Program Facilitation Unit

Background:

The demand for Diocesan services in the community which is predominantly arid is increasingly high particularly now when effects of global warming due to environmental degradation and pollution have changed the rainfall trends, leaving the community more vulnerable to drought and its consequences. Poverty levels continue to escalate affecting the health and education priorities of our people. There is therefore need for the Diocese to vigorously encourage a developmental approach to social welfare through facilitation of communities to improve their capacity in resource mobilisation, management and build their resilience against general risks and disasters for sustainable development.

In this regard, the Social Development section of the diocese, otherwise referred to as Programme Facilitation Unit (PFU) successfully in 2005 proposed a strategy of shifting from direct implementation to a facilitation approach in undertaking development interventions. The approach focuses on establishing and capacitating community structures that would be in-charge of managing activities at the grassroots level.  The communities have the onus of determining and directing their future progress with the guidance of CDON integrated social development personnel and our development partners.

Target and coverage areas:

The four Community Development Clusters of Loitokitok, Kajiado, Kilgoris and Narok. This forms the total geographical area of the diocese, i.e. 39,847 sq kms.

Implementation strategy

The strategy of facilitative development focuses on assisting a process to move along by guiding the community to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate development activities according to their needs. The strategy involves the mobilisation of community resources and recognition of community strengths for ownership and self-management.

The application of this strategy for the diocese entailed the decentralisation of program management from the secretariat in Ngong to the community level. To this end, four development clusters have been identified and established in line with he existing deanery boundaries and with due consideration to proximity and conveniency. The Community Development Clusters are:- Kilgoris, Narok, Kajiado and Loitokitok. Each development cluster has an all round support team consisting of a program manager, an accountant, and a mobilizer assisting the community Program Management Committee (PMC) to ensure community plans are realised. The PMC consists of representatives from the zones/Parishes, Bishop's office/clergy and co-opted key stakeholders from the locality. The secretariat team (PFU) provide program technical guidance through community organisation, capacity building, empowerment and mobilisation of external resources to realise both content and process facilitation.