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Machakos & Robertsfors Machakos and ALGAK in Sweden, September 11-16, 2011

Municipalities in Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

In April this year representatives from the municipality of Robertsfors in Sweden attended the Green Solutions Week in Machakos, Kenya and now it is time to continue the discussions in Sweden. Representatives from the Municipality of Machakos and ALGAK (Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya) arrived in Stockholm 11th of September 2011. The first day started with a visit to the royal castle and we learned about the Swedish history by following the history of the castle. This was the start of a busy week filled with study visits and workshop as a part of the collaboration between the municipalities of Machakos in Kenya and Robertsfors in Sweden.

Programme 11 – 16 Sep 2011

An early morning train took us to Sundsvall where Ingvar Rönnbäck, project Manager and Michael Norén, representative from Robertsfors welcomed us together with representatives from the municipality of Sundsvall.

Stockholm 11 Sep

Sundsvall 12 Sep

Green Solutions Tour in Sundsvall and Timrå

Workshop: Collaboration between Kenya and Sweden, Sida Partnership

Forum (SPF)

Sollefteå 13 Sep

Workshop: Collaboration between Kenya and Sweden, SPF

Learning Center

Meeting with University Students

Arrival

Royal Castle

Stockholm

Robertsfors 14 – 15 Sep

Workshop: Action Plans and Capacity Centers Municipality Council of Robertsfors County Administration Board Regional Sustainability Week, SEE

Umeå 16 Sep

Municipality of Umeå – Towards a Sustainable System Green Solutions Tour

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NEWSLETTER

In Sundsvall we were welcomed by Rodney Engström, Chairman for the City of Sundsvall Municipality committee board, Bertil Carlsson, and Hans-Erik Olsson from Sundsvall Energi.

Our first study visit and lecture was at Korstaverken, a combined heat and power plant. Hans-Erik Olsson presented the services and products of the municipal Energy Company.

We also listened to Bertil Carlsson who talked about different technologies for producing Bio methane and he painted the vision of biogas in the region.

After lunch we learned more about recycling and reusing at Blåberget. Here the municipality company is receiving, sorting and storing different types of waste. The citizens can leave their waste here to be recycled and and also to give clothes and other items away. Erikshjälpen Second Hand has a store in the area where they sell

things for the benefit of charity

Energy from Waste and Reused Material

Building Sustainable Societies

After a delicious lunch and presentations about the achievements and challenges for Sundsvall on their way to a more sustainable society we listened to architect Anders Nyquist who lectured about Eco-Cycle Design. Here he presented a solar lamp from Kenya.

We continued our travel along the Swedish coast and arrived at Söråker and a Community center.

A magical house was how the visitors from Kenya immediately described this Community center in Söråker. A remarkable example on how the local community has created a meeting place with focus on the children and young people.

Matilda, one of the young enthusiasts, told us about how the older teenagers introduced and learned the younger ones to take responsibility and be the most important part of this very good example of social sustainability.

Young People as a Resource

From Waste to Resources and Green Solutions

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NEWSLETTER

Learning, Green Solutions and Local Democracy

A Center for Learning In Sollefteå we visited Reveljen, a learning center with the concept to stimulate adult learning, progress and new thinking. We also met 45 students studying the International Programme for Crises and Conflict Management. Questions and answers were exchanged about crises and how to deal with them.

Green Solutions, Co-operation and Meeting Places

We heard about the many efforts that the region, Västerbotten and the municipality of Umeå have made for a long time. The visitors will not have the time for taking part in the sustainability week, (called SEE) since they are heading home. SEE is a way of showing and celebrating Social, Ecological and Economic Sustainability.

The Globe – a Youth House in Robertsfors

Local Democracy We visited the Municipality Council of Robertsfors. The partnership between Robertsfors and Machakos was presented at the Municipality Council of Robertsfors.

Ingrid Sundbom talked about what she has learned being part of this project from the beginning and reminded us that development of societies starts at a local level.

Ingvar Rönnbäck described the evolution, benefits and conditions of the project.

Sheikh Abdullahi, Town Clerk in Machakos, explained how happy they are with the partnership and that their visit here is about “seeing is believing”. His message was:

“We have hope, we have possibilities and we will improve the lives of our people”

Mikael Norén, head of the Globe, a youth house in Robertsfors, told us about their self-renovated and beautiful youth house. They have created a nice living room for youths, at the age of 13-25. An

open house for young people who want to create something.

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NEWSLETTER

We are all Developing Countries

Collaboration between municipalities

At the first phase that started in 2007, these two municipalities explored mutual possibilities during the inception phase, which included two journeys between the countries. Then the municipalities started a joint collaboration, that was directed towards building long-term and functional platforms for sustainable development in each municipality, meaning: a) an integrated action-plan for sustainable development

b) a capacity center that meets the needs for shared learning and co-operation in each municipality, but also shared

learning and co-operation with other actors and municipalities

Action Plan

Mutual learning during the week The first workshop to discuss the collaboration took place in Härnösand at SIDA Partnership Forum and Dag Jonzon stated that we are in a sense, all living in developing countries facing new challenges every day. The challenges are the same when it comes to sustainability. In Sweden we have to do the same homework as in Kenya. We also have to involve Swedish municipalities to implement sustainable solutions. In Robertsfors started the hands on discussions about the project. Two representatives from ALGAK, coordinating the network of all 175 municipalities in Kenya, was also a part of the tour and the role of ALGAK was an ongoing discussion. Comparisons between the political system in Sweden and in Kenya have been outlined during the week. I e; Critical challenges in a strategic action plan, integrate balance score cards with the budget, and evaluation of the action plan, the new constitution in Kenya and possibilities that come with the current implementation. Further how to mobilize the citizens in a “Keep Machakos Clean” campaign? Next year the results of the partnership will be discussed in Machakos where the result of the actions plans and capacity centers will be presented. Today we can state that the partnership is an example of fruitful exchange of knowledge at a municipal level!

7850 kilometers is dividing the partners in this project. What can they learn from each other?

Text and photo: Barbro Kalla