Innovative Finance for Infrastructure and Basic Service Provision for Low Income Human Settlements
Day / Time Tuesday, June 20th / 16:30 - 18:30
Event Description
The objectives of this event are to: provide a forum to share experiences in financing basic services and infrastructure for inclusive urban development; identify necessary factors and constraints for successful financing of infrastructure and basic services provision for low-income housing settlements; and facilitate future sharing of ideas through linking up those present with existing networks of practitioners. A catalyzing discussion will consider Gobabis, Namibia and its federated community action, which has secured a political commitment whilst a community managed loan fund has helped to ensure inclusion within the settlement. The event will, also, discuss Orangi and other Pakistan locations, where residents have used this methodology, demonstrating communities can finance, manage and build internal development provided they are organised, have technical support and managerial guidance. Finally, the discussion will consider PRODEL, in Nicaragua, where 420 different projects, in the last 12 years, have been executed to the benefit of more than 60,000 low-income families in 10 different cities.
Session Language
English
Spanish
Speakers
Arif Hasan (Advisor, OPP)
Marlon Olivas (Executive Director, PRODEL)
Mr MOSES KATJAOHA (Mayor of Gobabis Municipality), Ms MARTHA KANGUE (SDFN member from Gobabis (Ha
Host Organization
IIED and SIDA
Website
Report
Title of Event:
Date and time of the session: |
Innovative finance for infrastructure and basic service provision for low income human settlements Sida, IIED, SDI
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Key Highlights
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2. What were the core issues identified in your event as they relate to the theme and sub-themes of WUFIII? The presentations were all examples of innovative financing programmes for basic infrastructure and services. In each case the example was significant in scale and had been adopted in a significant number of locations. The presentations were complementary experiences with significantly different approaches in reaching and including low-income communities. Prodel is a national government programme which seeks to catalyse pro-poor actions by local authorities through collaboration and guidance in new ways of participatory governance. The OPP began its work with self-help strategies that enable the poor to improve their own sanitation. As this approach has proven its worth and the activities have grown in terms of the number of areas and the intensity of adopting within areas, a responsive local authority is needed. The Project has advanced to assist communities to build a new relationship with the state. The savings schemes in Gobabis work with the assistance of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia and the support NGO, the Namibian Housing Action Group. Strong local groups are empowered to negotiate with the state to secure access to land tenure whereupon they embark of joint development of services and infrastructure, with housing for those able to afford it. |
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3. What were the main points raised by panellists and participants in relation to these different issues? What new ideas have been generated as a result of the discussion? The international community is concerned with MDGs but these are unlikely to make much difference. Whilst water borne sanitation may be difficult in environmental terms and water may simply be lacking in these and other cases, it has proved difficult to persuade communities to switch to alternatives. The relationship between local authorities and the communities is different in each case and the roles and functions of each are different but in every case study the responsibilities are clear to all parties. Inclusion is a difficult issue and many of the poorest remain excluded. Some professionals struggle with bottom up community approaches. Maintenance of local improvements is done by the communities themselves in each case. |
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4. What process steps have been identified in your event that could help turn ideas into operational reality? None to date. |
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