Stepping Back to Move Forward: Exit Planning for Lasting Impact

When should an NGO step back and let local stakeholders take the lead? For me, this question isn’t just theoretical, it’s something we face every day. As a member of Engineers Without Borders – Israel (EWB-TA), working in Tanzania has been one of the most rewarding challenges of my career. But from day one, I knew that the true measure of our success would be the day we could step back, leaving behind stable communities and sustainable systems.

At EWB-TA, we’ve been working tirelessly to improve access to clean water and promote WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices in rural schools across Tanzania. Creating an exit strategy has been one of the most critical parts of this work.

Planning for the End from the Start

Planning to leave while just starting a new project might sound not intuitive, but it’s been a crucial part of our strategy. For me, this process has been a constant reminder that our role is to be enablers, not permanent fixtures. From the very beginning, our work rested on three guiding principles:

1. Local Ownership: Collaborating with local communities, school staff, and government officials has been a cornerstone of our approach.
2. Sustainability in Design: I remember sitting with our technical team and discussing the details of our rainwater harvesting systems. It wasn’t just about what would work now but what would still be functioning in five, ten, or twenty years. Simplicity and long-term sustainability were crucial.
3. Clear Timeline: Defining the right moment to step back from a project is a delicate balance. It’s not just about leaving, it’s about ensuring the work continues to thrive in your absence. Communicating this to stakeholders can be challenging, as it requires balancing the need for support with the higher goal of independence.

The Discipline of Exit Planning

Personally, planning for an exit has forced me to think differently about impact. It’s easy to get caught up in immediate results—the number of students accessing clean water, for instance—but true impact lies in what happens years down the road. This mindset has guided every decision I’ve made, from prioritizing training for local leaders to helping schools develop maintenance plans.

Some of the most meaningful moments have come from head-teacher seminars we conductd. It was incredible to hear them share how they tackled technical challenges and took ownership of maintaining the systems we put in place.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

The road hasn’t always been smooth. I’ve felt the weight of balancing long-term goals with the day-to-day realities of development work. But through open communication, school leaders are stepping up, district officials are actively involved in our projects, and more and more communities want to join.

Building the Foundation for the Future

While working on the final stages of our involvement, my focus is on ensuring a smooth handover. We’re working closely with local leaders to finalize maintenance protocols, training programs, and resource guides. Each school’s needs are unique, and I’ve made it a priority to tailor our approach to their specific challenges.

For me, this isn’t just about water systems—it’s about people. It’s about the students who now have access to clean water and can focus on their education. It’s about the head-teachers and local authorities who will take respinsiblility from now on. And it’s about the knowledge that the work we’ve done together will continue to impact lives long after we’ve stepped back.

Why Exit Planning Matters

Development work without an exit strategy risks creating dependency rather than independence. For me, this has been more than just a professional goal—it’s the essence of working with low-income communities. I believe that true change comes not from how long we stay but from what we leave behind: resilient systems, empowered communities, and sustainable growth.

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