Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
2012 - 2013
Leadership Brand
We want to be known for being innovatively inspiring, competently driven and assertively
results oriented so that we can deliver the best technologically-centered programme,
with the greatest impacts on the lives of poor people in Eastern Africa
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Contents
Foreword ..................................................................................................................... 1
Our Vision .................................................................................................................... 3
Our Mission .................................................................................................................. 3
Our Values ................................................................................................................... 3
Our Influencing Work ................................................................................................... 5
Goal 1: Universal Access to Energy .............................................................................. 7
Goal 2: Food, Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction .............................................. 11
Goal 3: Urban Services: Water, Sanitation & Waste Management ............................... 15
Practical Answers ...................................................................................................... 17
Practical Action Consulting ........................................................................................ 18
Financial Performance for 2012/13 ........................................................................... 19
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Caroline Obonyo enjoying her SCORE stove in an image that was acknowledged as a winning photo by Practical
Action in an inter-country competition for image of Technology Justice in Action (Photo by Vincent Okello)
Photo credits:
George Kamau/Practical Action 2012
Francis Muchiri/Practical Action2012
Report compiled and edited by: Aileen Ogolla
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Foreword
This annual report covers the period 2012/13. It marks the first year of implementation of the new Strategic Plan
(2012-17). During the first quarter, we focused on ensuring that the management systems and staff were well
positioned to ensure clarity and capacity to deliver on the expectations.
Development of the regional strategic Plan was very consultative. We involved our staff and partners in the process.
This provided great learning for those who had never been involved in strategic planning. The regional office
invested heavily in staff training and development. Several group and individual trainings were held and a number
of staff were given opportunities to go for exchange visits in to other country offices and allowed time-off to
attend local and international trainings and workshops. The year marked significant improvement in performance
management processes. There has been continuous sensitization of line Managers on performance management
processes.
There has more collaboration within and across teams. Deliberate efforts were made to integrate PAC and
Programmes. There was also a marked increase in virtual interactions. During the last quarter of the financial
year, Kenya was charged with heightened political activity. Fear of post-election violence resulted in low project
implementation and a decline in funding opportunities. The donors appeared to have adopted a-wait-and-see
attitude.
To improve on governance and accountability to stakeholders, the regional office inaugurated a Kenya Board with
the NGO Coordination Board. This is the first local Board within the Practical Action group. The Regional Office
relocated to new premises in October 2012. The well branded office is quite inspirational to staff and partners after
a stay of about 15 years in the previous location. The region looks forward to building on the gains of this reporting
period- especially on building partnerships, influencing and knowledge brokering.
Photo by George Kamau awarded runners up in the Technology Justice in Action competition.
Our Vision
An Eastern Africa region where all people have the knowledge, skills and opportunities
to access equitable, affordable technologies and services for their well-being
Our Mission
We work with poor and marginalized people and their organizations to increase their
access to information, services and build their capacity to improve their lives.
Our Values
We believe:
Technology is a driver for change
In innovation and creativity
In the efficient, effective and durable use of natural resources
In gender equity and equality
We value poor peoples participation and empowerment to achieve lasting change.
And the best part: after viewing the feature and hearing
the testimony of the hatchery owner who said that he now
uses 1.5 bags of briquettes compared to 5 bags of charcoal
previously, the management of an institution that I had been
trying to sell to bought 5 x 50Kg bags of briquettes from me.
I hope this and other stories that will certainly come your way
will serve to re-affirm to you that your project does indeed
impact on the lives of people and re-energize you to continue
with the good work!
Karori was once a small scale farmer who was gradually edged
out of his piece of land as a result of the population expansion
in his area. By that time crop production was also declining
and he could barely support his family.
He tried many livelihood options with little success until
recently when he was introduced to Practical Action,
which has built his capacity and other SMEs to develop a
sustainable business of micro and small scale fuel briquettes
in the informal settlements of Nairobi and Nakuru.
Practical Action trained Karori and he gained skills on how
to use the different waste materials to produce quality
briquettes. He also learnt how to keep records, market
and source for business finance from the various financial
institutions. His improved briquettes burn better with reduced
smoke and increased heat. He produces briquettes of all sizes
to suit the pockets and needs of his diverse customer base.
The daily sales give him almost 100% profit.
Goal 1
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Goal 2
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The water pumps are user friendly and the communities were
empowered to develop management structures to manage the
resource. John Lakali, the Secretary of the Namoruputh Water
User Association says that their group has grown through
engaging with Practical Action over the years. He confirms
that lack of water in the locality was serious and that the
community is very pleased with Practical Actions approach.
He said, Practical Action involved the local people at every
stage, from conceptualization through to the management of
the facilities.
The problems did not end immediately but efforts that involve
the community should be lauded and encouraged because it
enhances ownership of projects.
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Before
After
Practical Action Eastern Africa - Annual Report 2012 - 2013
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Goal 3
Targets: Urban poor and vulnerable groups, women and children, and unemployed urban youth.
Through the Peoples Plans into Practice Project (PPP), Practical Action increased access to safe water to about
31,000 people in turn increasing the incomes of 162 people. PPP and WASH Project component being implemented
in Kajiado improved access to sanitation to 3992 men and women, and provided access to improved solid waste
collection services to 884 persons. The Delegated Management Model has been our strongest selling point in the
year. We influenced the Nzoia Water Services Company to adopt it to supply water in Kipsongo and Kitale. The
expectation is that this pro poor tariff approach will be used in the other urban areas under their jurisdiction.
Clean water and more money in my pocket
Water was identified by the Neighborhood Planning Association
(NPA), as a priority issue in Nyalenda, a sprawling informal
settlement, less than a kilometer from Kisumu City center.
The association also identified a natural spring that they could
protect. The owner of the land is an elderly lady known as
Celina or dani (grandmother). The community had always
come to fetch water at the open spring. They would scoop the
water, using jugs and cups the process was long and tedious.
The water was contaminated (10% ecoli presence) and may
have contributed to some of the water borne diseases in the
community; it was also a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
After the spring protection intervention of Practical Action
and KUAP and Shelter Forum, Celina is a happy octogenarian.
She spends her days under a shade monitoring water usage
at the protected spring. She charges KES 50/= a month for
unlimited use and a meagre KES 1/= for a 20 liter jerrican.
On a good day during the drought season, she can make up
to KES 70/= a day. The protection was undertaken using
PPP resources (Comic Relief funded) but it provides some
compensation to the landowner who does not mind people
coming to fetch the clean water at minimal costs.
Cases of water borne diseases are on the decline in the
neighborhood; in addition, it takes a much shorter time to fill
up the containers. The community has also taken advantage of
the overflow to practice urban farming. They have channelled
the water to irrigate their farms and also created a fish pond
for commercial purposes. The spring has provided alternative
employment to the youth and improved incomes as well as
living standards among the poor community members in the
neighborhood. Many women and men alike now engage in
farm entrepreneurship and are able to respond to family needs
efficiently.
Practical Action Eastern Africa - Annual Report 2012 - 2013
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Then
Now
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Practical Answers
In the last one year, we have witnessed an increase
in the number of Technical Enquiries (from 112 to
4609). This impressive growth can be attributed to
public increased access to our information through
Arid Lands Information Network, Maarifa Centers. The
focus is now towards ensuring follow-up so that we can
report on impact. We also enjoyed closer engagement
with the programme teams and media. We supported
development of energy-focused episodes for the
popular Makutano Junction edutainment programme
(local soap opera). This not only enhanced our visibility
but it also created public awareness of our work
leading to a number of enquiries. During the year, we
developed a number of Knowledge Products that talk
about our work or provide guidance on processes and
technology. For example:
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0%
13%
20%
5%
PAC
33%
Other Income
Our expenditure under the Three Goal areas; Urban services Water, sanitation and waste management; Food,
Agriculture and Disaster Risk Reduction; and Universal Energy was determined by the realized income targets
within the financial year as illustrated by the chart below.
Goal Performance in 2012 - 2013
40%
40)
35)
28%
30)
25)
18%
20)
15)
10)
5%
5)
Other
O)
Review of the annual performance reveals a slow uptake of the Income targets vs. the 2012-2017 strategic
ambitions and to address this, we have prioritized fundraising and strategic financial management with a view of
strengthening the overall financial performance of the region in 2013/14 and the remaining years of the strategy.
Practical Action Eastern Africa - Annual Report 2012 - 2013
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www.practicalaction.org
Practical Action Eastern Africa - Annual Report 2012 - 2013
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