• Community Based Group (CBO) at neighbourhood level.

• Municipal Council of Nakuru

Water

• Stakes for sustainable development;
• Stakes for the concerned actors: Low incomes for the CBO and individual members; need for clean water; integration of the community group
• Concerned chapter of Agenda 21: Chapter 7
• Key words: Partnerships, enhanced capacity, strengthened linkage between community and council

Construction of water kiosks (points) at strategic places within the neighbourhood, managed by the community group through sale of water to area residents at subsidized costs

• Origin and motivation for the project: Inadequate and clean water in the area; cholera outbreak in 1999; and need for a strong foundation for the CBO through implementation of a project managed by the group

• Inventory of existing infrastructure:

-Description of initial situation; water sold by vendors at inflated costs, source of this water, long time taken by women and children to fetch water from a nearby river (those who cannot afford to buy)

-Indicators: cholera outbreak in 1999, council lines dry most of the time.

• Targets or objectives:

-Perspective/ view (global): Improve the capacity of local groups to manage own affairs;

-Statement of objectives: Improve the incomes of the group as well as individuals in the long term; provide clean water to the area residents; act as an integrating force for the group; training of community on group and financial management; foster stronger links with the council and other partners through this empowerment.

-Aimed indicators and performance level: Improved environmental health of the residents, enhanced efficiency of economic activities in the area

• Planning and implementation:

-Resources: Funding was received from ICLEI, technology to construct the kiosks was provided by the council and human resources was provided by the council, LA21 project and the community

-Tools and methods: preparation of an Memorandum of Understanding between ICLEI, council and the community; workshops/seminars were held for the community and facilitated by ICLEI officials and the council; joint project meetings between council officials and the community leaders.

-Legal background: Registration of the community group by the Department of Social Services

-Training and Capacity building activities: Financial management workshops, group management workshops, needs assessment and priority setting sessions (by ICLEI)

-Implementation timetable: The project was supposed to start in December 1999 but only commenced in March 2000. All the kiosks were completed by September 2000 but were not operational until January 2001. The project was delayed by six months due to problems with the contractor, and sometimes delay by the council to meet her obligations/responsibilities (transport of materials)

-Governance: Several consultations have been held with the financier, council and the community. The community through its management committee has now been left to run the project with very little interference from the council.

-Other linked projects: Cleanup campaigns in the area, low cost housing and income generating initiatives by other donors.

• Processing Actors

-Requesting Agency /country: Municipal Council of Nakuru on behalf of the CBO-Nakuru Ronda/Kaptemwo Community Group

-Initiator /executing agency of the project: Local Agenda 21 project of the Municipal Council

-Officer in charge: Senior Superitendent Water and Sewerage Dept of the council

-Project Manager: Local Agenda 21 Local Coordinator

-Funding Agency; ICLEI- Incentive Grants Project

-Evaluation: by the donor (but not yet done)

• Joint Parties to the project:

-Associated with the description/definition: LA21 Nakuru, community and the council

-Associated with implementation: LA21 Nakuru, council, Department of Social Services

Associated with the monitoring: LA21

Positive aspects: Clean water is available in the area; the CBO has enhanced its income; 5 kiosks have been built; 3 clerks have been employed by the group to manage the water sale; one of the kiosks comprises an office for the CBO

Negative aspects: Delays in implementation; funds not adequate to construct enough kiosks cover much of the area; “overloading” of the council officials with extra work; inadequate water for the whole of the town; takeover of the water service by an independent company during the completion of the project and the need to begin negotiations with the new organization

Key factors for success: Commitment of the community despite many hindrances; availability of funds from ICLEI without any logistical problems; availability of the LA21 office to coordinate the project; commitment of the officer in charge (council) to provide technical inputs at no extra cost to the project

• Yes, there has been significant improvement in the capacities of both the local authority officials and community groups. There is also improved relationship between the council and the community (as partners). The community leaders have been exposed to many situations where they articulate their needs and priorities.

• There is still need to target the elected leaders of the council and train them on their roles as leaders.

• The main components should focus on partnership building (council and other partners); tools on how to include the private sector; resource mobilization (by the council)

• Inclusiveness is important of all local partners (whether or not they are affected directly by the project or not)- business owners in the area, government officials at the local level. Inclusion of civic leaders is paramount at the onset

• Beginning with the community in assessing the needs and setting the priorities is very important-this helped the project’s success.

• More resources (time and funds) should be committed to capacity building activities (training, networking, negotiations and consultations) more than the actual demonstration project. This will ensure sustainability and ability of the community to initiate other projects on their own.

• Envisaged development: The tangible assets of the project include the office, the kiosks and the intangible ones as the management knowledge gained, ability to employ people etc. There are still opportunities to initiate other community-based projects using this experience; the strengthened relationship between the council and the community will ensure success of the partnerships formed. Strong community groups tend to be threats to politicians at the local level.

• Possibility of transfer: The major conditions of success is the commitment of the group to provide their own resources; the council to provide the technical inputs required (which are usually lacking at community level); there must also be money to begin the process (externally or internally); a trained project management person must be available to steer the process and act as the focal point (either at the local authority, government or executing agency level)

• Expectations towards international organizations: Their commitment and expertise is still required especially at the local level where capacities are very low. Emphasis should continue being building capacities and strengthening the local institutions. Interpretation of international strategies and conventions is always lacking at the local level as it is left to the national governments that hardly do it. Terms such as training and capacity building sometimes sound meaning less without demonstration projects at the local level, funds for such should be part of the support.

Strengthening of communities and individuals at the local level is the single most important aspect of sustainable development. When this is done through building their capacities and empowering them, only then will they be able to elect leaders with vision for development and also stand against unjust governing systems. Only then can countries in the South ensure sustainable development.