Can you tell us about your association and the different things it does?
The association Action pour la Promotion des Initiatives Territoriales (APIT humanitaire developpement) is
an association founded in 2006 whose aim is to further human development in all its dimensions, through concrete and lasting work in access to water and sanitation, hygiene, energy, the environment and agricultural development. Its purpose is to give coherence to the work undertaken at regional level and to pool the efforts of the various actors so that people can leave precariousness behind for good. The work
of the Technical Project Coordination Unit (UTCP) is based on public-private partnership
and relies on community actors and other decentralised technical partners of the Senegalese state to deliver the various projects.
Can you describe the project with HAMAP-Humanitaire?
The collaboration with HAMAP-Humanitaire is built around support to the economic and social development of communities in Senegal, so that they gain lasting access to improved water, sanitation, energy and environmental services. This involves designing and putting projects together, seeking funding, identifying local technical partners for implementation, and strengthening the technical, organisational and financial capacity of the various stakeholders, while ensuring the participation and commitment of beneficiaries and actors, the sustainability of the work, access to information and the development of social engineering.
Why did you choose to work with HAMAP-Humanitaire?
HAMAP-Humanitaire is a development aid Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) whose
purpose is to act concretely so that ever more men, women and children gain access to drinking water and sanitation, to education, to health and to safety. APIT shares its vision, and its seasoned experience in the various fields of activity will make it easier to deliver the projects, strengthen communication with sponsors and funders, and thereby improve people's living conditions and take a step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
What does a partnership with a French NGO bring you?
– The sharing of experience in delivering projects
– Technical expertise and access to innovation
– Access to support funds and easier relations with other actors
– A wider range of fields of work
What are the difficulties in a partnership between two associations?
Difficulties need not arise at all once the roles and remit of each party are clearly defined. The difficulty that could possibly arise would be a difference in ways of working and a poor understanding of procedures. That said, a partner who shares the same goals and the same ideals, and who is willing to provide financial, material and technical support, will always keep in mind the final objective, which is meeting people's needs.