Capacity building for rural water supply and sanitation in Lao PDR and Thailand

Support for integrated capacity building focusing on learning support for government organizations, communities, networks and small business is the most important contribution foreigners can make to local development. Excessive equipment and action assistance with minimal learning support, is more likely to create dependence. However learning support without locally financed working resources and improved motivation is hardly effective. Decentralization of authority requires decentralization of skills. Learning support focusing on specialist and management training without integrated courses for all staff limits organizational effectiveness. Aid/ cooperation should be much better integrated. This can only be achieved through deeper dialogue and better strategies. To seek a reasonable future for the region in a threatened world requires much greater effort from all of us.