Our understanding of Partnerships
UN-Habitat’s clarion call in the global campaign for good urban governance is the inclusive city – `a place where everyone, regardless of wealth, gender, age, race or religion is enabled to participate productively and positively in the opportunities cities have to offer’. Umande Trust subscribes to this call and is keen to work with like-minded agencies to promote shared visions, processes and products that place the people at the very centre of urban renewal and transformation.
In Kenya, efforts to address urban poverty and grossly inadequate basic services have largely remained isolated, sector-specific, scattered and based on different assumptions, objectives and motivations. Fortunately, there is a growing realization on the part of development agencies for participation and coordinated reflections, planning and actions – with people.
In the words of David Satterthwaithe, `urban poverty is about allowing the poor to organize, to choose their own poverty responses and to make demands on public resources……it is about enabling `poor people’ more scope for self-initiated action and for more influence on public policies and use of public resources .
Our understanding of partnership is predicated on our individual and collective desire to eradicate the triple poverties of information, coordination and service delivery. We seek to contribute modestly to inclusive urban governance, eco-friendly service provision models and, improved livelihoods through coordinated, complementary and competent plans and actions with community groups (children, youth, women and men), the civil society, public and, private sector agencies.
Our partnerships seek to fulfil the following reciprocal expectations:
• Fostering values of democracy and inclusive governance in our work, within us and all those with whom we work;
• Financial probity and integrity and accountability;
• Clearly stated, flexible and mutually appreciated performance standards;
• Teamwork – demonstrated via working teams (technical, environmental, social and financial), shared plans, targets and clearly defined implementation modalities;
• Accessible and timely sharing of information on current status, planned activities, designs, and progress;
• Learning/reflection through regular progress reviews and documentation of innovations, experiences and lessons learnt;
• Critical but constructive feedback;
• Forward-planning and elaboration of strategies
A Programmatic Approach: Our Partners
Virtually all our initiatives involves active partnerships with peer NGOs and public agencies as well as private sector agencies.
Sources of Finance
Program/Project |
Name Donor |
Time Frame |
Amount |
Comments |
Provision of emergency ablution blocks in Informal Settlement Areas |
Athi Water Services Board/Agency for French Development(AFD) |
August 2007 – February 2009 |
24m |
Scaling up of bio-centres/ecological sanitation |
Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) |
Bill and Melinda Gates via the WSUP Secretariat |
June 2008 – February 2009 |
19 m |
Development phase of a 3-year programme |
From Stakeholders to Shareholders: water, sanitation and human rights |
P. Joseffson & T. Gunnarsson |
Jan 2007 – Dec. 2008 |
15m |
Partnership with Hakijamii |
Environmental Health Improvement Project |
Goal Ireland |
April 2008 – December 2009 |
15m |
Partnership with Goal Kenya |
Sanitation governance + leveraging watsan financing from government + |
Sida (via Shelter Forum) |
January 2008 – March 2009 |
7.5m |
Civil society partnership with Pamoja Trust and Shelter Forum |
Kisumu Integrated Solid Waste Management Programme (KISWAMP) |
UN-Habitat |
March to October 2008 |
2.1 |
Ward-level consultations, action planning |
Dallas Integrated Basic Urban Services Project (Embu) |
3.5m |
Focus on community organizing and participatory urban planning |
||
Laini Saba Community Cooker |
UNEP/UNDP |
March – October 2008 |
500,000 |
Partnership with Nairobi Central Business District Association |
Gatwekera Bio-Centre |
Halcrow Foundation |
October 2006- June 2007 |
1.4m |
Completed |
Total |
88m |
Balance in activities
Umande Trust strives to ensure balance between the `software’ and `hardware’ initiatives. Our strategies centre on practical/demonstration work with people (design, planning and construction of bio-sanitation and environmental facilities) to influence public agencies, leverage additional investments resources for improved service delivery and poverty reduction.
We work as part strategic alliances and coalitions with NGOs and slum dwellers to influence the revision and development of policies, procedures, standards and plans in support of the freedoms of individuals and groups living and working in the people’s settlements. In our view, these enabling legal and legislative framework (such as those relating to tenure security, housing, land, water and sanitation) are quite critical in community-centred development.