Influence of Community Involvement Approaches on Sustainability of Donor Funded Boreholes Projects in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Sustainable water projects are among the basic objectives of government in an effort to achieve supply of clean water to citizen. Community’s development projects cease to operate after the funding organizations withdraw their support as community participation level with sector agencies was very low. The water sector has been burdened with sustainability of its water supply projects since the government and donor community invests hugely in water project that collapse within a few years, leaving the people to suffer lack of sufficient and clean water. MAVWASO reported that Machakos has drilled several donors funded boreholes to help locals to obtain water for their usage. However, the chance for donor funded boreholes projects in County to be non-functional and eventually abandoned is very high. The general objective was to investigate community involvement approaches and sustainability of donor funded Borehole waters projects in Machakos County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The target population for the study was 72 donor funded boreholes community projects. The study used primary data that was collected using structure questionnaire and interview schedule. Data was then analyzed using descriptive, inferential or content data analysis techniques. Quantitative was analyzed using descriptive analysis technique and was included frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation and Z-score. Correlation analysis was carried out to determine the strength of association between the variables. Data that was collected using interview guide was analyzed using a checklist and thematic content analysis technique based on the study research objective. The study revealed that exists a strong, significant, and positive correlation (r=0.717*) between community informing and sustainability of donor funded boreholes projects in Machakos County. The study established that there exists a moderately strong, significant, and positive correlation r=656**) between community asset base approach and sustainability of donor funded boreholes projects in Machakos County. The study revealed that there exists strong, significant and positive correlation (r=.743*) between community collaboration and sustainability of donor funded boreholes projects in Machakos. The findings established that an increase in community empowerment would improve sustainability of sustainability of donor funded boreholes water projects as indicated by correlation facto r=.818**. From the findings, the study concluded that community informing contribute to steady supply of water from the boreholes project, there is continue flow of net benefits of borehole, generation of income in running borehole water projects, reduction in water wastage and very low waste generation, management of the projects through community stability, existence reliable water supply to the community and increase proactive maintenance of boreholes. The study concluded that there was significant application of community asset base approach influence sustainability of water project funded by donors in Machakos County. The study concluded that exists a strong, significant and positive correlation between community empowerment and sustainability of donor funded boreholes projects in Machakos. The study recommends that in the implementation of donor funded community projects, management and policy makers should deploy community informing, community asset base, community collaboration and community empowerment approach in involving the community.