#WWWeek sofa session: Improving service delivery in rural areas through private sector participation
Five management models for rural water supply systems in Kenya are paving the way for increased attention and investments in areas long considered as commercially unviable. During this year’s World Water Week, catch our panel of experts tell the story of how more rural populations in Kenya are now gaining access to water supply.
Not so long ago, the water reforms of 2002 in Kenya, brought about positive developments by separating the functions of asset development, service provision and regulation. These reforms resulted in improvements in the management of water services delivery in municipalities and urban centres. However, little attention went to rural water supply systems, which were deemed as unprofitable and often requiring huge investments.
To address this rural impasse, the Government of Kenya, with SNV and other stakeholders, developed five management models for rural water supply systems. Piloted across five counties between 2012 and 2015, the models were built on the foundation of Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) and were successful in strengthening water service provision in the rural areas.
With the models clearly outlining the responsibilities of all involved in WASH services delivery – local communities, domestic private sector and government agencies – partnerships that have been forged are emerging as one sustainable solution for more equitable WASH development programming.
Live from World Water Week
Day and date: Tuesday 27 August
Time: 14.00-14.30
Place: Exhibit Hall, Tele2 Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
Our expert panel
Ismail Fahmy M. Shaiye is Chief Executive Officer of the Water Sector Trust Fund (WSTF), which provides financial assistance to underserved populations in Kenya, helping them increase their access to water and sanitation. Under his leadership, the WSTF, in consultation with other stakeholders, financed various pilot Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). Financing of PPPs resulted in the development of a toolkit on rural water and sanitation service delivery models (SDMs). The SDM toolkit has proven to be a useful guide for private sector involvement in and the implementation of socially responsible and commercial rural water utilities. Ismail is a Natural Resource Expert with over ten years of experience in Eastern Africa and the United States of America (USA).
David Gachui Wanyoike is Senior Advisor and WASH Programme Manager of SNV. A finance specialist whose expertise is in leveraging private sector participation in water services delivery through sustainable partnerships, David is behind an innovative water programme that developed Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCPs) for small-scale rural and peri-urban water systems in Kenya. Over a seven-year period, the market systems-based water programme brought positive changes to the lives of 268,000 people (now accessing basic water supply). Formerly with the World Bank, David has been implementing and introducing effective water transaction systems built on the foundations of market-based approaches and/ or results-based financing for over ten years.
Markus Tuukkanen is Director of New Business Development of Kauko International Ltd; a private sector company that builds businesses in developing markets. Markus has over ten years of experience in Public-Private Partnerships, business development, lobbying, and partnership/ consortium building in the water and environment sectors; including rural water supply in developing countries.
Notes:
[1] The SDM toolkit is available for download from the WSTF website. Access here.