Water and Sanitation Information System for Timor-Leste

SIBS (Sistema Informasaun Bee no Saneamentu)

The New Deal! • The Timor-Leste Government is the Chair of G7+ Group, a

grouping of post conflict countries. • The G7+ The New Deal specifically calls for country led

development in partnership with development partners.• Monitoring systems that are owned by a nation are a key to

country led development

“We, the member countries of the g7+, believe fragile states are characterized and classified through the lens of the developed

rather than through the eyes of the developing.”g7+ Statement, 7 April 2010, Dili, Timor-Leste

“We support the pursuit of universal aspirational goals at the global level. At the same time, we emphasise that national

ownership of the development agenda is imperative”g7+ Statement, 28 February 2013, Dili Timor-Leste

Our experience in Timor-LesteTimor-Leste had a water supply monitoring system however there were a number off weaknesses:• data was weak - some partners provided information -

others didn’t • different indicators and information was provided • for many areas of Timor-Leste, no data was collected • data we had was often out of date • there was no record of functionality of water systems

and other variables including access times, water source flows.

• only water-supply data was collected, there was no database of sanitation.

As a result, data analysis was difficult, complete data was not available, data was out of date and the monitoring system was not useful as a management tool

SIBS - a country led system?

• It covers all rural villages in Timor-Leste• Government staff collect the information• It is timely, collected as part of staff day-to day work• The data collected is used at for a range of uses and

is used at sub-district, district and national level • As it uses SMS for data transfer - it is efficient and

cost effective• SIBS was developed in 2010 and transitioned across

to full use of mobile technology in 2012 • SIBS receives technical and funding from AusAID

through the BESIK program

What is SIBS for?SIBS is a national monitoring tool to:

• manage and monitor water services in rural areas, at national, district and sub-district level

• monitor sanitation and hygiene coverage in rural areas

• provide evidence used for Government planning for and investment in service delivery

• measure national level performance and thus progress towards our national targets for water and sanitation

• measure functionality down to the village level – thus directly supporting the implementation of an service delivery approach

• allow analysis of key aspects of sustainable service delivery

District 13

Sub District 65

Suco (large village – lowers admin unit) 442

Aldeia (village) 2225

SIBS covers all rural villages - providing information at the village level

What is monitored? What indicators are we collecting?

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What is new about SIBS?

Databases established in the past are difficult to maintain due to mountains of paper work, that needs to be entered into a data base.

We have limited internet access across Timor-Leste, and a key element of SIBS is the use of mobile phones to enter data and sends the data to via SMS. Mobile service is available across approximately 85% of Timor-Leste.

The Government WASH facilitators have a normal phone where the forms are downloaded for easy use. Data can be stored in the phone and then sent when a phone is in an area with coverage.

How is information collection done?

Data is collected by Government employed WASH Facilitators (90 employed across Timor-Leste) as follows:• Community Profile collected for all communities - information on

water system asset and social information (population etc.).• Information is updated quarterly through the regular visits SDFs

make as part of their role to support community management of WASH

• Update information is sent by SMS to a central database held at national level

• If there is a new system built or a major rehabilitation, a new Community Profile is completed

SIBS – data entry via a mobile phone

How is information analysed? How is information reported and used?

• Monthly reports on key indicators are produced and shared at district and national level

• At district level staff are being trained to analyse data and are starting to use it

• At subdistrict level there are no computers so they receive printed copies from District level

• Results are reported in Excel and using maps

SIBS – presenting data - excel spreadsheetsSystem Functioning Status

District Sub District Suco Aldeia Status

Bobonaro Maliana Lahomea 04010101 Maliana Adequate

04010102 Laho Mea Adequate

04010104 Genu Ha'an Vulnerable

04010105 Hatu Laca Adequate

Raifun 04010201 Raifun Vila Adequate

04010202 Raifun Foho Adequate

04010203 Nunu Tanan Adequate

Ritabou 04010301 Ritabou Vulnerable

04010302 Uat Adequate

04010303 Maganutu Adequate

04010309 Cor Luli Adequate

04010310 Same Laun Vulnerable

04010311 Diru Aben Critical

04010312 Ti Matan Vulnerable

Odomau 04010401 Genoha'an Don't Know

04010402 Rai Maten Critical

04010403 Rocon Vulnerable

Holsa 04010501 Solu Golo Don't Know

04010502 Op Legul Vulnerable

04010503 Tas Vulnerable

04010504 Bili Cou Critical

04010505 Lolo Oa Critical

Tapo/Memo 04010602 Lep Guen Critical

04010603 Pip Galag 1 Critical

04010604 Tunu Bibi Critical

04010605 Pip Galag 2 Critical

Cailaco Raeheu 04020101 Daru Asa Critical

Goulolo 04020201 Mali Lea Critical

04020202 Ilat Bote Critical

04020203 Suri Ubu Critical

Atu Dara 04020401 Atu Buti Critical

SIBS – Mapping Program

2010 January2010 July2011 January2011 July2012 January2012 July2012 October

Monitoring functionality

Comparison of functioning water systems over time

July 2011

October 2012

20102011

Monitoring time taken to collect water

2012

Internet access – using Google earth

Supporting transparency & accountability

Information available at national, district and sub-district Water Supply and Sanitation.

NGOs can access data for planning through requesting national level.

The next step is to support Government to make the information openly available outside – outside sub-district administration offices.

In the future can be used to hold service providers accountable

SIBS data available outside the Directorate for Water & Sanitation office in Dili

What does SIBS cost?

• Frontline SMS – www.frontlinesms.com -open source software.

• Phones for data collection (in TL 88 WASH Facilitators), server based in Dili (capital)

• SMS – one form each for Water and Sanitation (thus 2 SMS at 0.8c per village – 2,225 villages)

• Cost of visiting each community (in Timor Leste this is part of the ongoing role of the WASH Facilitator)

• Information Management system support: establish database, sms system and for ongoing systems support.

• Equipment for users to access maps, data• Bringing key people together to analyse and respond to

data• Invest in doing a check of data (5%) to ensure accuracy

What are the challenges?• Management and resourcing of sub-national staff for collection of

data for timely collection (although SIBS provides data on when data was collected so can clearly see if data is older than 3 months and 6 months)

• The quality of sanitation data can be poor, as health volunteers, community leaders are collecting this (currently training and motivation for collection of accurate data)

• Internet and IT challenges in the districts, mean it is difficult for sub-national offices to access information on-line (currently provided each month electronically)

• Government interest in making the SIBS information publicly available

• Further development of linking SIBS to an asset management system for each water system – through the community profile and include key technical data

• Ongoing support from BESIK with Government to look at ways to overcome the above challenges

SIBS (Sistema Informasaun Bee no Saneamentu)Water and Sanitation Information System

ObrigadoThank you