| dc.description.abstract | The access to and use of safe drinking water makes an immense contribution to health, productivity, and social development. However, many people in developing countries continue to rely on unimproved water sources and this is considered the primary cause of hunger, disease and poverty throughout the World. Poor water and sanitation conditions continue to create high incidences of diseases among the community in Western Kenya. Within this region, Siaya County suffered a major shortcoming on sustainability, with the worst scenario being recorded in Karemo division among the seven divisions. Demographic health survey data had revealed that the division had the highest disease prevalence rate despite lots of interventions through donor aid.
This study, therefore, sought to establish possible influence of community participation on sustainability of donor-funded rural water projects in Karemo division, Siaya County through the objectives: to determine the influence of community- driven projects, participatory appraisal of projects, community resource contribution and community participatory management of projects, on the sustainability of donor funded rural water projects. It was based on the theory of community participation, which explains levels of participation and citizen control.
The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The researcher purposively targeted 420 members of 28 water committees from which 201 were selected as the sample size. This study realized a 87.5% response on survey questionnaires. 6 NGOs were interviewed while 3 focus group discussions were conducted. The validity of the instruments was ascertained by conducting a pilot testing. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In the study findings, the studied community exhibited the drive for the projects at 131(66.8%) and majority of the implementations by the donors seemed community driven during the implementation phase resulting into commendable projects completion, but the same was not carried over to the post- implementation phases.
On projects appraisal 23( 12.1 %) and 24( 12.1 %) were involved in the choice of the project technology and planning process respectively resulting to lack of ownership. 139(70.8)% of the community contributed resources at the implementation stage and this enabled the community to express ownership but only 75(38.2%) paid for the water after completion, hence the projects lacked finances for operation and maintenance hence the projected failures. Desired management practices were' well adhered to during the period donors implemented projects unlike after. Just 96.0(49.0%) of the respondents were satisfied with the leadership styles with 117.8(60.1%) rating it as satisfactory to poor The projects facilities were observed to be in good, dilapidated and stalled status at 35.7%, 42.9% and 21.4% respectively.
The project concluded that sustainability of the donor funded water projects community- projects demand drive was always exhibited during the implementation periods and a majority of the implementations seemed community driven. There was a lot of silent top-down decision making for the developments which donors did not intend and this slowly led to reduction in the level of sustainability. Some level of community resource contribution for project cost and for use of water influenced sustainability of the water projects.
The study recommends that donors should work out mechanisms of dealing with communities in the context of their literacy, speed and available resources, resource contribution should be encouraged and capacity-built. The study proposes further studies on opportunities for sustainable donor funded rural water projects, the aspects of sustainability that trigger community participation and donor strategies that influence the sustainability of grant projects in the rural community. | en_US |
