WATER ENGINEERS FOR THE AMERICAS & AFRICA
Making Connections. Empowering communities. Improving lives.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Increase access to WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) resources for rural communities, schools and health care facilities in Latin America and Africa.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
WEFTA 2023 Strategic Plan
WEFTA's mission is to connect water professionals and partners with communities in developing countries to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene resources for the benefit of the people and the environment.
Our Core Values guide our decisions and the way we engage our partners, communities, funders, and colleagues.
-Integrity: Maintain high standards of professionalism, ethics, and accountability in all our programs and operations.
-Quality: Certify that our projects and programs maintain the highest standards for the people we serve.
-Respect: Hold positive regard for the dignity of all people.
Safety: Ensure that our staff, volunteers, community participants, and projects are safe in all aspects of the project and program lifecycle.
Our Enduring Vision: Improving lives in the communities where we work through the development of sustainable water and sanitation systems.
Water and Capacity Development for the Indigenous Populations of Panama
WEFTA maintains two programs in Panama. The first and oldest program (dating back to 1998) is run by our in-country Circuit Riders Nicholas Arcia and Marcial & Esteban Mendoza. The other program is a collaborative approach with the Peace Corps/Panama WASH program. Both programs utilize WEFTA volunteers who work hand in hand with community members and the local water committee to develop a potable water project that fits the community’s need. All our projects have at least a 25% community contribution – often upwards of 50% where the community provides labor, material, worker food and material transportation.
WEFTA along with the Peace Corps developed a project process called WaterSTAR (Water System Technical Assistance Report) where WEFTA volunteers, WEFTA circuit riders and Peace Corps Volunteers work with water committee members or village decision-makers to identify water supply issues and develop solutions. Whether it is a new system design or a renovation of an older system the team analyzes the critical components using the WaterSTAR process. The components of the WaterSTAR report are: current community water supply situation, supply and demand survey, water committee status and training, hydraulic analysis/vertical profile, hydraulic modeling, materials list, budget, grant application, land tenure, operation & maintenance plan, and a watershed/sourcewater protection plan.
In Panama, WEFTA commits to post-construction follow-up with beneficiary communities 1 year after construction and every three-years after that. Maintaining a consistent empowering relationship with community members keeps the water flowing and community members happy.
We ask our donors to commit to 5 individual community project per year. Projects range from $4K to $12K.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Healthcare Facilities Initiative
WEFTA has constructed and improved water supply and wastewater systems for healthcare facilities in Africa and Latin America and currently has multiple projects underway. In collaboration with our partners, Village Health Partnership, Daughters of Charity International Project Services and SAWA, recent water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities projects provide access to safe reliable water and sanitation to over 40,000 people who are served by the healthcare facilities in the communities we work.
In a publication released in June 2020 by Global Water 2020, WEFTA has been recognized as a Trailblazer and Implementer making progress toward water access and security for all people in developing countries.
Honduras Circuit Rider Initiative and Rural Water Supply Improvement Projects
WEFTA has worked in Honduras since its founding in 2002. WEFTA identifies communities in need of new water system development or repairs and rehabilitation of existing systems. Residents pay ~50% of project cost and provide 100% of non-qualified labor. WEFTA Circuit Riders provide the communities with training for O&M on the system and water board development. The Circuit Riders return to the communities regularly to check in on system management and ensure that the water board is charging adequate monthly tariffs to operate the system sustainably.
Wells and hand-pumps for Indigenous Communities in Bolivia
WEFTA purchased a water well drilling rig for its implementing partner in Bolivia, Suma Jayma (http://www.sumajayma.com) in 2013. With the rig, the Suma Jayma team drills wells to an average depth of 60 meters to bring water to needy families in the Altiplano region. Our goal is to drill 20 wells per year, each well serves between 100 and 500 people. Included in our program with Suma Jayma is source water protection planning, water committee training, and household hygiene education.
Each well costs approximately US$12,000.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
GlobalWater2020 - Trailblazer-Implementer Award 2020
Charity Navigator - 100 out of 100 Encompass Rating 2021
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsProgram Indicators: # of groups showing ability to manage WASH resources# of projects # of projects visited by WEFTA volunteers# of beneficiaries by age/gender
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of people receiving safe drinking water from community systems
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Age groups, Health, Social and economic status
Related Program
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Healthcare Facilities Initiative
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Goal 1- Develop sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources in disadvantaged communities, schools, and health care facilities (HCFs).
Goal 2- Form lasting strategic partnerships with communities, community groups, host-country agencies and advocacy organizations.
Goal 3- Develop a platform for volunteers to engage with community improvement projects abroad.
Goal 4- Engage donors in project and program support to ensure responsible stewardship of the funding resources.
Goal 5- Ensure our program and project data collection, monitoring, and reporting methods conform with grantor requirements across all regions where we work.
Goal 6- Optimize our internal systems to meet the standards set forth by the National Center for Non-Profit Excellence.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
G1.Obj1- Engage community leaders and groups in sustainable WASH capacity and project development.
G1.Obj2- Design and construct WASH infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.
G1.Obj3Improve project stability by providing frequent post-construction follow-up and feedback on WASH projects.
G1.Obj4Improve community access to WASH resources and their capacity to manage those resources.
G2.Obj1Develop in-country partnerships that strengthen WASH project development and post-construction follow-up at the local level.
G2.Obj2Develop a regional WASH network that engages, educates and provides post-construction follow-up to local partners.
G2.Obj3Engage global WASH partners in planning, implementing and follow-through on WASH projects.
G2.Obj4Establish a database of strategic partners that documents actions taken, combined goals and outcomes.
G3.Obj1Engage volunteers to work on specific projects and commit to the conclusion of that project.
G3.Obj2Engage organizations to supply volunteers for projects and/or country programs.
G3.Obj3Maintain a database of committed volunteers that documents Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSA), availability, geographic region and in-kind efforts provided by the volunteer.
G4.Obj1Effectively document donor amounts and outcomes ($ amounts and in-kind donations)"
G4.Obj2Promote in-country work to current and potential donors.
Develop marketing menu for donor engagement.
Maximize cost-effectiveness on implemented projects.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
18 year track record of service to rural communities and partners in Latin America and Africa.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our progress and success is due to our volunteers, stakeholders, partners and donors. We are working toward our goals in a very challenging time (CoVid).
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Community meetings/Town halls,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
WATER ENGINEERS FOR THE AMERICAS & AFRICA
Board of directorsas of 02/17/2023
Mr. Peter Fant
San Ildefonso Services, LLC
Term: 2002 - 2030
Louis Harrington
San Ildefonso Services, LLC
Scott Rogers
Aqua Engineering, Inc.
Jason Gehrig
Tarrant Regional Water District (Dallas/Ft. Worth)
John Lincoln
CH2M Hill (Retired)
Jennifer McDowell
Giving2Grow
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/28/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.