Project Cycle
Steps in the project cycle
A project refers to development activities implemented by countries established on the basis of borrowed cash from the World Bank. These projects follow certain rules and procedures according to World Bank standards which enables accomplishment of the intended target.
However, there are several steps and procedures followed within the project cycle as discussed below (World Bank, 2012).
Country Strategy and Project Identification
This is the preliminary stage which involves both the World Bank and the country money is lent to as well as other important stakeholders.
The parties come together with an aim of determining effective ways on which the financial and other assistance can have elaborate impact on the destined countries based on detailed strategies as well as analytical work (World Bank, 2012).
Project preparation
This is the phase where the destined country gathers it resources through implementing agencies for the purposes of producing responsible actions, designs and studies. The process involves contracting consultants as well as public sector companies for their services and expertise.
Within this stage all the beneficiaries and stakeholders are deeply consulted for the purposes of soliciting their contributions towards the project. However, the World Bank assumes advisory role as well as analysis of the project within this stage (World Bank, 2012).
Project Appraisal
Within this stage, stakeholders are granted the opportunity of reviewing explicitly project design hence providing eminent solutions. There is elaborate review on the work done by both the government and World Bank especially in the identification and preparation processes.
Ultimately, bank team confirms eligibility of all aspects of the project and their consistency with World Bank requirements and at the same time the potential of intended government to efficiently implement the projects (World Bank, 2012).
Project Approval
In this phase the project team prepares important documents such as Project Appraisal Document used for investment lending alongside financial and legal documents. These documents are then submitted to the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors for the purposes of approval (World Bank, 2012).
Project Implementation
This is the phase where borrower government implements approved development project with released funds from the World Bank. The Bank’s team provides the government with technical support in the process of preparing required specifications for the project (World Bank, 2012).
Project completion
This presents a stage whereby a project is completed and closed at the end of the agreed loan disbursement period. This is followed by the documentation of the results achieved, processes and problems encountered as well as lessons learnt within the period of disbursement.
All these information is documented in an Implementation Completion and Results Report with advice from respective stakeholders (World Bank, 2012).
Evaluation
This is the stage where overall performance of the project is assessed by the Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group. The IEG group measures overall outcomes against original objectives of the project alongside sustainability of results and development impact.
World Bank Case Study of Nicaragua
Summary of the case study
The project on adaptation of Water supplies to climate change focuses on enhancing climate resilience of investments developed within Nicaragua’s rural water supply sector. The project was geared towards combating anticipated impacts of climate change within the country.
At the same time, field assessment reports indicate frequent disturbances within rural water supplies creating high possibilities on drought and flooding occurrences.
Some of these cases are attributable to poor land cultivation methods, poor watershed management as well as frequent climatic changes within Latin America region (World Bank, 2012).
Objectives outlined in the case study project
The main objective of the project involves enhancing climate resilience of investments within Nicaragua as well as developing rural water supply sector. The project aims at reducing the vulnerability of the country towards impacts of climate change.
This would be done through facilitation of climate adaptation programs such as improving quality of rural drinking water. This would help improve overall quality of life.
The proposed Adaptation of Water Supplies to Climate Change Project focuses on four broad areas which include; giving information on environment through education, provision of adequate protection on natural resources, improving water harvesting methods and implementing sustainable land management practices (World Bank, 2012).
Lower-level objectives
Low-level objectives of the Adaptation Project include improvement of access to safe and reliable drinking water sources through coastal wetland protection as well as controlling drastic reduction to rise in sea-level.
At the same time institutions will be strengthened for the purposes of dealing with climatic impacts within water supply and sanitation areas (World Bank, 2012).
Form and how it meets low-level objectives
The Adaptation project noted that Nicaragua’s strategic water resources available for present and future use were extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This could be attributed to high occurrences of extreme weather changes such as droughts and flood experiences.
Such occurrence impacts the economy on extreme negative hence resulting in less quality water for consumption purposes. The project would benefit majority of rural communities occupying at least five municipalities (UNDP, 2010).
Communities would directly benefit through water supplies project through infrastructural development, education programs, and climate information systems and improved sectored planning.
Most importantly, the Action Plan involves elaborate plan on wetland and mangrove protection as one of efficient means of achieving high level protection on natural resources. This is attributed to the role played by natural resources as biological filters and water catchment areas.
Concerning protection of water sources as well as issues involving water harvesting, the project would give priority to forest conservation measures and water harvesting for agricultural production amongst households.
This would provide direct support to the government hence minimizing on overall spending towards environmental projects.
Key performance indicators
These include increase in the coverage within water catchment areas, increased level of hygiene which would ultimately reduce incidences of diseases. Cases on floods and drought occurrences would be to the minimal (World Bank, 2012).
Opinion
Such a project is very much objective in its content hence reliable in the process of effecting strategies on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources, and Adaptation in the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector within Nicaragua.
However, review of various global projections on the same environmental models is necessary for the purposes of implementing rightful strategies on water availability within Nicaragua’s water basins (World Bank, 2012).
Practical Action: Case Study of the Mukuru Model (Breaking Barriers in Water and Sanitation Service Delivery to Informal Settlements)
Summary of the case study
The case study focuses on provision of adequate clean water and sanitation services within one of the largest slums in Nairobi, Kenya. The residents of Mukuru slums have for a long time survived on low-quality intermittent water supplies.
Water supply within the slum was through illegal means which made Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) loose water and significant amount of revenue.
At the same time sanitary conditions were so much sub-standard hence leading to the launching of Integrated Approach to Reducing Poverty (IARP) project in the year 2007.
The objective of the project was focused in improving services hence attracting 75% of the funding from European Union and remaining 25% obtained from donations.
The issues addressed by this project focusing on water, sanitation and hygiene were seen to be predominantly sub-standard making the lives dwelling in this area more precarious and inclined to health hazards.
Those directly affected by this problem include; mothers, school children and other residents (Brocklehurst and Morel, 2005).
Objectives outlined in the case study project
The case study give details on the project referred to as Integrated Approaches to Reducing Poverty and Improving Health in Urban Slums (IARP). The main objective of the project is breaking the barriers that hinder adequate delivery of water and sanitation services within such informal settlement areas as Mukuru slums.
List of lower-level objectives
One of the lower-level objectives involved improving the working relationship between NCWSC and residents of the slum area which necessitated improvement in quality of water and sanitation services. There was investment in infrastructure such as water storage tanks, water pipes and latrines.
Other low-level objectives also included capacity building on hygiene practices especially in water handling processes and at the same time organizing general life skills programs with aim of reducing water and sanitation-related diseases.
Explain the form of the solution presented in the case study material. Explain how the form meets the low-level objectives.
The form of the solution involves provision and promotion of hygiene and sanitation services through replicable and scale-able aspects. In this form low-level objectives are met by processes aimed at reduction in disease incidences as well as ensuring availability of reliable sources of quality water.
This in effect grants opportunity for residents to focus on other productive activities rather than spending lots of time looking for quality water services.
Key performance indicators used in measuring the success and effectiveness of the project
Installation of water infrastructure and facilities within Mukuru resulted in the reduction of distance covered to the nearest water point by averagely 10 meters from the previous 34.8 meters. This has since also led to reduction in water shortages and prices.
At the same time, there are notable indications on positive responses by NCWSC towards slum dwellers since they are considered important part of the society. NCWSC accords them dignity as well as recognizing them as bonafide consumers of quality water.
There is also drastic drop in the number of illegal water connections within the slum area. Introduction of sanitary strategies has necessitated reduction in hygiene related diseases amongst slum dwellers (Aubrey, 2009).
Opinion
The project was well designed since it adequately provided for basic necessities amongst slum dwellers at affordable costs. Besides providing sanitation facilities and safe drinking water, there were also campaigns geared towards hygiene promotion amongst mothers as well as school children.
However, designing of sanitary toilets provided within the project did not meet required standards of the residents. This is since; use of central toilets provided inconveniences and security concerns amongst women and children and at the same time lacked privacy.
Payment for water and food are given priority by residents as compared to sanitation (Crow and Odaba, 2009).
References
Aubrey, D. (2009). Community-based sanitation entrepreneurship in Mukuru and Korogocho settlements, Nairobi. Paper prepared for 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2009. London: WEDC Lough borough University.
Brocklehurst, C & Morel, A. (2005). Rogues No More? Water Kiosk Operators Achieve Credibility in Kibera. Field Note. Nairobi, Kenya: WSP-Africa.
Crow, B & Odaba, E. (2009). Scarce, costly and uncertain: water access in Kibera, Nairobi. University of California, USA: UC Santa Cruz Center for Global International and Regional Studies.
UNDP (2010). Millennium Development Goals. Web.
World Bank. (2012). Projects and Operations. Web.