Home
About
Team
Projects
Blog
Contact
UNICEF Afghanistan
Performance and Sustainability of UNICEF-Supported Solar-Powered Water Systems in Rural Afghanistan
November 2025
The Research
Background
UNICEF supports community-managed solar-powered water systems in rural Afghanistan
Aim
This research assesses the performance, sustainability and organisational responsiveness of these projects
Sample
Interviews involved UNICEF extenders and NGO staff engaged in the projects.
Qualitative Findings
Community-Led Governance and Ownership of Water Services
Local governance structures for water are generally strong and inclusive, but rely heavily on informal leadership now that formal CDCs have been dissolved.
"They ensure inclusion by having vulnerable groups represented, holding open meetings, collecting feedback door-to-door, and maintaining simple complaint mechanisms."
Engaging Vulnerable Groups in Service Design, Feedback and Governance
Women, children and disabled people participate in design, monitoring and feedback through committees and forums, but elite capture and poverty limit their influence.
"Women and children, who are among the vulnerable people in the community, play a fundamental role in the maintenance and upkeep of the water supply networks."
(زنان و اطفال که از جمله افراد آسیب پذیر جامعه میباشند در حفظ و نگهداری شبکه های ابرسانی نقش اساسی دارند)
Performance and Variability of Solar Water Projects
System performance and sustainability are driven by a combination of design quality, equipment standards, local maintenance capacity, tariff compliance and environmental stressors, producing marked differences between schemes.
"For instance, systems located in remote or water-scarce areas face more frequent maintenance demands and higher operational costs, while larger communities often require stronger coordination and clearer accountability mechanisms among committee members."
Navigating Institutional Coordination and Policy Constraints
Participants reported that collaboration between UNICEF, de facto authorities, and communities is limited.
"Collaboration with the de facto government is limited and cautious, focused mainly on facilitating access and approvals rather than full partnership"
Monitoring and Response to Community Feedback
Structured feedback and monitoring systems facilitate community engagement and oversight, yet procedural inconsistencies and resource shortages hinder timely responses.
"From our point of view, the monitoring systems and human resources are not sufficient for adequate monitoring and evaluation."
(نی بانظر داشت سیستم های نظارت و نیروی بشری کافی برای نظارت و ارزیابی کافی نمیباشد.)
Climate and Environmental Water Resilience
Participants highlighted that infrastructure upgrades, governance measures and community engagement all underpin resilient water management in variable climates.
"human-made infrastructure such as dams, reservoirs, and flood defenses, alongside strategic management including water conservation and policy, are crucial for building resilience against extreme weather events."
Innovations and Collaboration for Sustainable Water-Energy Systems
Participants recommended technological, planning and governance innovations supported by community training, financing and monitoring.
Findings
Conclusions
The evaluation found strong local management but persistent challenges in inclusion, performance, coordination, and monitoring, with direct implications for long-term sustainability.
The Research
Qualitative Findings
Findings