SHARING EXPERIENCES Mlalakua River Restoration Project ... Mlalakua Brochure Final... · 1 Introduction This brochure shares experiences gained under the Mlalakua River Restoration

SHARING EXPERIENCES

Mlalakua River Restoration Project 2013 - 2016

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Introduction

This brochure shares experiences gained under the Mlalakua River Restoration Project (MRRP), implemented by the

International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP). IWaSP is a global programme implemented by Deutsche

Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic

Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).).

Through IWaSP, GIZ promotes effective multi-stakeholder partnerships between civil society, private sector, and

government actors to improve the adaptability of water users to manage threats to water security. GIZ is cooperating

closely with the Republic of Tanzania´s Ministry of Water in the form of a bilateral programme, with integrated water

resources management as one of its focus areas.

IWaSP coordinates the Mlalakua River Restoration Project (MRRP), a multi-stakeholder partnership with the objective

of improving water quality and governance in the Mlalakua river catchment area (from 2013 to 2016). The partnership

comprises the following five components:

The following organisational chart outlines the eight partners, the project components and the respective working

groups:

Three

public sector institutions:

- Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board (WRBWB)

- National Environmental Management Council (NEMC)

- Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC)

Two private sector organisations:

- Coca-Cola Kwanza Ltd (CC Sabco)

- Nabaki Afrika Ltd

Two NGOs:

- Bremen Overseas Research Agency (BORDA)

- Nipe Fagio

One coordinating partner:

- International Water Stewardship Programme (IWaSP-GIZ)

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Context

The river lies in the north of Dar es Salaam. It originates from the Mzinga and Kizinga rivers and drains into

the Indian Ocean. The dire state of the river is a result of a combination of factors i.e. poor infrastructure,

poor awareness of sustainable waste management and unclear responsibilities to prevent river pollution.

The project started in 2012 when a group of stakeholders from public, private and civil society jointly

committed to address pollution in the city using a multi-stakeholder approach which seeks to engage

public, private and civil society to address identified challenges. To benefit a large number of people, it

required collective action to find solutions to the challenges identified in the Mlalakua area.

The overall objective of the initiative was to restore the health of the Mlalakua River and to prevent further

pollution on a sustained basis. This could only be achieved through collective engagement of stakeholders,

restoring the river’s natural functions, and building systems to ensure sustainable management of solid and

liquid waste to prevent further pollution. From the start, it was clear that experiences drawn from this

initiative would be used to inspire and to inform actions aimed at improving the conditions of other rivers

and streams in Dar es Salaam.

Since 2013, the partnership has been active on the ground. Each partner played a significant role within this

multi-stakeholder approach. This brochure summarises the lessons learnt during the last three years of

implementation. These lessons and successes cover three main and interrelated areas: partnership

approach, management and sustainability.

Partnership approach

Five ways to succeed in setting up a partnership

Lesson 1 Know your partners

For every partnership it is important to start with an understanding of each partner’s capacities, expectations,

communication systems and priorities.

For every partner, this partnership approach was completely new. This meant that it was subject to changes,

mistakes and inactions. We took time to study the approach before starting to work. With the partnership, we

realised the great need for a clear understanding of the approach, of the needs of partners and stakeholders, of

mutual capacities and of our expectations. Managing expectations was the most complex task!

Lesson 2 Define roles and objectives

Without a clear view of who is doing what, how and why, the partnership will be hampered in implementing collective

activities.

We realised that we had to define the roles of each partner clearly, before making plans for activities on the

ground. By failing to clarify roles and responsibilities, confusion and misunderstanding is created, which can

cause tension between partners. Having clear objectives and targets for each activity and for the overall

project helps to guide the allocation of resources and helps to target the most relevant stakeholders.

Transparency in communicating achieved results is equally important, in order to maintain trust between

partners. Varying financial capacities across partners created discrepancies in fulfilling roles and objectives.

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Lessons 3 Understanding risk and opportunity

Incentives are high for partners to stay motivated, if they have a stake in the project.

Our experience showed us the importance of assessing feasibility of water stewardship principles and of

understanding underlying risks and their implications for key stakeholders and activities. We saw how risks

are a prime driver, which keep partners motivated to act together. Without a direct interest in the water

source, some partners lacked commitment and involvement which had a negative effect on the partnership.

As a result, we learnt about the importance of the political landscape when it came to mobilising people and

resources to support our multi-stakeholder initiatives. For increase private sector involvement, companies

should understand the high risks involved for their operations, and water users should feel that the source of

water is highly valuable to their lives. These two elements were not present in the case of Mlalakua, but we

still found motivation to contribute to the restoration of the Mlalakua River and to find ways to prevent

further pollution and to minimise the health impact of poor waste management.

Figure 1: Mtaa leader training

Lesson 4 Engage decision-makers

Engaging decision-makers of partner organisations from the start helps to ensure continuity, even in cases of staff

changes within partner organisations.

Efforts for raising awareness amongst community members and political leaders had to be continuous,

especially due to the high turnover of public officials. The steering, continuity and time spent on the

partnership was also affected when representatives of partner organisations changed. These changes delayed

partnership activities and affected the degree of trust amongst partners. While it is considered positive in

some incidents - because of the innovation it can bring - it still affects commitments, continuity and back-

paddled ‘sweat capital’, and the achievement of the goal.

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Lessons 5 Coordination is key

Effective coordination builds trust and confidence between partners and helps unifying partners to address challenges

faced.

We discovered that strong management and proper coordination throughout the project cycle is essential to

create trust, reliability and continuity. Because a partnership is always composed of many different interests,

communication styles, and organisational cultures, it needs a strong coordinator to keep everything on track.

Figure 2: River at Mlalakua bridge before project and any cleanup

Figure 3: River at Mlalakua bridge after clean up

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Management

Three ways to manage a successful partnership

Lesson 6 More direct communication

To avoid misunderstandings and mismatching different decision-making systems between partners, it is necessary to

increase direct communication amongst partners (i.e. meetings, phone calls, etc.)

Decision-making, accountability and enforcement are drivers of change. Within multi-stakeholder settings, after

agreeing, decision-making needs to be swift to realise the project goal. Bureaucracy within institutions tends to

delay project implementation. Our experience

shows that to effectively deliver initiatives

through collective action, we need to find

solutions to accelerate decision-making within

bureaucratic structures. Informal

communication has proved to be more

effective than formal communication between

stakeholders. Face-to-face and telephone

conversations quickened decision-making and

the implementation of activities. Social media

also was used to support information sharing

and law enforcement, even when it was

unplanned.

Figure 4: Community debrief after river visit

Lesson 7 Harmonisation of regulations

Clear knowledge of applicable laws and regulations for defining roles and activity plans is needed when multiple

institutions and various levels of government are involved.

Roles, policies and mandates have to be clear to facilitate institutional change, adjustments or behavioural

change amongst stakeholders. For instance, a confusion of institution roles, functions and mandates or

responsibilities were the main deterrent to the implementation of industrial component interventions. We

have learnt that mistakes are expensive to correct. Also, because of the involvement of multiple institutions,

stakeholders were of the opinion that a harmonisation of the Local Government Act 1994, the Water

Resource Management Act 2009 and the Environmental Management Act 2004 would have been useful to

help such a project succeed. For example: the roles of KMC, WRBWB, and NEMC remained unclear for the

stakeholders and were the source of never ending debates.

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Lesson 8 Focus on capacity development

Use the knowledge of your partners’ limitations to work towards compensating these by providing opportunities for

development which will help to balance partner engagement

Accountability and transparency in implementing project activities creates a firm footing to support trust,

team spirit, work ethic and the achievement of commitments. Unplanned results can occur, but it is important

to balance these by developing

the limited capacities of

partners. The provision of

alternatives for current waste

practices in targeted

communities is also significant.

Continuous capacity

development of stakeholders –

service providers, local

community leaders, businesses,

institutions and opinion makers

are essential for behaviorial

change, law enforcement and

the quality delivery of project

commitments. Capacity

development is a key to

sustainability!

Figure 5: Community leaders putting up no dumping signs

Sustainability

Four ways to implement sustainable action

Lesson 9 Improve business case for waste collection

Make waste collection profitable by considering the differences between sub-wards (like income, geography, and

existing community Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice KAPs)

Waste collection has to be profitable to be sustainable. The state of infrastructure and the regulatory system

contributes to poor waste collection systems. With poor roads and collection points, waste collection is likely

to remain a weak and unreliable

business and as a result,

neighbourhoods will be surrounded

with piles of waste. Our experience has

forced us to question the systems

currently in place and the way ion

which they are regulated. Partners

working closely with waste collection

service providers came saw the need

to improve the viability of these crucial

services.

Figure 6: Waste collection service providers at work

Success Story

Let the community

leaders be

responsible to

supervise the

removal of illegal

dumps surrounding

community area and

the installation of

penalty sign boards

saying: ‘Don’t dump

here’

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Lesson 10 Address causes and symptoms simultaneously

Improve the collection of solid waste while improving people’s understanding of why better waste disposal is good for

them and for the environment and how it will substantially reduce pollution in the river

If service provision is improved for solid waste collection, but people

keep throwing garbage in the river, the situation of the river cannot

improve. Even with strong law enforcement, regulations and

accountability, behavioural change is crucial to effect collective

action. We realised that raising awareness amongst beneficiaries

was the only solution to sustain better services. Behavioural change

in waste management became easier when communities had

alternative options for waste disposal (such as recycling and reliable

collection services).

Figure 7: Community clean-up in the River, at Mlalakua bridge

Lesson 11 Ownership

Delegating activities to community leaders by giving them responsibility and reward for checking on each other’s

behaviour is a strong driver of change

Motivating stakeholders is critical for behavioural change and rapid activity implementation. BORDA, for

example, has started the “Cleanest Mtaa competition” and the winner receives a prize. Motivation triggers a

sense of ‘everybody wins’ within a partnership. Having one of the partners and its core staff living in the same

community increases trust, this is crucial to support behavioural change and compliance with the law.

Success story

Simba Kwira Cleanness Company Ltd is contracted to collect waste

in the Mlalakuwa sub wards. Under the strong management

of the group’s chairman, Mr. Moses, theymanaged to increase

waste collection coverage compared to the previous service

providers. Moses said that despite the experience of solid waste collection service he has,

“understanding community existing situation, laws and by laws are the key factors of the

success”.

He said, in order to improve the business of waste collection, there is a need to establish

centralized system for service provider in order to have a wider scope of operation. A centralized system will help waste collection mmunity cul community culture, kongo f the success.laws is the

keys of service provider to sustain the business compare to small score of operation. He wish to

serve the entire Makongo ward.

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Lesson 12 You are the change

Self-enforcement is essential for ownership and the safest path to behavioural change

The need for self-enforcement goes with law

enforcement. Change starts with a sense of self-

responsibility and self-enforcement to

accompany law enforcement, to sustain and

motivate people to keep things clean and to

change the city.

Figure 8: Mtaa leader training

Cash and in-kind contribution by partners 2013-2015 (estimates)

Each partners contributed cash and in-kind to the project activities through time, human resources,

expertise, equipment, studies etc..

WRBWB 14,500,000 TZS

NEMC 32,117,300 TZS

KMC 36,600,800 TZS

BORDA 60,000,000 TZS

NIPE FAGIO 54,800,000 TZS

NABAKI 56,307,500 TZS

CC Sabco 9,175,000 TZS

IWaSP 700,000,000 TZS

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Spin-offs of our partnership

Six projects have already spun off from the Mlalakua partnership

Neighbourhood waste practice

Figure 9: Recycling depot at Nabaki Afrika

Inspired by their involvement in the MRV project, Nabaki Afrika has launched an in-house ‘Green Team’

committee which works towards ensuring that the company, its staff and neighbours follow best waste

practices (BWP) and support sustainability efforts. Through close collaboration with Nipe Fagio and The

Recycler (a commercial recycling company in Tanzania), Nabaki has built a recycling depot and has

implemented the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink policy. In-house awareness raising, training, and

BWP signage was extended to neighbourhoods collaboration in Nabaki’s Mikocheni industrial area. The

nationwide cleanup on 9 December 2015 was a fun way to build community pride. A neighbourhood

Green Team committee will soon be launched and which will agree on short-term and long-term BWP

and sustainability goals. The aim is to create a commercial community model for others to follow.

Raise awareness in schools for a healthy future

There is high demand from schools to raise the awareness of children on issues of health and waste

management. These campaigns are based on the awareness activities of Nipe Fagio.

Cleanest Mtaa/Neigbourhood Programme

BORDA and Nipe Fagio have received funds from the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) to

increase awareness about solid waste management in two Mtaas of Kinondoni. The Cleanest Mtaa

Programme combines competitions, skills training and awareness campaigns to drive behavioural

change. For one of the competitions, the Mtaas compete to for the title of the cleanest Mtaa. This

innovative approach will encourage self-responsibility for keeping their neighbourhoods clean.

Success story

Nabaki Afrika LTD introduced Best

Waste Practices (BWP) and

Recycling at not only a company

level, but also amongst their staff

and fellow commercial neighbors.

Awareness raising & training and

neighborhood collaboration has

begun. All are encouraged to bring

their recyclables from home or

office, to Nabaki’s on-site Recycling

Depot. As a result, the company has

gone from 1 truck garbage to the

dump every week, to 1 truck of

garbage every 3 months!

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BORDA will provide training for the Mtaas and Ten Cell Leaders and Nipe Fagio will facilitate door-to-

door awareness campaigns, community cleanups and school and community group visits.

Figure 10: Community clean-up on the Mlalakua river banks

A partnership = more partnerships

BORDA is entering into a small partnership with other institutions i.e. DAWASA and the community to

improve sanitation infrastructure.

Legitimise scavengers’ recycling potential

Coca-Cola and The Re-cycler are setting up a business model to facilitate waste collection services in

the sub-wards in the area of the Mlalakua river restoration project by up-scaling and diversifying

existing informal recycling systems.

Monitoring Water Quality

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MoWI), Wami Ruvu Basin Water Board (WRBWB), National

Environmental Management Council (NEMC), and International Water Stewardship Programme (GIZ-

IWaSP) are conducting water quality testing and monitoring to support evidence-based industrial

interventions.

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