Community Project Cycle (CPC) Development: Preparation of Guiding Documents and Monitoring Process

The Kenya Water and Sanitation Programme (KWSP) comprises 3 components: water resources management (WRM); rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS); and support to water sector reform (WSR). The Programme is expected to lead to substantial social (increase in quality of life for the poorest) and economic (revival of economic infrastructure) gains and will create outputs that can be measured and monitored both during and after the cooperation effort. It is also expected that the programme will result in substantial gains for the environment (sustainable management of Kenya’s most precious natural resource: water), poverty reduction and equity (including special attention to gender issues, the situation of the child and action prompted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic), human rights (enabling water users to know and use their rights) and good governance (a focus on use of democratic mechanisms to empower consumers and local organizations).

The Community Project Cycle (CPC) is a national process for planning, funding, implementation and monitoring of water & sanitation investments that are implemented by rural communities. The CPC regulates the interaction and responsibilities between the funding agency Water Services Trust Fund (WSTF), the Water Services Boards (WSBs), Support Organisations (Sos), Quality Control Agents (QCAs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs). Through this system of checks and balances the CPC system is contributing to the fight against corruption in Kenya.
The CPC promotes self-reliance and poverty alleviation not only through support to improved water service provision, but also through support to school sanitation, health and environmental hygiene improvement and the protection of water sources. The CPC has special mechanisms to safeguard the interests of women and marginalised groups.

The Community Project Cycle (CPC) process has been a key activity of the KWSP starting with the preparation of the inception report in March/April 2005. The start up activities then included discussion at KWSP/WSB level, development of content for the Expression of Interest, introducing the CPC to WSBs and WSTF, feedback presentation of the CPC by WSBs at AMREF workshop, advertisements for the expressions of interest by various WSBs, evaluations of the EOIs by various WSBs, short listing of Sos and QCAs, workshops at WSB level for the selection of target locations, and induction of Sos and QCAs, development of the CPC documents including application, preparation, implementation and monitoring guidelines and induction of WSB staff, Sos and QCAs.