Systems mapping for sustainability: a case study of shifting the focus of NGO action in Malawi

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have placed a renewed focus on the need for organisations to consider how to produce lasting impact. Often the scope of this undertaking is underestimated and signals the need for an organisational shift in project design and implementation. This paper focuses on the work of WASH Catalysts in evaluating the sustainability of an InterAide project in Malawi’s Central Region during its ‘exit-phase.’ This paper showcases the ways in which creating systems maps identified leverage points and highlighted sustainability risks in InterAide’s Hand Pump Mechanic project, which then helped to inform their strategy moving forward. Additionally, it alludes to the value of NGOs using systems maps to inform more sustainable project design in the sector at large.