Tool 2

TOOL 2. GETTING IN-DEPTH INFORMATION AND LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION

To identify the interest and demand of specific groups in the community for water for multiple uses, and to clarify conditions of potential interventions.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the interest and demand of specific groups in the community for water for multiple uses, and to clarify conditions of potential interventions.

METHOD

The focus group discussion (FGD) is similar to the plenary community meeting (Tool 1) in terms of its scope and guiding questions. However, it is carried out with smaller sub groups from within the community, for example with women or men only, or with specific groups of users. A focus group discussion should not consist of more than ten to fifteen persons and should take one to two hours.

Step 1: Pre-identify the focus group(s) before organising the FGD.

Step 2: The FGD is led by a facilitator who asks guiding questions, and ensures participation from all the attendants.

Step 3: The responses from the FGD members are captured on flip charts, or otherwise. A rapporteur keeps notes and will produce a report of the focus group discussion.

Guiding questions for understanding the context and raising awareness:

Current use of water for livelihoods

  • What are the main livelihoods activities for you as a group within your community?
  • What water sources are used for those?

Limitations for multiple water use

  • What limitations does you group face for the use of water from the sources, in terms of quantity, quality accessibility or reliability of the water?
  • What is the level of disagreements or conflicts over the use of water within the community, or with people outside the community?

Interest and demand for water for livelihoods

  • If access to water for livelihoods activities were to be enhanced, what would be your priority? Which kinds of sources would you consider exploiting? And for which uses?

Opportunities and limitations for multiple use water services

  • Are there other (sub) groups in the community who would benefit more or less?
  • What are the current limitations for you in exploiting these resources more?
  • How would you be willing to contribute to such development?

Expectations

  • What kind of final benefit (for instance in terms of time saving, health, production, etc.) would you expect after having access to water for multiple uses?
  • What would you expect of the intervention to contribute to that? What would be your own contribution?
  • Depending on the context, an FGD can be done before a full community meeting is organised, if it is expected that large differences exist within the community. Or, it can be held after such a meeting, when during the meeting, substantial differences within the community are identified in terms of demand and interest within the community.
  • Focus groups can be identified and formed using the ’water user categorisation’ tool (Tool 3).
  • The facilitator of the FGD should:
    • Use open ended questions that allow people to give full answers.
    • Avoid yes / no questions.
    • Avoid too many ‘why’ questions.
    • Avoid embarrassing questions like ’what did you do about this’. Ask instead ’What do people around here do about it’.
    • Be sensitive to what is being said and by whom.

TIPS AND TRICKS

  • Depending on the context, an FGD can be done before a full community meeting is organised, if it is expected that large differences exist within the community. Or, it can be held after such a meeting, when during the meeting, substantial differences within the community are identified in terms of demand and interest within the community.
  • Focus groups can be identified and formed using the ’water user categorisation’ tool (Tool 3).
  • The facilitator of the FGD should:
    • Use open ended questions that allow people to give full answers.
    • Avoid yes / no questions.
    • Avoid too many ‘why’ questions.
    • Avoid embarrassing questions like ’what did you do about this’. Ask instead ’What do people around here do about it’.
    • Be sensitive to what is being said and by whom.

BASED ON

Tool 2 in: ZIMWASH, 2010. Guidelines for Planning for Water for Livelihoods, Harare: ZIMWASH Project.

Tool 7 in: Bolt, E. and Fonseca, C., 2001. Keep it working: a field manual to support community management of rural water supplies, Technical paper series, IRC; no. 36, Delft: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.