Community Stakeholders’ Discussions and Workshops in the Lake Victoria Region

AIACC Regional Workshop - Dakar 23-27th March 2004

Community Stakeholders’ Community Stakeholders’ Discussions and Discussions and

Workshops in the Lake Workshops in the Lake Victoria RegionVictoria Region

Dr. Maggie OpondoDr. Maggie OpondoDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Geography

University of NairobiUniversity of NairobiKenyaKenya

Prof. Shem WandigaProf. Shem WandigaKenya National Academy of Kenya National Academy of

SciencesSciencesNairobi – KenyaNairobi – Kenya


IntroductionIntroduction

• Stakeholder participation in the AF 91 Stakeholder participation in the AF 91 project was realized through focus group project was realized through focus group discussions and workshops held with discussions and workshops held with primary community stakeholders in the primary community stakeholders in the Lake Victoria Region. Lake Victoria Region.

• In these forums the stakeholders were In these forums the stakeholders were encouraged to play an active role and encouraged to play an active role and articulate their knowledge, values and articulate their knowledge, values and preferences regarding vulnerability and preferences regarding vulnerability and adaptation to climate-induced malaria adaptation to climate-induced malaria and cholera in the Lake Victoria Region. and cholera in the Lake Victoria Region.


Focus Group Discussions Focus Group Discussions (FGDS)(FGDS)

• The FGDs took the form of informal The FGDs took the form of informal and conversational interviews and conversational interviews comprising of 5-10 participants in comprising of 5-10 participants in general. general.

• Focus group discussions provide a Focus group discussions provide a good complement to Semi-structured good complement to Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) since the interviews (SSIs) since the information derived from SSIs can be information derived from SSIs can be used as a springboard to more used as a springboard to more extensive discussions in focus groups.extensive discussions in focus groups.




• Following completion of the SSIs, Following completion of the SSIs, a preliminary analysis was a preliminary analysis was conducted in order to ascertain conducted in order to ascertain the key issues raised regarding the key issues raised regarding vulnerability and adaptability to vulnerability and adaptability to malaria and cholera, and these malaria and cholera, and these were then probed in greater depth were then probed in greater depth through focus group discussions through focus group discussions and other participatory methods.and other participatory methods.



• The following issues were discussed in The following issues were discussed in the FGDs:the FGDs:

• Indicators of wealthIndicators of wealth• Knowledge of diseaseKnowledge of disease• Attitude, practice and impact of Attitude, practice and impact of

diseasedisease• Vulnerability and adaptability of Vulnerability and adaptability of

diseasedisease• Interventions (both government and Interventions (both government and

non-government)non-government)



• A total of 14 FGDs were conducted with A total of 14 FGDs were conducted with communities where the SSIs had already communities where the SSIs had already taken place. Although deliberate efforts taken place. Although deliberate efforts were made to have same-sex FGDs a few were made to have same-sex FGDs a few of the FGDs comprised of both male and of the FGDs comprised of both male and female participants. female participants.

• The interaction and group dynamics of The interaction and group dynamics of the participants appeared to enhance the participants appeared to enhance group cohesiveness, which is an group cohesiveness, which is an important step towards community important step towards community adaptation. adaptation.



A number of exercises were also A number of exercises were also employed during the FGDs such employed during the FGDs such as: as:

• MappingMapping• Wealth RankingWealth Ranking• Role PlayRole Play• Ranking ExercisesRanking Exercises• Participatory Monitoring and Participatory Monitoring and

Evaluation (PME) TableEvaluation (PME) Table


MappingMapping

For CholeraFor Cholera• Participants were requested to draw a Participants were requested to draw a

map showing the location of the map showing the location of the household, distance from the lake/river, household, distance from the lake/river, toilets, and health units in the area.toilets, and health units in the area.

For MalariaFor Malaria• Participants were requested to draw a Participants were requested to draw a

map showing the location of the map showing the location of the household, and whether it is on the valley household, and whether it is on the valley bottom, hillside, or hilltop; indicate the bottom, hillside, or hilltop; indicate the presence of stagnant water sites and presence of stagnant water sites and swamps, and health units in the area.swamps, and health units in the area.


MappingMapping

• This exercise, which was This exercise, which was undertaken before the start of undertaken before the start of the FGDs, was a good ‘ice-the FGDs, was a good ‘ice-breaker’ and helped to generate breaker’ and helped to generate lively discussions. lively discussions.

• However mapping is time However mapping is time consuming and can significantly consuming and can significantly increase the length of the FGD if increase the length of the FGD if not properly managed.not properly managed.


Wealth RankingWealth Ranking

• Following a discussion of what the Following a discussion of what the participants perceived as participants perceived as indicators of wealth, participants indicators of wealth, participants were requested to use these were requested to use these indicators to categorise richest to indicators to categorise richest to poorest groups of the community. poorest groups of the community.

• This helped to triangulate the This helped to triangulate the wealth indicators collected in the wealth indicators collected in the SSIs. SSIs.


Role PlayRole Play

• A total of ten role-play exercises were A total of ten role-play exercises were carried out in the FGDs. Groups were carried out in the FGDs. Groups were asked to act out the coping asked to act out the coping mechanisms employed during an mechanisms employed during an outbreak of a cholera or malaria outbreak of a cholera or malaria epidemic in a role-play. epidemic in a role-play.

• Role plays are particularly useful for Role plays are particularly useful for acquiring a deeper understanding of acquiring a deeper understanding of those groups most at risk in the those groups most at risk in the communities. communities.



Ranking ExercisesRanking Exercises

• Following a discussion of the coping Following a discussion of the coping mechanisms used in their mechanisms used in their communities, participants should communities, participants should use the wheel ranking tool to rank use the wheel ranking tool to rank these in order of importance. these in order of importance.

• This information is particularly This information is particularly useful for selecting the preferred useful for selecting the preferred adaptation strategies to be adaptation strategies to be implemented in the pilot implemented in the pilot communities. communities.



Participatory Monitoring Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) Tableand Evaluation (PME) Table• Following a discussion of the various Following a discussion of the various

programmes targeting either malaria or programmes targeting either malaria or cholera in their communities, participants cholera in their communities, participants were requested to carry out a participatory were requested to carry out a participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME). monitoring and evaluation (PME).

• The participants expressed their feelings The participants expressed their feelings on whether they were very happy, on whether they were very happy, moderately happy or very unhappy with moderately happy or very unhappy with the interventions by the government, the the interventions by the government, the NGO’s and the private clinic.NGO’s and the private clinic.

• This exercise is useful in informing policy This exercise is useful in informing policy on malaria or cholera epidemics. on malaria or cholera epidemics.


Participatory Monitoring and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation TableEvaluation Table

Ministry of health i.e dispensary, health centres etc.

Local administration e,g chief .

Private facility e.g mission hospital

NGO (s)

Very happy

Moderately happy

Unhappy

Why very happy

Why moderately happy

Why unhappy


Stakeholders’ WorkshopsStakeholders’ Workshops

• A total of six community stakeholders A total of six community stakeholders workshops were conducted in the Lake workshops were conducted in the Lake Victoria Region for malaria and cholera Victoria Region for malaria and cholera sites. sites.

• At each site a group of about 10-12 At each site a group of about 10-12 persons were identified as opinion makers persons were identified as opinion makers by their society. The identified persons will by their society. The identified persons will be engaged in the project as stakeholders. be engaged in the project as stakeholders.

• Using participatory approaches with these Using participatory approaches with these persons an assessment of risk groups in persons an assessment of risk groups in the community, coping mechanisms, and the community, coping mechanisms, and adaptation strategies was undertaken.adaptation strategies was undertaken.



• They will also be the link to the They will also be the link to the community for awareness creation on community for awareness creation on disease. disease.

• The community stakeholder group will The community stakeholder group will also identify the alternative strategies also identify the alternative strategies that can accommodate the possible that can accommodate the possible changes in risk. changes in risk.

• The same group (together with the The same group (together with the researchers in the project) will design researchers in the project) will design and implement strategic action plans and implement strategic action plans for the preferred adaptation strategies.for the preferred adaptation strategies.



During these workshops it was possible During these workshops it was possible to:to:

• Identify (in consultation with Identify (in consultation with community stakeholders):community stakeholders):

risk groups in the community;risk groups in the community; coping mechanisms; and coping mechanisms; and adaptation strategies for adaptation strategies for

cholera/malaria epidemics.cholera/malaria epidemics.• Identify alternatives strategies that Identify alternatives strategies that

can accommodate the possible changes can accommodate the possible changes in risk for cholera/malaria epidemics.in risk for cholera/malaria epidemics.



• Select preferred adaptation Select preferred adaptation strategies for cholera/malaria strategies for cholera/malaria epidemics.epidemics.

• Get the participation and Get the participation and engagement of stakeholders of the engagement of stakeholders of the community stakeholder group in community stakeholder group in designing and implementing designing and implementing strategic action plans for the strategic action plans for the preferred strategies for preferred strategies for cholera/malaria epidemics.cholera/malaria epidemics.


CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

The focus group discussions The focus group discussions and workshops held with and workshops held with primary community primary community stakeholders in the Lake stakeholders in the Lake Victoria Region helped to make Victoria Region helped to make the project more inclusive and the project more inclusive and infused a sense of community infused a sense of community ownership thus increasing the ownership thus increasing the prospect of its sustainability. prospect of its sustainability.

Community Stakeholders’ Discussions and Workshops in the Lake Victoria Region

Documents

extensive discussions

lively discussions

group cohesiveness

group dynamics

focus groups

sex fgds

lake victoria region

community adaptation