Effectiveness of community based organizations and non-governmental organizations service delivery in the informal settlements of Obunga in Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

Informal settlements are a phenomenon which mostly occur in cities of developing and newly industrializing countries. A billion people live in informal settlements worldwide. This has been partly due to urbanization and rapid population growth. Lack of proper policies and the dynamics of slum issues has made reaching a solution a perpetual challenge for humanity. The Millennium Development Target No 11 aimed at achieving significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020. This goal underlined the global importance of dealing with the situation. Many efforts have been made by both government and non-government actors at international and local levels. However, as was observed at the close of the period in 2015, much still needs to be done. This study sought to analyze the effectiveness of CBO and NGO service delivery in the informal settlements of Obunga in Kisumu county, Kenya. The theories which were found relevant to support the study were the Actor Network Theory and the Public Goods theory. The study employed a descriptive research design. The research targeted 40 women, 40 youth, 5 community leaders, and 10 NGOs/CBOs staff. A questionnaire and interview guide as well as observation were employed to collect data from respondents. Quantitative data was interpreted and presented in frequency tables and graphs, qualitative data was summarized using narrative analysis. The NGOs/CBOs in the settlement offered mainly capacity building and empowerment; health care services; counseling; engagement of vulnerable groups; and table banking. Other services such as recreation centers and facilities, children's homes and sanitation services were also provided. The main challenges faced by these organizations are insufficient funds and the community's attitude and literacy levels. From the findings, it was established that service delivery in the settlement had improved with the intervention of NGOs and CBOs as agreed by majority (47.1%) of the respondents. However, both respondents from the settlement and representatives of the partnered organizations were in consensus that much still needed to be done to improve the standard of living in various informal settlements in Kisumu County. The partnerships that have emerged between NGOs, the state, the private sector, funding agencies and CBOs, provide some insight into the challenges, opportunities and dynamics of such collaborations. This study recommends that development stakeholders should put tackling informal settlements challenges at the centre of all urban reform efforts and develop credible action plans with ambitious targets, timelines and financing sources.The government should stop forced evictions which is a human rights violation. Future researchshould be carried on institutional and legal constraints in service delivery, political issues affecting service delivery, community participation for sustainability of the services launched and the dynamics affecting effective service delivery by other Civil Society organizations in informal settlements.