4 Boundary setting

In the last activity you looked at the nature of change. But to plan an actual intervention you need to set some boundaries around the problem to make it manageable. Boundary setting is what you will explore now. In this particular case, you are going to be asked to think about a micro-level intervention.

Activity 3

Timing: Allow around 25 minutes

Watch the following video about manual borehole drilling for water supplies, in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. Ignore the instructions about a stakeholder matrix at the beginning and end.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 1 Lagos case study: development intervention

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Transcript: Video 1 Lagos case study: development intervention

INSTRUCTOR:

You now have an opportunity to apply the stakeholder matrix to the real-world context of manual drilling for water in Lagos and beyond. This case study focuses on an issue often referred to as WASH. Which stands for water, sanitation, and hygiene. Manual drilling refers to techniques for drilling boreholes for drinking and irrigation water that don’t use power machinery. Make notes of the stakeholders and their interests by completing the stakeholder importance and influence matrix. You have to estimate stakeholder importance and influence for a proposed follow-up project to support manual drilling in Lagos.

Also, note down what more you would like to know to fully understand the background for a proposed follow-up project. [VIDEO PLAYBACK]

(SINGING) Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. [NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

So there’s been such an upsurge in manual drilling. This probably is a reflection of the fact of population growth and the demand, and as well as, because the municipal water supplies from the state’s water agencies and corporations are not keeping up with the demand, so that a lot of people, most middle income households, now have to provide their own water supply. And therefore, they engage the services of the manual drillers.

[DRILLING]

[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

MOSES ODUSANYA

Manual drilling as a whole is the most affordable for every average Nigerian. And manual drilling is very good, because it’s a great job opportunity. At least for every home in Nigeria as a whole must have water, not depending on the water corporation that is the Nigerian water corporation. At least with manual drilling, everyone can get water in their environment for their domestic day-to-day activities. So my livelihood is very good. Thank you very much.

INTERVIEWER

How many parties of drilling teams do you have?

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

I have about six group.

INTERVIEWER

Six groups. And like, how many holes you drill in a year, or in a month?

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

In a month, sometimes we do 15 hand drilling. Sometimes, we do 10.

Sometimes, we do six.

INTERVIEWER

And who are your main clients, customers?

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

I have a lot of customers that’s– there are many.

INTERVIEWER

Government, private sector, private houses?

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

Yes.

INTERVIEWER

Factories, industries?

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

I have industry, I have one man’s business, I have many kind of people.

Moreover, even though I have a son. I will still teach him how to drill. Because I want continuity.

INTERVIEWER

So you say, you are proud to hand over this profession to your–

JAMES ALABAMA ADEJARE

Confirm. I am proud about it. I’m a borehole man.

INTERVIEWER

Thank you much Mr Adejare.

(SINGING) Ladies and gentlemen, boys and young ones. Why not make sure you rise up and dance to the [INAUDIBLE].. I sing. You dance. Very good. You dance. For elders and young ones. For ladies and gents, responsible and reliable. Especially for students who [INAUDIBLE].. Especially for students who [INAUDIBLE].. For maximum enjoyment, why not make sure you rise up? Why not make sure you rise up, and dance to the sound the new [INAUDIBLE] music. No more, no less. Let’s dance [INAUDIBLE]. No more, no less. Let’s dance [INAUDIBLE]. Rise up and dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my [INAUDIBLE].. Rise up to dance to my new [INAUDIBLE]..

[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

[DRILLING]

[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

The whole issue is that there should be a mass, you know, enlightenment of the public to ensure that at least they know the standards that are required. They know what sort of casings should be used. They know that there should be cement grouting, should be done, and that reports of their boreholes should be given to them. Lastly, I think even the drillers themselves need to be regulated. First, they need to be trained to make sure to ensure standards. And there’s a national code of practice for borehole drilling, which needs to be disseminated, so that people are aware of the standards required.

[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

[END PLAYBACK]

INSTRUCTOR:

You might want to watch the video twice, concentrating on different aspects each time. The first time, watch it through, concentrate on following the story, and making a list of everyone mentioned with an interest in water supply. That’s people and organisations. If you’re not sure that you have identified the full list, refer to the first table in the comments that follow the activity, and then watch it again. During the second viewing, focus on the possible roles of each of the stakeholders in the new follow-on project to support manual drilling in Lagos. This new project will implement the recommendations identified in the video.

So, remember, using the matrix, try to identify the level of importance and influence of the people and organisations you hear from.

End transcript: Video 1 Lagos case study: development intervention

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Video 1 Lagos case study: development intervention

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Note: This case study is about manual borehole drilling for water supplies, which is becoming increasingly popular in the city of Lagos, Nigeria.

Then answer these questions:

Which issues raised in this case study do you think are suitable for a development intervention? Note your answer in the box below.

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Selecting one of the issues you identified, what do you think would be involved to make it happen? Note your answer in the box below.

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Discussion

One take on the video of the Lagos manual borehole drillers is that several issues were raised that might be suitable for a development intervention.

These included:

• expanding the supply of water to poorer neighbourhoods and households
• the environmental issues raised by uncontrolled and random patterns of drilling
• the lack of regulation around standards, training and knowledge of both drillers and those commissioning drilling.

Each of these on its own would constitute quite a significant intervention, involving several different strands. There is likely to be a multiplicity of stakeholders, current ways of doing things which are underpinned by values and norms and various institutions within the local and national context e.g. a stronger law-enforcement-based approach to environmental regulations.

The issues you have thought about illustrate one of the first points to note when designing an intervention: it is essential to be clear about the scope and purpose of an intervention. This is far from being a merely technical issue, though. Instead, it is a boundary-drawing exercise in which the outcome is likely to depend, to a greater or lesser extent, on the outcome of negotiations with stakeholders. Thus, the first element of any intervention is to talk to affected people to explore and analyse the context.