The “improving housing through community capacity strengthening” programme aims to contribute to improved and sustainable standards of living among poor communities through capacity building programmes that enhance their competitiveness for resources Specifically, it aims at contributing to the improvement of housing conditions and the standards of living amongst poor communities in peri-urban and urban areas urban areas of Nakuru, Naivasha and Nairobi through capacity strengthening, resource mobilization and policy advocacy on low-cost housing technology.

The programme is being implementaed through support from Swedish Cooperative Centre and Vi Agro Forestry (SCC/Vi). It runs from January 2007 to December 2008.

The main activities of the programme are to:

1. Conduct research on locally available building materials

2. Build local capacity in self-help and community construction techniques using low cost technology

3. Support community lobbying and networking for adoption and application of appropriate building technologies, standards and regulatory frameworks for construction of low-cost housing

4. Link community groups to micro-finance institutions and promote establishment of community savings scheme for accessing credit for housing development

5. Organize community awareness forums on urban planning

The programme is expected to:

1. Enhance capacity of target communities in utilization of appropriate technology.

2. Strengthen capacity of Shelter Forum members to influence policy.

3. Strengthen capacity of Shelter Forum members to mobilize resources for housing, to engage in urban planning and KENSUP processes strengthened.

The programme is implemented in conjunction with the following Shelter Forum members:  In Nakuru, the Nakuru Housing and Environmental Cooperative (NAHECO); in Naivasha, the Nyamathi Thairera Self-Help in Naivasha. And in Nairobi, an off-shoot section of the Muungano wa Redeemed in Huruma; the Redeemed Women Information Communication Technology Association Self-Help Group [RWICTA] and Kariobangi South Welfare and Slums Housing Association (KASWESHA) in Kariobangi.

Shelter Forum is also collaborating with Makiga Engineering Services Ltd, National Housing Cooperative Union (NACHU), Habitat For Humanity Kenya (HFHK) and the Ministry of Housing on various programme interventions aimed at enhancing results.

To date the project has contributed in the following ways towards poverty alleviation:-

1.         The project has built on the work that has been done within the Land and Urban Development Programme, a programme that Shelter Forum [SF] is currently implementing  with the financial support of the Swedish international development Agency [SIDA]. Building on the fore mentioned  SF has created linkages with other stakeholders in the land and housing with whom we have partnered with. This include Habitat For Humanity Kenya and National Housing Cooperative Union, Bamburi Cement Ltd, Makiga Engineering Services Ltd and Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd. Bamburi Cement Ltd donated 100 bags of cement approximately 5 tones currently worth over KShs 70,000/- to the Nyamathi Thairera Women’s Group. It has also trained the women on the proper use of the cement to enhance quality and reduce cost.  The Group used the cement to construct a member’s house. SF was able to further give the group timber for roofing. The group is in the process of purchasing iron sheets from Mabati Rolling Mills using they own money. The company [Mabati Rolling Mills] will provide the sheets at a discounted price to them by virtue ogf their being members of SF.       

2.         The project has also added to the knowledge base and awareness level on local building materials and technologies in Nairobi [Ruai and Kariobangi], Naivasha and Nakuru by conducting a research on appropriate and affordable technologies. This has raised awareness on the specific building materials and technologies available and made recommendations on the most appropriate and affordable that the project can adopt.   The research also assessed the training and skill gaps that exist and which are to be addressed by the project.  Filling these capacity gaps will greatly enhance the ultimate output by the groups.

3.         Formation of the group’s data base and setting up bench marks. Through the base line survey that is currently being undertaken. Bench marks will be set and a group data base for the beneficiaries will be created. The data base will be a valuable asset for both Shelter Forum and the beneficiaries.  

4.         Environmental management. During the world Environmental day on 15^th June 2007 SF donated tools to Mungano wa Redeemed in Huruma. The youths belonging to the group have an environmental income generating project [IGP] through which they conduct clean ups, undertake garbage collection and disposal. The tools have enhanced their capacity to implement this project. This will eventually improve their economic status. 

5.         Within this month SF intends to facilitate the provision of demonstration equipment for constriction such as stabilized soil block [SSB] making machines and moulding frames. This will be used both for training the members on construction of houses using affordable and appropriate technology. The equipment might possibly be used for IGA. In the short term proceeds from the IGAs will be used to improve livelihoods of group members while continued savings will contribute towards improved housing in the long run.

Shelter Forum good governance team the "Improving housing through community capacity strengthening" programme also took a lead role in the implementation of the the Democratic Governance Support Programme (DGSP). The programme was implemented with other eight Civil society organizations.

The Programme was implemented as a Pilot Project aimed at promoting Public Participation in Local Governance focusing on enhancing democratic governance in Kenya through strengthening the checks and balances of state institutions- Parliament, the Judiciary, decentralized government structures , independent bodies and civil society.

This Programme funded by the European Development Fund (EDF) in partnership with Kenya's Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs began in mid-2003 and ended in
December 2006.

The current programme was the second phase of the programme which mainly focuses on promoting public participation in local governance. The programmes specific purpose was to enhance the capacity of CSOs, residents associations, other relevant organizations and communities to participate in managing, monitoring, evaluating and at the end of the day benefiting from decentralized funds.

The programme targeted the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF), the Constituency
Development Fund (CDF), the District Roads Maintenance Levy Fund , t h e
Constituency/District HIV/AIDS Fund, and the District Bursary Fund. The pilot project is being implemented in nine districts. Shelter Forum in conjunction with Umande Trust and Kituo cha Sheria are implementing the programme in the eight constituencies of Nairobi.

It was expected that the programme shall increase awareness of communities on opportunities available in decentralized fund processes; enhance capacity of Community Based Organizations and communities to lobby and influence the management of decentralized funds and; increase capacity of communities and local network groups to participate in decentralized fund processes.

In implementing the programme, Shelter Forum and its partners organised several awareness and training forums targeting communities in all the constituencies on the various devolved funds. The trainings also targeted committee members of the various funds and leaders from different backgrounds.

Through these forums, communities came to dispel the myth that decentralized funds belong to the politicians. Communities are now aware of the fact that the funds are rightfully theirs since they are the taxpayers. Politicians on the other hand can no longer hold the communities at ransom over the funds. Communities are now empowered to a point where they can engage the different fund managers in a quest to actively participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the funds.