Dr. Denis Byamukama
Faculty of Science
Makerere University
P. O. Box 7062
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 782 519315
Current Status: Staff
Dear Constance,
Thanks for your innovation. I have had an opportunity to visit Kibera and see what the WSP pilot (i guess it is the Maji Bora Kibera) is doing and i think it is a good innovation to bridge the gap between the big utility (NWSC) and the smaller consumers in the slum areas. However, i noticed that like anywhere else, the sanitation component is very much left out and i am sure the benefits of improved water supply cannot be realised in such pathetic sanitary conditions. Is the sanitation issue among the lessons you have learnt in Kibera? How do you address or plan to address the sanitation issues in your own approaches?
We have plans for constructing ablution blocks ajacent to the water points once the water networks are installed. Our preferred technology uses biodigesters, which generate methane from human waste. The biodigesters are an extremely sustainable technology. They only need to be exhausted about once per year, much less frequently than the more common pit latrines, and the only biproduct remaining after the waste has been anaerobically fermented to produce methane is a sterile mulch that can be used in agricultural applications. They eliminate the need for sewers and off-site waste treatment, as well.
The methane has been used in pilot projects here to heat water for showers. You may have seen the first pilot project in Nairobi, which was constructed by the NGO Practical Action in Kianda Village in Kibera. But there is more methane than is needed for heating water for showers, so we have requested KenGen to donate methane generators and slum lights to the ablution blocks once they are funded and constructed. With slum lights, the ablution blocks will be much safer to use at night.
KWENCH is also trying to raise money to build a biodigester ablution block in another slum called Kawangware. In this project, the excess methane would be used to fuel stoves in a community kitchen. If you would like to learn more about this project and perhaps make a donation, please go to http://www.globalgiving.org/1761.
Hello Constance,
You say, "Once the initial infrastructure is established, the initiative will finance itself through sales of water." Can you give more of a description of how you plan to finance this work initially? Thanks
Dana Frasz
We need to raise the money from donors. As you know, infrastructure is very expensive and is well beyond the means of the CBOs in the slums. Once the infrastructure is in place, however, we should be able to accumulate money for extensions of the water network.
What criteria did you use to identify viable CBO's for your project? Were they selected based upon past organizational achievements, or rather the commitment of individual leaders? How does KWENCH help the CBO's raise money for equipment (ie. do they help with connections or with more general education in fundraising techniques?)
We select the CBOs based on recommendations from the village elders and local public officials who are familiar with their track records and leaders. We help the CBOs by writing and submitting the grant proposals. Then, we oversee the initial management of money because the CBOs don't usually have bank accounts (they have problems maintaining a minimum balance, though I hope this will change when the water points are in operation).
It's pretty much a one-time process to raise money for the infrastructure, so I don't believe that they need longer-term skills in writing formal proposals (once the infrastructure is in place, the water points should be financially self-sustaining). Plus, English is a third language for the leaders and they make lots of mistakes (first language is tribal and second language is Swahili).
Question 1. We have not started training vendors yet. We need to raise the funds required for training first.
We identified the CBOs at the end of last year. However, following the post-election violence, we plan to ascertain at the end of this month which of the CBOs we initially identified remain present and active in Mathare. Many people were displaced.
The curriculum for training includes the following components:
1. Financial management: record keeping, financial control and monitoring, budgeting.
2. Procurement of materials: sharing on the bill of quantity, plan of activities, specifications, Quotations, choosing supplier, forwarding requisition, purchase of materials, labor payment, delivery of materials to site, weekly accountability session.
1.Operations and maintenance: systems operation, how to handle water fittings, water line policing, uses of various water fittings, check quality of fittings, meter readings, water treatment, how to replace water fittings, oiling and repair of water fittings, cleaning water tanks and meters, monitoring leakages.
4. Business plan: pricing the water, financial projection of the facility income outputs, shareholding plan to all members; indicating how the incomes will be distributed to the members, savings and investment plan, marketing strategies
5. Monitoring and evaluation: reports and audits.
6. Hygiene: the importance of good hygiene for human health and dignity, how to effectively communicate the messages to customers.
Question 2: We are requesting CBOs who want to participate in this project to make the following amendments to their constitutions:
Under the objectives of the CBO:
To contribute to the establishment of safe, legal and transparent water services throughout the Mathare Location by establishing such services in _________ Village.
In order to establish such services, [INSERT NAME OF CBO] agrees to do the following:
A.Establish an account with the Nairobi Water and Sewer Company (NWSC);
B.Post its account number prominently as on its water tank(s) or vending kiosks so that any customer who has a complaint against the vendor is able to register such complaint with the NWSC;
C.Pay its water bills on a regular basis to the NWSC;
D.Refuse to pay bribes;
E.Maintain a water supply free of contamination; and
F.Police its water lines and equipment to prevent leakage or theft of water.
Question 3. We estimate the following contributions from the community in terms of land and labor:
Labor: we assume that it will take one month to establish the initial supply network and two water points in each village with crews working six days a week. Assuming that this work will require one foreman in each village at Ksh 1,000 per day, two plumbers per village at Ksh 500 per day each and a crew of ten casual workers at Ksh 200 per day, this works out to a contribution of labour from the community of approximately Ksh 1million for all ten villages in Mathare. This is equivalent to approximately US$143,000.
Land provided for the water points: we assume that two water points in a village in the pilot phase of the project will take up roughly one eighth of an acre and that an acre of land is worth approximately Ksh 6 million, the contribution of land is worth roughly Ksh 7.5 million or slightly more than US$1 million.
Question 4. Members of the CBOs will sell the water. The price will vary depending on cycles of availability and scarcity. Guidelines for pricing will be developed in each village in the training component covering the business plan. We anticipate that the price will be lower after legal connections replace illegal connections because of the low price charged by the utility to informal settlements. The distribution points will also be determined by the CBOs based largely on the location of the master meters and chambers constructed by the utility. The water will be piped from the utility’s main lines to the distribution points (Mathare lies on the floodplain of the Mathare River, so the distribution points will be conveniently downhill from the main lines). The water will be contained in water tanks at the distribution point. Thus, there will be no job creation outside of Mathare in transport and delivery.
Question 5. The incentives will be help in raising money for high quality pipes, kiosks, tanks and other equipment and training in business management, operation and maintenance of equipment and hygiene. The CBOs will be required to amend their constitutions and provide land and labor for the project.
Question 1. We have not started training vendors yet. We need to raise the funds required for training first.
We identified the CBOs at the end of last year. However, following the post-election violence, we plan to ascertain at the end of this month which of the CBOs we initially identified remain present and active in Mathare. Many people were displaced.
The curriculum for training includes the following components:
1. Financial management: record keeping, financial control and monitoring, budgeting.
2. Procurement of materials: sharing on the bill of quantity, plan of activities, specifications, Quotations, choosing supplier, forwarding requisition, purchase of materials, labor payment, delivery of materials to site, weekly accountability session.
1.Operations and maintenance: systems operation, how to handle water fittings, water line policing, uses of various water fittings, check quality of fittings, meter readings, water treatment, how to replace water fittings, oiling and repair of water fittings, cleaning water tanks and meters, monitoring leakages.
4. Business plan: pricing the water, financial projection of the facility income outputs, shareholding plan to all members; indicating how the incomes will be distributed to the members, savings and investment plan, marketing strategies
5. Monitoring and evaluation: reports and audits.
6. Hygiene: the importance of good hygiene for human health and dignity, how to effectively communicate the messages to customers.
Question 2: We are requesting CBOs who want to participate in this project to make the following amendments to their constitutions:
Under the objectives of the CBO:
To contribute to the establishment of safe, legal and transparent water services throughout the Mathare Location by establishing such services in _________ Village.
In order to establish such services, [INSERT NAME OF CBO] agrees to do the following:
A.Establish an account with the Nairobi Water and Sewer Company (NWSC);
B.Post its account number prominently as on its water tank(s) or vending kiosks so that any customer who has a complaint against the vendor is able to register such complaint with the NWSC;
C.Pay its water bills on a regular basis to the NWSC;
D.Refuse to pay bribes;
E.Maintain a water supply free of contamination; and
F.Police its water lines and equipment to prevent leakage or theft of water.
Question 3. We estimate the following contributions from the community in terms of land and labor:
Labor: we assume that it will take one month to establish the initial supply network and two water points in each village with crews working six days a week. Assuming that this work will require one foreman in each village at Ksh 1,000 per day, two plumbers per village at Ksh 500 per day each and a crew of ten casual workers at Ksh 200 per day, this works out to a contribution of labour from the community of approximately Ksh 1million for all ten villages in Mathare. This is equivalent to approximately US$143,000.
Land provided for the water points: we assume that two water points in a village in the pilot phase of the project will take up roughly one eighth of an acre and that an acre of land is worth approximately Ksh 6 million, the contribution of land is worth roughly Ksh 7.5 million or slightly more than US$1 million.
Question 4. Members of the CBOs will sell the water. The price will vary depending on cycles of availability and scarcity. Guidelines for pricing will be developed in each village in the training component covering the business plan. We anticipate that the price will be lower after legal connections replace illegal connections because of the low price charged by the utility to informal settlements. The distribution points will also be determined by the CBOs based largely on the location of the master meters and chambers constructed by the utility. The water will be piped from the utility’s main lines to the distribution points (Mathare lies on the floodplain of the Mathare River, so the distribution points will be conveniently downhill from the main lines). The water will be contained in water tanks at the distribution point. Thus, there will be no job creation outside of Mathare in transport and delivery.
Question 5. The incentives will be help in raising money for high quality pipes, kiosks, tanks and other equipment and training in business management, operation and maintenance of equipment and hygiene. The CBOs will be required to amend their constitutions and provide land and labor for the project.
Hello Constance,
You mention that you will provide training in business management to participating CBOs. Have you hosted any of these trainings yet? Do you know which CBOs you are interested in engaging? Do you have a curriculum for the trainings?
You mention that you met with CBOs from each village to discuss specifications. What are the needed constitutional amendments and policy changes that are needed? Also, how much land and labor is needed for the infrastructure?
You mention that the initiative with finance itself through the sale of water. Who will sell it? How much will it cost? Where will the distribution points be? How will the water with contained and transported? You mention that it may be a benefit to local in Mathare if people are coming to the area to buy water. Might it be possible eventually to create jobs around the transportation and delivery of the water outside of Mathare?
Lastly, you mention that WSP organized associations of water vendors in Kibera but there were no incentives or commitments. What will the incentives be of your program and what will be required of the vendors.
Thank you for your response.
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Dr. Denis Byamukama
Faculty of Science
Makerere University
P. O. Box 7062
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 782 519315
Current Status: Staff
Dear Constance,
Thanks for your innovation. I have had an opportunity to visit Kibera and see what the WSP pilot (i guess it is the Maji Bora Kibera) is doing and i think it is a good innovation to bridge the gap between the big utility (NWSC) and the smaller consumers in the slum areas. However, i noticed that like anywhere else, the sanitation component is very much left out and i am sure the benefits of improved water supply cannot be realised in such pathetic sanitary conditions. Is the sanitation issue among the lessons you have learnt in Kibera? How do you address or plan to address the sanitation issues in your own approaches?
Sorry. The address for the Kawangware project is http://www.globalgiving.com/1761, NOT globalgiving.org.
Dear Dr. Byamukama:
We have plans for constructing ablution blocks ajacent to the water points once the water networks are installed. Our preferred technology uses biodigesters, which generate methane from human waste. The biodigesters are an extremely sustainable technology. They only need to be exhausted about once per year, much less frequently than the more common pit latrines, and the only biproduct remaining after the waste has been anaerobically fermented to produce methane is a sterile mulch that can be used in agricultural applications. They eliminate the need for sewers and off-site waste treatment, as well.
The methane has been used in pilot projects here to heat water for showers. You may have seen the first pilot project in Nairobi, which was constructed by the NGO Practical Action in Kianda Village in Kibera. But there is more methane than is needed for heating water for showers, so we have requested KenGen to donate methane generators and slum lights to the ablution blocks once they are funded and constructed. With slum lights, the ablution blocks will be much safer to use at night.
KWENCH is also trying to raise money to build a biodigester ablution block in another slum called Kawangware. In this project, the excess methane would be used to fuel stoves in a community kitchen. If you would like to learn more about this project and perhaps make a donation, please go to http://www.globalgiving.org/1761.
Best regards,
Constance
Hello Constance,
You say, "Once the initial infrastructure is established, the initiative will finance itself through sales of water." Can you give more of a description of how you plan to finance this work initially? Thanks
Dana Frasz
Dear Dana:
We need to raise the money from donors. As you know, infrastructure is very expensive and is well beyond the means of the CBOs in the slums. Once the infrastructure is in place, however, we should be able to accumulate money for extensions of the water network.
Best regards,
Constance
Hi Constance,
What criteria did you use to identify viable CBO's for your project? Were they selected based upon past organizational achievements, or rather the commitment of individual leaders? How does KWENCH help the CBO's raise money for equipment (ie. do they help with connections or with more general education in fundraising techniques?)
Thanks for your response!
Samit Shah
Dear Samit Shah:
We select the CBOs based on recommendations from the village elders and local public officials who are familiar with their track records and leaders. We help the CBOs by writing and submitting the grant proposals. Then, we oversee the initial management of money because the CBOs don't usually have bank accounts (they have problems maintaining a minimum balance, though I hope this will change when the water points are in operation).
It's pretty much a one-time process to raise money for the infrastructure, so I don't believe that they need longer-term skills in writing formal proposals (once the infrastructure is in place, the water points should be financially self-sustaining). Plus, English is a third language for the leaders and they make lots of mistakes (first language is tribal and second language is Swahili).
Best regards,
Constance
Dear Dana:
Thanks for your queries. Here are my responses.
Question 1. We have not started training vendors yet. We need to raise the funds required for training first.
We identified the CBOs at the end of last year. However, following the post-election violence, we plan to ascertain at the end of this month which of the CBOs we initially identified remain present and active in Mathare. Many people were displaced.
The curriculum for training includes the following components:
1. Financial management: record keeping, financial control and monitoring, budgeting.
2. Procurement of materials: sharing on the bill of quantity, plan of activities, specifications, Quotations, choosing supplier, forwarding requisition, purchase of materials, labor payment, delivery of materials to site, weekly accountability session.
1.Operations and maintenance: systems operation, how to handle water fittings, water line policing, uses of various water fittings, check quality of fittings, meter readings, water treatment, how to replace water fittings, oiling and repair of water fittings, cleaning water tanks and meters, monitoring leakages.
4. Business plan: pricing the water, financial projection of the facility income outputs, shareholding plan to all members; indicating how the incomes will be distributed to the members, savings and investment plan, marketing strategies
5. Monitoring and evaluation: reports and audits.
6. Hygiene: the importance of good hygiene for human health and dignity, how to effectively communicate the messages to customers.
Question 2: We are requesting CBOs who want to participate in this project to make the following amendments to their constitutions:
Under the objectives of the CBO:
To contribute to the establishment of safe, legal and transparent water services throughout the Mathare Location by establishing such services in _________ Village.
In order to establish such services, [INSERT NAME OF CBO] agrees to do the following:
A.Establish an account with the Nairobi Water and Sewer Company (NWSC);
B.Post its account number prominently as on its water tank(s) or vending kiosks so that any customer who has a complaint against the vendor is able to register such complaint with the NWSC;
C.Pay its water bills on a regular basis to the NWSC;
D.Refuse to pay bribes;
E.Maintain a water supply free of contamination; and
F.Police its water lines and equipment to prevent leakage or theft of water.
Question 3. We estimate the following contributions from the community in terms of land and labor:
Labor: we assume that it will take one month to establish the initial supply network and two water points in each village with crews working six days a week. Assuming that this work will require one foreman in each village at Ksh 1,000 per day, two plumbers per village at Ksh 500 per day each and a crew of ten casual workers at Ksh 200 per day, this works out to a contribution of labour from the community of approximately Ksh 1million for all ten villages in Mathare. This is equivalent to approximately US$143,000.
Land provided for the water points: we assume that two water points in a village in the pilot phase of the project will take up roughly one eighth of an acre and that an acre of land is worth approximately Ksh 6 million, the contribution of land is worth roughly Ksh 7.5 million or slightly more than US$1 million.
Question 4. Members of the CBOs will sell the water. The price will vary depending on cycles of availability and scarcity. Guidelines for pricing will be developed in each village in the training component covering the business plan. We anticipate that the price will be lower after legal connections replace illegal connections because of the low price charged by the utility to informal settlements. The distribution points will also be determined by the CBOs based largely on the location of the master meters and chambers constructed by the utility. The water will be piped from the utility’s main lines to the distribution points (Mathare lies on the floodplain of the Mathare River, so the distribution points will be conveniently downhill from the main lines). The water will be contained in water tanks at the distribution point. Thus, there will be no job creation outside of Mathare in transport and delivery.
Question 5. The incentives will be help in raising money for high quality pipes, kiosks, tanks and other equipment and training in business management, operation and maintenance of equipment and hygiene. The CBOs will be required to amend their constitutions and provide land and labor for the project.
Dear Dana:
Thanks for your queries. Here are my responses.
Question 1. We have not started training vendors yet. We need to raise the funds required for training first.
We identified the CBOs at the end of last year. However, following the post-election violence, we plan to ascertain at the end of this month which of the CBOs we initially identified remain present and active in Mathare. Many people were displaced.
The curriculum for training includes the following components:
1. Financial management: record keeping, financial control and monitoring, budgeting.
2. Procurement of materials: sharing on the bill of quantity, plan of activities, specifications, Quotations, choosing supplier, forwarding requisition, purchase of materials, labor payment, delivery of materials to site, weekly accountability session.
1.Operations and maintenance: systems operation, how to handle water fittings, water line policing, uses of various water fittings, check quality of fittings, meter readings, water treatment, how to replace water fittings, oiling and repair of water fittings, cleaning water tanks and meters, monitoring leakages.
4. Business plan: pricing the water, financial projection of the facility income outputs, shareholding plan to all members; indicating how the incomes will be distributed to the members, savings and investment plan, marketing strategies
5. Monitoring and evaluation: reports and audits.
6. Hygiene: the importance of good hygiene for human health and dignity, how to effectively communicate the messages to customers.
Question 2: We are requesting CBOs who want to participate in this project to make the following amendments to their constitutions:
Under the objectives of the CBO:
To contribute to the establishment of safe, legal and transparent water services throughout the Mathare Location by establishing such services in _________ Village.
In order to establish such services, [INSERT NAME OF CBO] agrees to do the following:
A.Establish an account with the Nairobi Water and Sewer Company (NWSC);
B.Post its account number prominently as on its water tank(s) or vending kiosks so that any customer who has a complaint against the vendor is able to register such complaint with the NWSC;
C.Pay its water bills on a regular basis to the NWSC;
D.Refuse to pay bribes;
E.Maintain a water supply free of contamination; and
F.Police its water lines and equipment to prevent leakage or theft of water.
Question 3. We estimate the following contributions from the community in terms of land and labor:
Labor: we assume that it will take one month to establish the initial supply network and two water points in each village with crews working six days a week. Assuming that this work will require one foreman in each village at Ksh 1,000 per day, two plumbers per village at Ksh 500 per day each and a crew of ten casual workers at Ksh 200 per day, this works out to a contribution of labour from the community of approximately Ksh 1million for all ten villages in Mathare. This is equivalent to approximately US$143,000.
Land provided for the water points: we assume that two water points in a village in the pilot phase of the project will take up roughly one eighth of an acre and that an acre of land is worth approximately Ksh 6 million, the contribution of land is worth roughly Ksh 7.5 million or slightly more than US$1 million.
Question 4. Members of the CBOs will sell the water. The price will vary depending on cycles of availability and scarcity. Guidelines for pricing will be developed in each village in the training component covering the business plan. We anticipate that the price will be lower after legal connections replace illegal connections because of the low price charged by the utility to informal settlements. The distribution points will also be determined by the CBOs based largely on the location of the master meters and chambers constructed by the utility. The water will be piped from the utility’s main lines to the distribution points (Mathare lies on the floodplain of the Mathare River, so the distribution points will be conveniently downhill from the main lines). The water will be contained in water tanks at the distribution point. Thus, there will be no job creation outside of Mathare in transport and delivery.
Question 5. The incentives will be help in raising money for high quality pipes, kiosks, tanks and other equipment and training in business management, operation and maintenance of equipment and hygiene. The CBOs will be required to amend their constitutions and provide land and labor for the project.
Hello Constance,
You mention that you will provide training in business management to participating CBOs. Have you hosted any of these trainings yet? Do you know which CBOs you are interested in engaging? Do you have a curriculum for the trainings?
You mention that you met with CBOs from each village to discuss specifications. What are the needed constitutional amendments and policy changes that are needed? Also, how much land and labor is needed for the infrastructure?
You mention that the initiative with finance itself through the sale of water. Who will sell it? How much will it cost? Where will the distribution points be? How will the water with contained and transported? You mention that it may be a benefit to local in Mathare if people are coming to the area to buy water. Might it be possible eventually to create jobs around the transportation and delivery of the water outside of Mathare?
Lastly, you mention that WSP organized associations of water vendors in Kibera but there were no incentives or commitments. What will the incentives be of your program and what will be required of the vendors.
Thank you for your response.
Dana Frasz
Changemakers