On December 5  the conference on "Digital Water - Applied research for water services" took place at SMAT HQ in Turin. The event was the occasion to present the most significant research activities carried out by utilities, universities, research centers and industries in the field of applied research on water services.. Download the programme (Italian). 
During the event the "Water Academy", the high level training school of UTILITALIA and the newly created Water Research Award were also officially presented. 
The conference discussed the issues of research, innovation and development with a view on business opportunities and potential environmental benefits.
The SMAT Research Center along with leading companies of this specific sector, including Hera,Iren, Olivetti and Thales Alenia Space, took part to the conference. More information at www.smatorino.it.

​Last Tuesday, November 14, a delegation of experts and technicians from the Ethiopian Water Resources Development Fund (WRDF) participated in the workshop on “Industrial application of the SOFC system: the DEMOSOFC project", within the framework of the capacity development program currently conducted by Hydraoid with the WRDF. 
The workshop, organized at the Polytechnic of Turin, presented DEMOSOFC project, an initiative funded by the European Union in the framework of the Horizon 2020  program  aimed at producing high efficiency energy with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) by using biogas from waste water. The project is supported by a technical partnership  which includes the Polytechnic of Turin, the Imperial College of London,  SMAT (the Turin water utility which will implement  the prototype in Collegno's wastewater treatment plant in Turin), the Finnish start-up Convion and the Research Center of the same Scandinavian country VTT. 
The project has enabled the installation of the first European industrial-size fuel cell system in the SMAT plant of Collegno that can convert the sludge from the wastewater into clean and valuable energy, thanks to the high efficiency conversion of solid oxide fuel powered by biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of sludge from the urban waste water. The project represents an important example of “circular economy”, which meets about 30% of the demand for electricity and more than 50% of the demand for heating of the plant.
 The workshop included a visit in the afternoon to the SMAT plant in Collegno where this innovative system is currently being implemented.

​ A delegation from the Ethiopian Water Resources Development Fund (WRDF) is visiting Turin from 16th to 26t​h October, in the framework of the training programme realized by Hydroaid in support of the staff of the WRDF.
The delegation include Director General, Dr. Wanna Wake Gelesu, and those responsible for planning, finances and public relations. They are involved in a training programme and technical visits with the objective of exchanging experiences and know-how about water resources management by focusing on the model adopted in the Piedmont region (Northern Italy). Activities will take place in different locations in collaboration with members and partners of Hydroaid (ATO3, SMAT, Hydrodata, Regione Piemonte, ACDA).
The Ethiopian Water Resources Development Fund, established by the Ethiopian Government in January 2002, is the governmental agency which promotes the development of viable water and sanitation services in Ethiopian urban areas and evaluates the projects presented by local suppliers with regards to the water infrastructure of the entire area of Ethiopia.
For the past five years, Hydroaid has realized as series of training initiatives and capacity development in Ethiopia: the WATSAM Project, financed by the European Union and the platform A Focus on Ethiopia, together with distant learning projects financed by the ATO3 (Turin), have paved the way to the establishment and following consolidation of relationships with Ethiopian institutions 
The WRDF and Hydroaid signed an agreement on 4th April 2017 aiming at the organization of a training programme set out in several phases: the first “on the job” step, geared towards technical and economic aspects of the project, took place last July at the WRDF offices in Addis Abeba.
The second phase of the training take place in Turin as from Monday 16th October with an in-depth session on theory, together with technical visits to plants and focus on aspects concerning regulatory frameworks and financial evaluation. For a period of ten days the first group of high level officials from the WRDF will have the possibility to observe and discuss about the model of water governance adopted by the Piedmont region and debate ideas with administrators, technicians and regulators concerning best practices and solutions aimed at the improvement of water supplies in Ethiopia. 
A planned visit of a second group of technicians from the WRDF in November will wrap up this intense period of training and exchange which benefit the support of the Government of Ethiopia and Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Addis Abeba.

On September 11, the new e-Learning course on "Gouvernance territoriale: fondements, enjeux et pratiques en Afrique de l’Ouest et au Sénégal" began. The course, orgarnized by Hydroaid in collaboration with the Institut de la Gouvernance Territorial of the Dakar’s University Cheikh Anta Diop, presents the fundamental elements and most crucial challenges concerning the governance of local administration. It provides an in-depth analysis of the key concepts (governance, good governance, decentralization, local development, etc.) and governance issues in West Africa, focusing on actors, mechanisms and programmes.​ ​
150 people from 14 French-speaking countries applied. The selection of candidates, based on their skills, competencies and motivations, gave a final number of 80 participants from 10 countries (Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Congo, Senegal, Tchad, Togo); 19 of the 80 candidates selected are women. 
​​During the first week of the course, the participants learned about the methodology and subjects of the course and familiarized themselves with the e-learning platform, exploring its tools and ways of using it. This week, training activities and exercises began. 49% of the participants come from the public sector, 27% from the private sector, and the remaining 24% are unemployed.

The showdown of the four-year GoBenin Project took place last July in Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
he GoBenin Project was a development programme sponsored by the EU which brought together several institutions, such as ENAS (Water Utility of the Sardinia Region), CRENoS (Center for North-South Economic Research of the University of Cagliari), NRD (Research Centre on Desertification of the University of Sassari), the University of Abomey-Calavi, the General Directorate for water of the ministry for Energy and Water, ​Actions Integrees pour le Developpement (AID) and Hydroaid as implementing partner.
The project consisted in carrying out a research assessment concerning the water resources in the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi as well as providing training for local technicians and public managers. The project also envisaged the drafting of a technical handbook for the management of water resources in accordance with national water legislations, where the ultimate goal was the transfer of models of local governance. 
Throughout the 150 hours of training, run first in Benin and later in Italy, the 23 beneficiaries further strengthened their technical skills and expertise concerning the management and planning of water infrastructures. Moreover, they were able to carry out an analysis of the criticalities and solutions envisaged for the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi. In addition to in-class work the participants engaged in water quality lab testing, specific software education and on-field visits to facilities in Benin as well as in Italy. Experts from both Italy and Benin jointly delivered the training, highlighting the skills and synergies of the project partners and thus conveying an added value to the participants’ learning. This successful approach led to the comparison of the water planning and management systems in Benin and Italy and subsequently stimulated a productive debate among participants and experts. Finally, the copious didactic material produced during the training represented a valuable source for the development of the expected technical manual on the management of water resources. 

​Hydroaid, partner of the Integrated Project for the Right to Water, Health and Nutrition in Central Tanzania, carried out a technical mission with the target of contribute to define the training model for technicians who work in the field of water supplying in some rural areas of the country.
The project, promoted by LVIA (Lay Volunteers International Association) and co-funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and UNICEF,intends to contribute in a sustainable way to the improvement of life conditions, to the decrease of child mortality and the quality and governance of water, hygiene and nutritional services in a long lasting way and through an integrated approach in the Dodoma, Iringa and Central Tanzania regions. In particular, the project aims to improve the skills and the knowledge of the local actors in the field of the management of integrated water services and at local community and district levels (regions of Dodoma, Iringa, Ruvuma and Simiyu). It also aim to improve considerably the access to water as well as the functionality of healthcare facilities and water resource monitoring activities in the local community of the districts: Kongwa, Chamwino, Iringa and Mufindi.
During the mission, which took place from 4th to 15th July in the region of Dodoma and Moshi, the training model was developed according to the VETA (Vocational Education and Training Authority) standards and procedures, with the view of supporting the partners of the project and the local stakeholders (community representatives, private operators and rural water systems manager). During a second phase of the project a distance learning module for VETA staff member on the management of water resources in a rural areas, will be implemented with the objective of being integrated eventually into the overall national VETA training programme.
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Cette formation à distance, realisée en collaboration avec l'Institut de la Gouvernance territoriale de l'Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (IGT-UCAD), introduit les fondements, les principes, les enjeux  de la gouvernance territoriale. 
Au-delà de la présentation des concepts (gouvernance, bonne gouvernance, décentralisation, territorialisation, développement local), il s’agit d’une réflexion partagée sur les politiques publiques et les approches de la gouvernance en Afrique de l’Ouest, avec un focus sur les acteurs, les échelles, les mécanismes et les programmes.
A partir de textes, d’articles scientifiques, de retour d’expériences, cette formation, d'une durée de 4 semaines, permet d’expliciter les dispositifs et les instruments concernant la territorialisation des politiques publiques, en mettant un accent particulier sur les pays de l’Afrique de l’Ouest et sur le Sénégal. 

Durée: 11 septembre - 15 octobre  2017
Langue: français
Coût: gratuit 

Bénéficiaires: Max 80
Ce programme de formation à distance est destiné aux décideurs, aux gestionnaires, aux professionnels des collectivités locales, des organisations de la société civile et à tous les acteurs impliqués dans le développement territorial des pays en développement et émergents.

Inscriptions:
Télécharger et lire les documents ci dessous.
Remplir, signer et envoyer le formulaire d'inscription à tutor.sanitation@hydroaid.it avec la copiede votre pièce d’identité ou passeport et copie du certificat d'études les plus élevé que vous avez obtenu.

Date limite limite pour envoyer les candidatures: 31 août 2017. 
​

​The closing event of "CliC - School Changes Climate", a project realized by Hydroaid in collaboration with CinemaAmbiente TV and with the financial support of Autorità d’Ambito n.3 “Torinese”, took place in Turin on 5th June from 9.30 am to 11.00 at the Cinema Massimo. (SEE THE VIDEO HERE)
The event was held in the framework of "Ecokids" - the section that the Cineambiente Festivalreserves to its youngest audience scheduled from 4th May to 5th June - with the participation of representatives from the local institutions, the project promoters, the teachers and the young students, leaders of the project.
"CliC - School Changes Climate", a project aimed at raising awareness among young students about the complex issues of climate change and its impact on water resource management, has been a great success involving 850 children from 38 classes belonging to 13 primary schools of the Metropolitan City of Turin, for a total of 44 hours of lessons, 250 riddles and games and 34 produced artworks.
Two vouchers for the purchase of books on environmental issues and ten subscriptions to Cinemambiente TV were awarded to the classes that produced the most significant artistic works in terms of relevance to the topics, creativity and educational purpose, and which were best able to interpret and understand the importance of the impact of climate change.
A "Special Prize" for the purchase of books on environmental sustainability was delivered by theSMAT CEO, Mr.  Paolo Romano to the school that showed a particular attitude towards water issues in relation to the available educational resources, and which has been able to capture the most important aspects of the impact of climate change on this important resource.
At the end of the project the works produced by the children have been exhibited, thanks to the support of SMAT, outside the Cinema Massimo.

​A new framework cooperation agreement has been recently concluded by Hydroaid with the University “Cheikh Anta Diop” in Dakar, Senegal.  This agreement aims at fostering general collaboration in training, research and dissemination initiatives in the field of water-related issues. 
In particular, within this general framework, a specific covenant with the Institut de la Gouvernance Territoriale (IGT) has also been concluded as the result of a mission recently conducted in Senegal by Hydroaid during which the development of common synergies and expertise were envisaged.  The agreement with the IGT has the main objective of enhancing capacity in the field of territorial governance and water resources through the organization of joint training activities. 
In the second half of 2017, a first distance training program aimed at strengthening local capacity to manage water governance models, which combines the need to ensure effective services, coherent systems of relationships respectful of individuals, environment and peculiarities of the territories, with technical and economical sustainable management models.
The program will address African countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Central African Republic, Rwanda and of course Senegal.

 ​​ Hydroaid was among the invited organizations to take part to thehigh level conference on the European Union development cooperation which took place in Rome, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on Thursday 27 April.
The initiative, organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the framework of the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, aimed at outlining the historical perspectives of the development cooperation in the European Union and giving visibility to what the Union achieved since the signing of the Rome Treaties.
The conference was opened by Angelino Alfano, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and by Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development.
The debates marked out the current reform momentum of the EU in this field by tackling some crucial issues such as the updating of the European Consensus on Development, the “post-Cotonou” framework for EU’s relations with the ACP countries and the implementation of Agenda 2030.
Among the high-level speakers who contributes to the success of this initiative there were: the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ivory Coast Marcel Amon Tanoh; the Minister for Development and Francophonie of France Jean-Marie Le Guen; the Director General for International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission Stefano Manservisi and the former EU Commissioner Emma Bonino. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mario Giro made the closing remarks of the conference.