Fellowships
Water For People has two fellowship programs, each tailored to a specific, strategic purpose.
John H. Ware, Jr. Fellowship
The John H. Ware, Jr. Fellowship is a year long professional development program that builds the capacity of staff in Water For People country programs and in their partner organizations. The Ware Fellowship rotates through the four regions in which Water For People works, South America (2008-2009), Central America (2009-2010), Africa, and Asia.
Originally a three-week intensive program based in Denver, the Ware Fellowship was revised in 2008 to more closely align with the strategic goals of the organization. In that year, the Ware Fellowship moved out of Denver and into the field in an expanded, year long time frame. This new format has several advantages: It allows for the participation of more Water For People staff as well as the staff of their local partners. By blending theoretical investigation with professional practice, it ensures that learning from the fellowship is applicable to the conditions for water supply and sanitation in the developing world. Finally, the format allows participants to be self-directed and collaborative in their learning. All of this adds up to more impact in building local capacity, a cornerstone of Water For People’s strategic plan.
Fellowship in Innovation and Sustainability
The Fellowship in Innovation and Sustainability is a research fellowship awarded annually to an outstanding scholar, focused on a topic of critical importance to Water For People programs. The year 2010 was the first year of the Fellowship in Innovation and Sustainability.
As a sector leader in sustainability, Water For People constantly seeks to expand its capacity to innovate and field-test its innovations, with the ultimate aim of improving the way we and the sector accomplish our work. The Fellowship in Innovation and Sustainability supports research that promises to contribute directly to the practical knowledge base of Water For People program staff and the sector as a whole. The first fellowship year, 2010, is focused on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), a development paradigm with great potential to ensure sustainability of water supplies for generations to come. Through a case study of Water For People–Rwanda—a relatively new program – and consultation on ongoing IWRM efforts in Honduras and Guatemala, the fellowship is leading an organization-wide effort to incorporate IWRM into all Water For People country programs.
Stephanie Ogden is the 2010 Fellow in Innovation and Sustainability. Steph has six years of field experience in the areas of water, sanitation, and health, including time as director of a small nonprofit in El Salvador. She recently completed her master’s in Environmental Policy from Oregon State University, with a focus on water policy. To follow Steph’s activities and the progress of IWRM at Water For People, visit http://iwrm.tap.waterforpeople.org/.
