinforcement and increasing concrete specification. The program implemented formal disaster preparedness training in all schools, complemented by on-site activities such as evacuation drills, revision of disaster plans and preparation of risk assessments. Schools also received grants to purchase educational items including text books, teaching aids and supplementary reading materials for the libraries.

When the program completed in June 2011, the reconstruction efforts had re-established education infrastructure for approximately 9,500 students, continuing Cardno’s proud history of successful education programs in Indonesia. As this edition of Cardno Connect celebrates Educating the Future, we revisit the stories of two community members who were involved in SRP.

Pak Syafrul, Padang, West Sumatra, January 2011Pak Syafrul pauses from his work on the reconstruction activities at SDN 10 Koto, the local primary school. He reflects on the day of the 2009 earthquake: the walls of his home collapsed and his daughter’s education was disrupted due to severe damage to the local school.

His daughter, Johsi, is a Grade 6 student at SDN 10 Koto. She recalls the day of the earthquake vividly; it was after school, and she was at a friend’s house doing homework when the earthquake struck. She remembers running outside, the shaking and the fear. She said that when school resumed, ‘We had to use a tent as a learning place. Then, the local government of West Sumatra Province built three temporary classrooms there. But this arrangement was

not comfortable for learning, different to [the] previous classrooms that we had.’

She seems sad as she recalls the day when the remains of her old school were demolished, ‘Sad—for it was my old school, but also happy—since there will be better and newer school buildings.’

Johsi’s school was reconstructed through SRP using a community-based construction mechanism. Johsi and her father first learnt from the school principal that the school would receive a grant for reconstruction from the governments of both Australia and the United States.

Pak Syafrul helped conduct community meetings to disseminate information about the program. He had already decided he wanted to participate in the reconstruction of the school. ‘We take part in this reconstruction because we want our children to go to a good school,’ he says. He describes the enthusiasm and willingness of local community members to be involved in the reconstruction, noting proudly that ‘over 90 percent of the labour for the school reconstruction is from the local community’. Pak Syafrul finishes by appreciating the opportunity the program has presented for employment and income in the local area.

left to right: a school under construction; a completed block of classrooms; students enjoying their new classroom.

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As for Johsi, she is proud of her father’s involvement in the reconstruction. She hopes that her new school will be comfortable and safe, and will provide lots of learning activities.

Pak Syafrul, returning to his reconstruction work, proudly points out elements of the earthquake-resistant design, which he learnt about while participating in the program. Even before it is finished, the school is providing much more than just educational opportunities for the children.

Pak Endang, Tasikmalaya, West Java, March 2011As Pak Endang, the school principal for SDN Cacaban, Tasikmalaya, sits in the office of his new school, he vividly recalls the old school. The walls were made of limestone and clay, but he is unsure if there was any cement holding them together. He described the walls as ‘fragile’ and the ceiling as being ‘in poor condition’. There was one shared toilet for 120 students (both boys and girls), and no reliable running water. His school did not fare well in the earthquake of September 2009—it was damaged beyond repair.

Pak Endang’s school was reconstructed by the local community through support from SRP. Pak Endang describes the new school as ‘luxurious’ and says that he is ‘highly satisfied’. As a long-time principal, he indicates this is the first time he has seen such quality materials used in school construction. He proudly mentions the strength of the construction and elements of the building that he helped plan, such as a ‘U-shape’ layout and running water.

Despite his obvious enthusiasm for the new school, he moves quickly onto things he didn’t expect from the program. One of his teachers, Adang—who at the beginning of the program had never operated a computer—was now sending and receiving emails and using the computer daily. Adang gained new skills through his involvement with the school reconstruction committee.

Pak Endang notes his own newly-acquired construction expertise and administrative knowledge—specifically, procurement via a bidding system and archiving—as well as more formal learning processes supported by the program, which include school asset inventory and disaster planning. He eagerly speaks of the community benefits, the many practical skills he has learnt and the economic rewards for the local community, including parents of current students who worked on the school’s reconstruction.

After mentioning the students, Pak Endang rises, insisting we move from his office and meet the most important beneficiaries of the reconstruction program. We quickly find ourselves in an enthusiastic Grade 6 class, where we ask their perspective:

‘Hurray! I have a new school and I’m very proud of my school.’ – Ugie (12-year-old schoolgirl)

‘It is great to study at this new school, in which each of us gets her own seat and I promise to study even harder. My father worked here during the reconstruction.’ – Tina (12-year-old schoolgirl)

‘My old school was ugly … we had to sit too close to one another, sharing one table. But now, my school is great—vast, clean, and the seating arrangement is comfortable. My father worked in the reconstruction of the school.’ – Geti (12-year-old schoolgirl)

‘My father also worked in this school, you know. His name is Pak Maman. I’m glad to have a new school. Now, when entering classrooms, we have to take off our shoes; the teachers also do the same, taking off their shoes before entering classrooms.’ – Ali Lutfi (12-year-old schoolboy)

‘My school has new chairs and tables, a great toilet, and the floor is shiny. Thank you for reconstructing my school.’ – Sandy (12-year-old schoolboy)

As we depart, Pak Endang offers his deepest gratitude for the school reconstruction. ‘Thank you to all who have helped to realise the reconstruction of the school, so that it can finish on time and the school can be used again for teaching and learning.’ CC

Introduction: Jennifer Frean is the Editor of Cardno Connect, based in Melbourne, Australia. Pak Syafrul’s story: Ekky Octavianto, former District Engineering Coordinator for SRP, based in Padang West Sumatra and Gerome Rich, former Team Leader of SRP. Pak Endang’s story: Galuh Herlambang Perkasa, former District Engineering Coordinator for SRP, based in West Java, and Gerome Rich, former Team Leader of SRP.

NoticeBoard:Cardno activities around the world

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NoticeBoard:Cardno activities around the world

AFRICA

TrAINING TOUr GUIDESJambo na Salaam Aleikhum (Hello; greetings)

The long-haul tourism marketplace is fiercely competitive, which makes attracting and retaining tourists difficult, even in Zanzibar, known globally as the 'spice island' and famous for beautiful beaches and cultural history. To compete in this environment, in October 2011, the Tanzania Cluster Competitiveness Program completed a series of trainings for tour guides and tour operators from Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania. For the 25 tour operators, the objective of the training was to grow the sophistication of the companies by building competencies in both product development and marketing strategies. The companies are now equipped with the skills to take advantage of the growth potential of this industry.

Twelve Tanzanian tour guides also participated in an intensive ten-day training of trainers (TOT) accreditation course delivered by the World Federation of Tour Guides Associations (WFTGA). The overall aim for the TOT is for the participants to cascade skills to others in Tanzania and become WFTGA accredited trainers following international standards, codes and ethics in tourist guiding. All 12 participants

passed the initial examinations and have recently received their official accreditations, making them the first internationally certified guides in Tanzania. The trainings also served to strengthen the industry cluster. As one tour operator commented: '…you made us look at it from such a fresh angle… before this course I looked at the other companies as competitors and now they are concurrent and colleagues'.

Asante sana na kwaheri (Thank you; bye-bye)

INTErNATIONAl WOMEN’S DAy IN TUNISIAVictoria Collins, Cardno’s Managing Director for Private Clients, and Emma Odundo, Senior Program Officer on the Value Girls Program, spent International Women’s Day (8 March) in Tunisia at an event sponsored by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). As the theme of the 2012 International Women’s Day observance was Connecting Girls—Inspiring Futures, Victoria and Emma were asked to speak about their experiences working with young women in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya.

Funded by the Nike Foundation and USAID/Kenya, the Value Girls Program seeks to improve the socio-economic status of girls and young women by increasing and

strengthening their participation in proven, high-return segments of certain value chains. The two women spoke before an audience of approximately 200 men and women from the African Development Bank, as well as 50 girls and boys who were invited to attend from throughout Africa.

The AfDB is focusing on mainstreaming gender issues throughout the institution and on launching new programs with a focus on women and girls in 2012. There was a great deal of interest on the part of the bank president and employees in finding ways for Victoria and Emma to provide continued technical assistance to the bank as they expand their knowledge in women’s programming.

PRIVATE CLIENTSCardno recently provided design input for a BG Egypt sustainable livelihoods program. Specifically, Cardno contributed a summary of findings, best practices and lessons learned from the BG Tunisia Sustainable Livelihoods Program, and conducted a thorough peer review of the proposed program.

Fajar Daely, a Senior Consultant for Private Clients in Jakarta, represented Cardno at this year’s ozmine conference in April. Now in its sixth year, ozmine is the pre-eminent Australian mining exhibition and conference for ASEAN.

International Women's Day

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Organised by Austrade, the conference brings together key industry and government players from Indonesia, other ASEAN member countries, and Australia to identify and discuss major trends, opportunities and challenges in the mining industry. The theme of this year’s conference, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, was Sustainable and Responsible Mining.

In May, Washington’s Managing Director for Private Clients, Victoria Collins, and Oxford’s Private Clients Senior Manager, Eldana Djumalieva, will attend the International Association for Impact Assessment meeting in Portugal. They have each been selected to speak on panels, with Victoria presenting: ‘Integrated Gender and Value Chain Assessment in Kenya’, and Eldana addressing ‘Partnerships in Impact Assessment: Good Practices’. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Cardno’s expertise in these core service lines.

AWARDS

SUSTAINABIlITy ESSAy rECEIvES PrOMINENT AWArDJoe Dougherty, Technical Director for Economic Growth, Cardno Emerging Markets USA, Ltd., has been announced as one of seven winners of the prestigious Devex-USAID essay contest.

In December 2011, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and leading international development website Devex put out a call for the most innovative and insightful ideas on the future of development. Development professionals from across the world responded with essays covering a wide range of regional and sectoral expertise, on topics including the role of democracy in development, using technology to improve service delivery and environmental pressures on the planet.

Joe’s winning essay, 'The Revolution Must be Green: Feeding the Future through Sustainable Innovations', will be featured in a publication alongside authors such as: Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Liberian President; Paul Collier, Oxford University professor, economist and author; Admiral James Stavridis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander and head of US European Command; and Indra Nooyi, Chair and CEO of PepsiCo Inc.

The publication will provide the foundation for USAID’s Frontiers in Development Forum, to be held 11 – 13 June, 2012. The conference will feature leading global thinkers and practitioners in development in order to encourage forward-looking discussions and debate critical to development issues.

GENErAl MANAGEr rECEIvES INNOvATION AWArDAt Cardno’s 2012 Area Managers’ Conference held near Los Angeles in March, the Emerging Markets Division’s General Manager, Jean-François Floury, was presented with the Innovation Award. Innovation is a hallmark of Cardno’s work, embodied in one of its stated values: 'We take the time to be innovative, to think and create valued outcomes for our clients which support our vision for the future. We proactively look for better ways to do things. We encourage our people to be creative, entrepreneurial and to share their knowledge and expertise with their colleagues'.

In receiving the award, Floury was recognised for: 'developing and introducing new and innovative business practices to the division. These practices have been successful and the division has seen a significant reduction in its debtors, increase in profitability and a stronger connection with the Cardno Group'. Floury, who joined Cardno one year before receiving the award, said, 'I accept this on behalf of all the staff of the Emerging Markets Division, as we are all innovators'.

left to right: John Massey, Chairman of the Board; Jean-François Floury, General Manager, Emerging Markets Division; Andrew Buckley, Managing Director

International Women's Day Tour guides undergoing training as part of the Tanzania Cluster Competitiveness Program

About CardnoCardno is a professional infrastructure and environmental services company with expertise in the development and improvement of physical and social infrastructure for communities around the world.

Cardno’s team includes leading professionals who plan, design, manage and deliver sustainable projects and community programs.

Cardno is an international company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: CDD).

About Cardno ConnectCardno Connect is produced for associates of Cardno’s Emerging Markets Division with the specific purpose of sharing knowledge about our physical, economic and social development activities around the world.

ContactTo obtain copies of Cardno Connect please contact cardnoconnect@cardno.com. For past editions please visit: www.cardno.com/emergingmarkets

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