In partnership with UNICEF NCCI delivered the first capacity building workshop to strengthen the capacities of the local NGO staff members responsible for the ten newly established WASH Service Centers (WSCs), which cover the governorates of Baghdad, Anbar, Salah ad-Din and Babel. WSC managers and reporters in addition to three UNICEF facilitators were trained during the workshop that was held at NCCI’s Baghdad office between 31 January and 2 February.

At the first day of the training the participants were trained on communication skills and how to develop communication plans. During the second day the participants were introduced to the new work modality for the WSCs and the information management structure covering weekly reporting, water quality control, 4Ws, rapid needs assessments, complaints mechanisms and emergency reports. Finally at the last day of the training the participants were trained on WASH emergency intervention, sphere standards, hygiene promotion and humanitarian standards.

This workshop is the first of a series of four workshops which form part of the new project titled “Optimize the capacity of WASH Service Centres (WSCs) in center and south governorates to provide effective field coordination and services”. This project aims to empower the WSCs and relevant local authorities to increase the quality of field coordination, enhance information management and flow, and improve WASH programming skills to the benefit of the displaced and returnees in these governorates. The project will also include hosting and supporting several coordination events like WASH cluster meetings, WSCs field meetings, meetings with local authorities, emergency operational meetings and other events.