Impact of communal projects implementation process on the welfare of local communities; the case of Msumarini shallow wells in Kilifi county, Kenya

Abstract

According to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), (2010) report, people need water and sanitation to sustain their health and maintain their dignity. The report further states that water beyond the household sustains ecological systems and provides input into the production systems that maintain livelihoods. This means that water permeates all aspects of human development and lack of its access at household level or for production results to peoples‟ choices and freedoms curtailed by ill health, poverty and vulnerability. Due to the fundamental role played by water in human life, a number of water projects have been implemented across the globe, targeting various livelihoods in a number of communities. This has seen the same happen in Kenya, more specifically in Magarini sub-county where this research targeted. The aim of this study therefore was to assess the impact of communal projects implementation on the welfare of local communities, while focusing on the Msumarini shallow wells in Magarini Sub county Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives that sought to; examine how employment opportunities created by communal projects implementation impacts on the welfare of the local communities of Magarini sub county, investigate how health related issues resulting from communal projects implementation impacts on the welfare of the local communities of Magarini sub county, examine how social conflicts created by communal projects implementation impacts on the welfare of the local communities of Magarini sub county and establish how environmental pollution caused by the implementation of communal projects impacts on the welfare of the local communities of Magarini sub county, Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study since the study was a social research in nature. In the study systematic random sampling was used in accordance to the characteristics and the elements that the population possessed from the various 8locations. The target population was about 1680but a population sample of 95was used as calculated by the Yamane (1967) formula. A pilot study was conducted to check the instruments reliability and validity and a correlation figure of 0.5 was considered. Data from the field was collected using a structured questionnaire which was administered personally, via emails, enumerators and picked them after they had been filled. The data then was sorted out, coded and analyzed using the SPSS version. Chi-square was used to test the hypothesis. From the hypothesis tested and the figures in the conversion of the data in chapter four, a number of issues emerged. For example the Chi-Square values of 21.57, 36.15, 50.97 and 24.77 were found for impacts on employment creation, health issues, social conflicts and environmental pollution respectively; meaning that in all the cases the alternative hypotheses were adopted. In relation to the findings in chapter four, the researcher recommended a number of issues like more funding for the water projects so as to take care of the unemployment in the area and further areas for research have been suggested.