Factors influencing sustainability of community water projects in Shianda division, Kakamega county - Kenya

Abstract

Project Sustainability is a desire of every community, private agency or Government as a means of ensuring that positive gains are delivered to the target communities in long term. This phenomenon is brought to focus in this study based on water projects that aim at improving the quality of life of community water users. The implementation of such projects is always easier but their sustainability posses a challenge. The research explored four research objectives: Establishing the extent to which community participation influence sustainability of CWPs; Investigating the influence that community training on water technology used had on CWPs; Assessing the extent to which project location influenced CWPs and determining the influence that CCCs had on CWPs in Shianda Division. Descriptive survey was used as the research design and the target population was 44,325 people. Stratified probability and purposive non-probability sampling techniques were used in sampling. Each location represented a stratum and the leaders were purposively selected. The sample for the study comprised of 23 Community Water Projects, 46 Community Project Leaders, 8 Local leaders and 142 community water users. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive statistics where frequency tables and percentages were used to represent the data. In addition, a multivariate regression model was applied to determine the relative importance of each of the four variables with respect to Sustainability CWPs. The findings of the study revealed that both men and women were involved in leadership with more men (88%) in local leadership and more women (65%) in project leadership. Almost all CWUs as well as the leaders were employed with the highest percentage in self-employment thus able to contribute towards repair and maintenance of CWPs in monetary terms. The study also revealed that, of the four factors under study, (Community Participation, Community Training on water Technology used and Community Capital Contribution) community participation influenced sustainability of CWPs in Shianda Division to a very great extent (80.6%) and project location though an important factor to consider for CWP s sustainability, its influence was the least (41.3%). The findings further revealed the need for project initiators: to involve CMs at all levels of the project cycle as this will build ownership of the project, train CMs on how to operate and maintain the water facility so that its continuity is not affected by breakdown, allow CMs to contribute towards the choice of the site for the water point and advise them on the need for them to contribute money towards operation and maintenance of CWPs as this encourages ownership and assures sustainability