Abstract

The work presented in this thesis was motivated by empirical evidence showing that 30 to 40 percent of communal water points in Malawi eventually become dysfunctional (Water Aid Malawi, 2010; Magalasi, 2010). The study set out to address the crucial question of why some communal water-points are a success and remain functional while others eventually fail and become non-functional. In this undertaking, the study was guided by selected theories of participation (Cohen & Uphoff, l995; and Wilcox, 1994) and empowerment (Clark. 2005, and Rothman), and took a mixed methods research approach. This study has helped us to understand the extent of community stakeholders' participation in communal water projects in Malawi. It argues that these water interventions are largely exogenous, and a clear imposition on local communities. There is evidence of high levels of exclusion of community stakeholders. particularly during the formative stages. which are however crucial for sustainability. ln limited areas in which community stakeholders are involved. functional water-points fare extremely well compared to the non-functional ones. Secondly in relation to empowerment, the study argues that lack of skills and knowledge transfer, and limited levels of capacity building embedded in these water projects, except for few functional water-points, in part explains the undesirable results of high failure rates. Lastly, the study reveals that communities with functional water-points have reasonable to high levels of a sense of ownership and commitment to their water points as opposed to those with non-functional water-points. The study, therefore, argues that the programmatic designs and approaches pursued by implementers directly influence outcomes in communal interventions.

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School	: School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Issued Date	: 2018

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