case study benin

8/8/2019 Case Study Benin

1/19

1

Programme for Sanitation and Protection ofthe Environment (PrAPE), Benin

Mr. Raphal Edou: DCAM BETHESDAMayor Alassane Seidou: Commune de Kandi

Case study forWorkshop and Networking Event

Building Bridges with the Grassroots:Scaling up through knowledge sharing

12th, 13th, 17th September 2004World Urban Forum, Barcelona


2/19

2

CASE STUDY : PROGRAM FOR SANITATION AND

PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT (PRAPE) BENIN

Introduction

PrAPE is an experience in living conditions improving in Benin. Benin is located in WestAfrica and has six million citizens, mostly young. Half of this population is living in cities ortowns. Politically, Benin has been stable and is led under a democratic system whereindividuals freedom is respected. About two years ago, decentralization had become areality. Since then, the populations are happy to build their future by themselves. Thispeaceful feature made of the country a dynamic place in the region which receives manyforeign people from around the world. As a result, urbanization rate in Benin is growing upconsiderably (about 38% ); as such we need to pay more attention to urban areas.In 1993, the Bethesda health center launched the promoting public health process bydeveloping many activities to clean the urban area and to improve living conditions.Furthermore, sanitation activities started in the neighborhood around the center. This

experience consists of garbage collection and treatment, improving of income generatingactivities, training of local community and cooperation with public administration andnational or international agencies which are good examples of sanitation issues andcommunity development in Benin.Initiated in poor neighborhoods in Cotonou, this experience has been duplicated in manytowns in the country with EED financial support and was also recognized as a best practicein 2002 by the program Habitat of the United Nations. This initiative is very helpful forall the people in urban areas of developing countries because of its high learning skill. PrAPEis also useful for the whole world due to its sustainable development issues.The context in which this experience was established, the strategy using, the resultsobtained, and its duplication strategy are the main parts of this presentation.

1. Context of the project

In 1993, in partnership with the community of Ste Ritas neighborhood, the Bethesda healthcenter started this experience whose objective is to improve the health preventive system.By that time, Benin was trying to overcome political, economic, social, and a deeper crisis,which fortunately carried it into a democratic policy without bloodshed after the nationalconference in 1990. The waste management department too was affected by these financialproblems and within the whole city of Cotonou, the department could work but with onlythree trucks. Before Pr.A.P.E., there was no garbage collection by the government or anyother source. Consequently, the trash was not collected as it should be and as a result manypeolpe just threw their garbage away in the streets. In the streets where there were holes,they simply dumped the garbage. At Cotonou, a city located between the sea in the southand the lagoon in the north, for instance, the situation was dramatic. Household garbagesurrounded persons near their houses, in the streets and canals. As a matter of fact thepopulation suffered many illnesses, e.g. gastroenteritis. According to statistics from thiscenter, established in 1990 by Mennonite missionaries from the United States, Canada, andFrance with Benins churches, the number of patients doubled each year. To solve this pubic


3/19

3

health problem, Bethesda initiated this project with the neighborhood association in thisarea where there are no collection sites and Cotonou did not have a land fill.

Tableau1 : Sanitation Situation between 1992-1993 in the previous department of lAtlantique

Rates (%)Diseases

1992 1993

Malaria 29,11 32,83

Diarrhoeic diseases 12,41 4,33

Bronchopneumoniac diseases 11,30 11,52

Anemia 6,54 7,32

And other kinds of traumatism 4,09 4,20

Source : Public Health Minister

2. Projects goals

Develop a sustainable waste management system in Ste Rita's neighborhood,

Treat ecologically collected garbage in an appropriate site, promote job creation, Dialogue with government and share the responsibilities about waste management, Build the managing abilities of local organization.

3. Strategies of the project

One of the specific features of the project was its community approach, which consists ofmany meetings, discussions, dialogues between the local authorities, women's associations,young organizations, seniors, and public services to choose the main goals and all the desiredresults.In fact, the government, the civilian society and French cooperation agency were involved in

the planning of this initiative. This process lead to a formalized agreement with thecommunity that clearly explained how the activities were shared between the NGO and thecommunity. The approach had taken a long time, about 18 months. However, it was thejuncture for the building of confidence between all the people involved with this experience.

4. Steps of the project and its different actors.

a- Initiative of the project

The database in the Bethesda health center pointed out how the same people were alwayscoming back to the center with the same diseases. So, the board decided to evaluate thepreventive care system in the hospital and finally thought they had better improve the livingcondition in the community and help this community to take control of all futureresponsibilities regarding their sanitation issues. The health center had created thedepartment for community development and environmental protection which alerted thecommunity and other participants about the powerful need to do something in order toprevent the health of people from diseases.


4/19

4

b- Planning of the project

This step took a long time because the approach was founded after negotiations withvarious people touched by the project. Despite of its length, this methodology has been thevirtual reasons for the success and consisted of :

Meeting with local authorities to think of how everything must be done and how thecommittee that was in charge must be chosen on behalf of the population. Theagenda for this meeting was about to figure out the best way to make the systemwork. Because they must become self-sufficient in the future, we decided togetherof the fees people had to pay per month for waste collection. Some person didntbelieve that it was possible to get this money from the people. However, the feewas finally decided at 0.4 Euro for each house per month.

The choice of the first activities was to get peoples attention so that they couldjoin the project and work together. The community chose to start the project by

filling all the holes in the streets where people were throwing their trash and at thesame time suspress all the land dumping. The interesting things were the projectwas changing anytime a new need seemed important for the populations.

Visiting many public offices to get their advice was one of the strengths of theproject. The waste management departments in Cotonou and Porto-novo werecontacted and had an understanding about their project ideas and expressed theirfeelings and concerns about what we wanted to do. The environmental and healthministries were involved and attended many educative meetings in the community.

The negotiations with the French cash development took place simultaneously andtheir flexibility made some changes possible to be able to take the community needs

into account.

Final adoption of the project by a technical committee was composed by therepresentative of the French Embassy, Financial Minister of Benin and the UnitedNations development program in Benin. This committee gave an orientation for theproject and approved it as a hope for sustainable development in Benin.

Finally, the preparation of the project, which was very long, ended correctly with thefinancial supply, the land for the recycling center and all the permission we needed from theenvironmental ministry had been concluded.

5. Project activities

a- Education on health and environmental issues.

It consisted of teaching many topics about sanitation, environmental protection, and therelations between both domains. We explained to people how they had better clean up theirhouses and neighborhoods to save their income in case of diseases care fees. Even if it isdifficult to understand the environmental aspects of waste management, the health issues


5/19

5

were the best ways to catch the attention of people and help them protect themselves. Thegovernment often supports this education program by attending some special events, that isthe case of the launching of the project in January of 1995. On that day, the environmentalminister came with the French agencies. He also came to our final day to give a prize forschoolboys who won the award for the contribution of young people for environmental

protection. All of these examples, were in a good cooperation between the initiative and thegovernment .The education has continued, but is now focusing on sorting waste in houses andseparating the organic and inorganic matter. There are currently six thousand householdparticipating in this program.

b- Waste collection activities.

Suppressing the dump. The first act is to suppress the dumping on the ground andto clean up the area and also to keep this site cleaned for the whole term of theproject. This means to avoid letting people throw their trash anywhere. Because weuse a chat to collect waste from house to house, we needed some places in the city

where the garbage was gathering until its collected by the truck and taken to therecycling center. Any delays in the collecting schedule made people in this areaangry because of the smell and the flies around the site and the nearby houses. Thestrict adherence to the collecting schedule was the indicator of people in thecommunity that the work is been done well.

Precollection. It is the most important step in the system and it needs to becomefinancially and ecologically sustainable to be self-supporting.Young people who collected waste from to door to door, then till to the site, wherethey gathered it, used the cart made locally in the community. Twice a week, thegarbage has been collected with a compensation of 0.4 euro a month in 94; 0.8 in 95;

1.6 euro in 1999 and 2.4 euro today. The level of collection rate was 0% in 94; 20%in 95; 50 % in 1997 and more than 90 % of the households nowadays. The fundsraising level was from 20% in 1994 to 95% in 2001. The collection activities havecontinued and were lead by the local organization. At the same time, we establishedthe recuperation of materials like plastic for our plastic recycling center, wheremore than 100 tons of granulated plastic are available a year.Two years ago, a new program started and used our granulate from recycling plastic.This activity is a way, to help develop small recycling factories. In the same way,households are encouraged to sort their waste at home. In fact, six thousandhouseholds are doing well. There are currently two contemnors : one for organicmatter and the second one for inorganic matter. In this way, we reduce the amount

of waste being transported to the landfill, and it also increases the life of the land.Our experience permitted to make an economy of transport of 15.262,5 FCFA

(either 23,27 euro) by ton of garbage.The pre-collect activities have been extended to the whole city of Cotonou, whichrecognized this approach of waste collecting. The environment ministry supportsthese activities in the county and has donated trucks, carts, bottles, and gloves. Allthe NGO in Cotonou created a network and 75 NGOs are members. The OxfamQuebec helped them to build their capacity. The ONGs are using seven hundred


6/19

6

workers, with half a million euro a year. A national network by PrAPE is creating inorder to gather them together to defend their corporation and avoid being ejectedby the new mayor of the cities. A good, small experience is often denied because itlacks the support of the local authorities

Transportation. At the beginning, we used the only one truck belonging to PrAPE totransporte the garbage gathered to the sorting center about twenty miles away.This activity is the first one in this city and it had a great influence on theorientation of the new program. Despite the costs involved, PrAPE chose to investmoney because of the environmental issues at stake. Because of the expensive costsenvolved, we were thinking of finding the best way to reduce this cost. We finally,realized that we should not have trash within Cotonou so we need not to collect andtransport them. This problem led us to seriously watch the composition of garbage.We then, understood how high the amount of sand was and some possibilities torecycle plastic. We tried using the organic matter in Cotonou for gardens anddecided to develop a plastic-recycling program after seeing what was done in

Germany, Holland, Egypt, and West Africa. At the same time, the community waseducating about reducing the among of sand in the waste and separating thedifferent components of garbage at home.

This idea inspired us to establish a program in Kandi, in the northern part of Benin, a systemthat costs less money for cities. The first challenge for our activities in the city is to findan efficient way to develop a technology which has to be within the budget andenvironmentally friendly. In Kandi, the technology consisted of sorting all the waste in aplace close to the city. Only the inorganic matter was sent to the landfill. As a result only20% of the garbage produced by people was collected and transported to the landfill. Thistechnology worked out because of the availability of the land in this place that is located

500 miles away from Cotonou. All the inorganic matter was packaged until we could recyclethem skillfully or dispose of the matter in a landfill.For six years, the city of Cotonou supported the costs of transportation from the city toour sorting center.

6. The treatment

It consists of sorting manually through the waste and depositing components to anappropriate place. The highest amount of garbage is the organic matter, which is used tomake compost in aerobic conditions. The other components like glass, iron, other kinds ofmetal, batteries, plastic, stones, and cardboard were packaged over the site and will be

brought to the landfill of the city. At the beginning of the project, the waste was burned ata hospital in an arsenal incinerator extended by the health minister. After one year, wechanged the system because it isnt good to drive dangerous waste over many miles and itwas expensive. As a result, we made a contract with the national medical center that has anappropriate incinerator. There we trained people who sorted different components in thehospital in different containers.


7/19

7

Different Components of solid household trash at Cotonou

Biodegradables Matters 52,13%

Sand and debris 31,65%

Plastics 7,26%

Papers / Cardboard 3,14%

Metal scraps 1,56%Scraps of fabric 1,14%

Glasses 1,6%

shoes / Leathers 0,22%

Bones and Shells 0,37%

Batteries 0,15%

Other Waste 0,78%

7. Scaling up the program of PRAPE.

This part is the most important focus during the workshop. Regarding PRAPE there are two

kinds of scaling. The first is the flourishing of the experience by developing new activitiesthat make it stronger, more interesting and integrated. The second aspect is the duplicationin a new areas.This experience which started in 1993 by waste collection in 8 neighborhoods in Ste Ritaarea in Cotonou has been duplicated and now the program has been working in the wholecountry in different domains.

a- Regarding sanitation and environmental protection.

The waste management program has touched Twelve cities. This programs consists of: The waste collection from door to door. It started in eight neighborhoods in

Cotonou and now has been duplicated in new areas : 7 neighborhoods in the samecity, 7 in Porto-novo (30km from Cotonou), 3 in Parakou (400km), 7 in Kandi (600Kmfrom Cotonou), 3 in Come (6okm), 3 in Aplahoue (160km).

Moreover PRAPE (acronyms are always in all caps in US English) has helped otherorganizations to start the same program by designing the proposal or living someequipments ( 20 NGO in Benin, 2 in Togo, 1 in Congo).

The extension of hospital waste collection to thirty other health centers. Sorting of the waste of the whole city of Cotonou (1000.000 people) and the

beginning of new aspect of this work, which is the mechanization of the sortingprocess.

Plastic recycling to make electrical conduit at the AGRIPLAS center, a small factory

that recycles three tons of plastic waste a month. Creation of Network of recovers . Building the capacity of welders to be able to make metal garbage cans out of junk

cars in Cotonou.

PrAPE has organized a waste management study in twelve municipalities in Benin andadvised these municipalities in how to develop activities in regards to wastemanagement.


8/19

8

In Kandi, the whole system is working from the collection, the sorting and thesorting center. In fact Kandi is the only city in Benin which has an appropriate placefor waste management. Because of this approach only twenty percent is sent to thelandfill as final deposit.

House sorting waste with one thousand people in the city.

a- promoting income generating activities.

These new activities were the result of the waste collection program that motivated ourNGO to focus on the community needs and figure out a way to reduce poverty. This programstarted in a small office with an initial infusion of capital of less than three thousand USDin 1996.The current total loans now is more than one million USD each year and more thanthree thousand beneficiaries have participated to the program which is functioning withoutsubsidies. This program now operates in the three main cities in Benin. These small loanshave helped many young people to start a small business.

promoting local development. PrAPE has excelled in community organization. Out ofthis experience other associations has emerged that assists communities toorganize themselves in order to meet their own development goals. Because of itssuccess PrAPE was chosen to assist the government-coordinating agency (SERHAU)in the community participation component of this project. This program, set up bythe government and the World Bank, had taken PrAPE to work with the threelargest cities of Benin. For three years PrAPE has been helping to:

Establish neighborhood association committees, Develop the design of each , Build capacity in regards to the managerial skills of the committees, Assist in community infrastructure building (schools, health centers, youth centers,

markets, and public latrines) and prepare the community to manage themeffectively.

Build the equipment for water supply in the community.

b- Scaling strategy.

At the beginning there was no strategy for replication of our experience/modelelsewhere, however its possible to write about it.

spreading in the surrounding area: Because the experience (specifically garbagecollection) proved how its a good source of revenue, many people launched the sameactivities.

Helpful experience for student's interns and workers who have left DCAM. Morethan five students every year came to PrAPE to do their research. This helps manypeople to hear about the program. Some of them, after graduating, returned totheir own communities and started the same activities. Some workers, for differentreasons, left the project and founded their own program. Moreover twenty internscame to stay more than two weeks to be trained about how to found the wastecollection.


9/19

9

Favorable context: Many international agencies, and the government, werecommitted to develop a simple technology to clean up the city. So they encouragedthe creation of many waste collecting projects.

Easy to create: With just 230 euros two young people can make ends met. Awareness of the population in regards to the sanitation problem in the cities:

In fact the strategy consisted of cooperation with universities, research centersworkshop, consulting, studies, network.

8 - Lessons learned from the experience can be

summed up as followed

All experiences built and supported by the population are sustainable and essential in thecommunity. Our experience teaches us that research of the community into how it mighteffectively help build and support the model with its resources, is crucial to an NGOssuccess. We can cite, for example, our community bank which is self-financing withoutoutside subsidies as a successful model resulting from such research.

The second lesson learned is that projects that are well-done and transparent to thecommunity often succeed; the community is ready to participate in projects where they seethe direct benefits, and understand the internal organization.

We also believe that the best way to support costs of garbage collection in a developingcountry is through the recovery and recycling of certain waste materials, e.g. paper andplastic.Lastly, in developing countries, the most important lesson to be learned is that both theinterests of the community and those of the state need to be taken into account, and thetwo groups must work in collaboration with one another.

Our organization believes that both the community and state must be given responsibility indevelopment projects, and one of Pr.A.P.E.s goals is to clarify the capabilities of thecommunity as well as the state. For example, door-to-door garbage collection can becompletely supported by the local population without aid from the state. However, thestate is then needed to aid in the transport and treatment of waste in the municipality.

CONCLUSION

PrAPEs experience in Benin is unique in West Africa.

It solves many problems and influences the waste management, the income generatingdomain, local development and cooperation between pubic and private administration.Throughout this experience, DCAM contributes to poverty reduction in Benin.Because it has proved to a success, this experience has been so rapidly scaled in manyplaces than expected. Its challenge now is to share all the shill built and help theauthorities to choose the best way for public health program.


10/19

10


11/19

11

Award document in 2002

1a- PROGRAMME ASSAINISSEMENT ET PROTECTION DE LENVIRONNEMENT(Pr.A.P.E.)

1b- Cotonou

2- Pr.A.P.E.03 BP 4270Cotonou, BeninWest AfricaTEL : 229 32 11 29FAX : 229 32 75 49E-mail : [email protected]

3- Contact Person: Mr. Raphal Edou

4- Type of Organization: Non-governmental organization

5- Organization proposing the best practice: PDM (PROGRAMME DE DEVELOPPEMENTMUNICIPAL)01 BP 3445 Cotonou, Bnin, West AfricaTEL : 229 30 05 60FAX : 229 30 19 76E-mail : [email protected] Person: Mr. Mbassi ElongType of Organization: International Agency

6- Partners:

Caisse Franaise de Dveloppement (Fonds Spcial pour la Dvaluation)S/C Ambassade de FranceTEL.: 229 30 02 25 / 30 02 26FAX : 229 30 15 47 / 30 35 19Contact Person: Head of MissionType of Organization: French Government

CUC (CIRCONSCRIPTION URBAINE DE COTONOU)

03 BP 1777 Cotonou, Bnin,TEL : 229 32 07 40 / 32 13 59FAX : 229 32 40 44Contact Person: Mr.Jrme DandjinouType of Organization: Municipality

EED (Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst V.e.)Ulrich-Von-Hassell-Str.76 D-53123 Bonn, Germany
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


12/19

12

TEL : 49-(0)228/81 01-0FAX : 49-(0)228/81 01-160E-mail :[email protected] / Udo_Bertrand/Abteilung1/eed/de%[email protected] Person: Mr. Karl-Michal KronenbergType of Organization: International Financing NGO

MAIRIE DE SAINTE-RITA03 BP 4270 Cotonou, Bnin, West AfricaTEL: 229 32 13 14FAX: 229 32 75 49Contact Person: Mr. AHOYO AlbricType of Organization: Commune

MEHU (Ministre de lEnvironnement de lHabitat et de lUrbanisme)08 BP 32, Cotonou, Benin, West Africa,TEL : 229 30 05 60

FAX : 229 30 13 65E-mail : [email protected] Person: Minister of the EnvironmentType of Organization: Ministry

ODASR (ORGANISATION POUR LE DE DEVELOPPEMENT DELARRONDISSEMENT DE SAINTE-RITA)C/O Pr.A.P.E. 03 BP 4270 Cotonou, Bnin West AfricaTEL. 229 32 11 29FAX 229 32 75 49Contact Person: Mr. Jean-Louis Akakpo

Type of Organization: Grass-roots Organization

SERHAU-SA (Socit d'Etude Rgionale pour l'Habitat et l'Urbanisme)BP 2338 Cotonou, Bnin,Tl. 229 30 02 09Fax. 229 30 06 26E-mail : [email protected] Person: Mr. Bachir OloudeType of Organization: Private Company

SMB (SERVICE MENNONITE AU BENIN)

01 BP2624 Cotonou, Bnin, West Africa,TEL : 229 32 48 03E-mail : [email protected] Person: Mr. Bruce YoderType of Organization: Missionary Agency for Development

7- Type of Partner Support
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:Udo_Bertrand/Abteilung1/eed/de%[email protected]:Udo_Bertrand/Abteilung1/eed/de%[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:Udo_Bertrand/Abteilung1/eed/de%[email protected]:[email protected]


13/19

13

Caisse Franaise de Dveloppement(Fonds Spcial pour la Dvaluation)

Financial Support

CUC (Circonscription Urbaine de Cotonou) Financial and Technical Support

EED (Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst V.e.) Financial Support

Mairie de Sainte-Rita Community Support

MEHU (Ministre de lEnvironnement, de lHabitat et delUrbanisme)

Material, Job Training and Political Support

ODASR (Organisation pour le dveloppement del'Arrondissement de Sainte-Rita)

Support in helping the local population to organizethemselves

SERHAU-SA (Socit d'Etude Rgionale pour l'Habitatet l'Urbanisme)

Technical Support in compliance with the financialcontract of the World Bank

SMB (Service Mennonite au Bnin) Financial and Technical Support

8- Financial Profile

Year TOTAL Pr.A.P.E. EED SMB DUTCHCOLLABORATION

2001 $ 350,860 76.63 % 19.72 % - 3.65 %

2000 $ 229,262 54.87 % 45.13 % - -

1999 $ 116,807 40.46 % 59.54 % - -

1998 $ 104,668 22.83 % 77.17 % - -

1997 $ 85,200 31.36 % 64.84 % 3.80 % -

1 $ US = 720 F CFA.

9- Categories of the Best Practice:

Poverty Eradication

Environmental ManagementProduction and Consumption Patterns

10- Level of Activity: Neighborhood

11- Eco-system: Coastal

12- SUMMARY

Pr.A.P.E. helps the Sainte Rita community manage the waste it produces. It trains andemploys youth to collect the waste from a total of 2,700 voluntary subscribers (households,

organizations), benefiting 80% of the 40,000 total community population. Subscribers paymonthly fees for garbage collection of which 95% are recoverable. Recyclable plastic andpaper are collected by women and sold for reprocessing; organic material is recycled intocompost for the initiatives farm operations. Currently, garbage collection activitiesgenerate US$ 140,000 per year; professional consulting fees by Pr.A.P.E.s administratorsgenerate US$ 125,000. An outgrowth of this project has been the creation of a communitybank for which the net worth is approximately US$ 1,400,000. This credit grant programwas created on the basis of local savings including contributions from over 1500 women, and


14/19

14

functions without outside subsidies. It has granted credits of more than US$ 550,000 towomen, youth and other garbage collection associations in Cotonou.

Pr.A.P.E. employs 200 people today, including 33 youth and 85 women in the areas of wastemanagement, recycling and farm operations. The transfer of this initiative to other locales

has also indirectly created numerous job opportunities. In addition, at least 90 young menand women have found opportunities for apprenticeships in various activities of theorganization. Pr.A.P.E. receives up to 200 visitors a year including students fromeducational institutions and other national and international organizations. More than 100publications or broadcasts have been produced for seminars organized by the Ministry ofthe Environment, the municipality and international NGOs.

13- Key Dates

September 6, 1993- First meeting with the community of Sainte-RitaAugust 17, 1994- Financial Assistance from the French Mission

January 17, 1995- Launching of the project by the Minister of the EnvironmentOctober 1, 1999- Transfer of garbage collection responsibility to the economic interest groupsAugust 13, 2000- Signing of contract with the city of Cotonou for garbage sorting andrecycling

14- Narrative

SITUATION BEFORE THE INITIATIVE BEGAN

ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIORITIES

Early on, initiative leaders met with many groups including the mayor, neighborhood leaders,health-workers, and governmental advisors to discuss priorities of the enterprise.Participating in these discussions were many women from Sainte Rita who helped identifyand prioritize community problems.

The most obvious need was for a garbage collection system, and to convince the generalpopulation of its value. Other priorities of the initiative included patching roads with earthwhich had previously been filled with garbage, and reducing 30 dumpsites to five.

Discussions led to a signed contract between Pr.A.P.E. and community members which

defined the role of each party.

FORMULATION OF OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

Principal objectives consisted of ending inappropriate discarding of trash, puttingresponsibility for covering garbage collection costs on the population, elimination of garbageusing ecologically sound technology, promotion of employment for youth and women, and


15/19

15

organization of a local committee that would take responsibility for this project after fiveyears.

Approaches used to attain these objectives included training of strategic community groups,putting into place of sustainable mechanisms for waste management, and organization of

neighborhood committee for development. These objectives and strategies were elaboratedon with neighborhood representatives during the initial 15-month preparation period;technical aspects were further developed by Pr.A.P.E.

MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES

During the preparation of this project, GTZ-MEHU (Ministry of the Environment incollaboration with GTZ, a German NGO) informed Bethesda Health Center about specialfunds for development offered by France to ease the effects of the 1994 devaluation ofthe FCFA.

In seeking these funds, the directors of Bethesda Health Center presented the project tothe national committee for the approval of FSD (Fonds Special de Dveloppement). Theirpresentation resulted in a grant being given to the initiative for US$ 120,000. This grant,along with start-up funds from Bethesda, allowed the project to move forward. On-goingmobilization of funds is achieved by collecting fees from the participating population forthe collection of their garbage.

Human resources include women who have played an important role in decision-making fromthe formulation of objectives to the debut and follow-through of all aspects of Pr.A.P.E.Among the leaders of the initiative are thirteen female social workers/administrators, andsix women in top administrative positions who play important roles in ongoing planning and

decision-making in the project.

PROCESS

Before Pr.A.P.E. began, household and biomedical waste mixed with human excreta wasburied in yards around houses, dumped in the streets, gutters, the lagoon (where the watertable is approximately 2.5 meters), etc. These practices were due to the lack of organizedgarbage collection. Another problem was the absence of a local authority leader in theurban community. These problems were addressed through working with various groups ofpeople from the community, including women, youth, leaders from schools, markets, andreligious groups. The second problem was that of irregular payment for services rendered.

This was addressed by placing plaques on households for identification. If a household nolonger paid the subscription fees, the plaque was removed. A third problem faced byPr.A.P.E. was the disinterest of community members in garbage collection, however, throughinformative conversations and negotiations with various groups of people, a successfulcollaboration was established.

A problem encountered at the site for sorting recyclables was plastic waste which occupieda large area of space. However, a recently constructed recycling center now handles these


16/19

16

materials. Because the community is made up of many different neighborhoods, an inherentproblem is that agreements are not always easily reached. Thus, a committee which fairlyrepresents the whole population was chosen to aid in decision-making processes. Problemsthat remain to be addressed include accumulation of metal, batteries, and glass.

Pr.A.P.E. uses a participatory approach involving the local community in decision-makingprocesses. The initiative organizes seminars and training meetings to aid in the process oflocal development. At Pr.A.P.E.'s seminars, women consultants are often employed to giveinput on specific topics and to serve as teachers.

The credit grant initiative has resulted in training sessions on business management for 226women who have received credit from the community bank. Specific training sessions for 20women restaurant managers have also provided participants with a framework for success intheir entrepreneurial endeavors.

Through monthly community meetings, a strategic plan was developed which designated

responsibilities of each group. In addition to the development committee, a technicaladvisory committee is in charge of following the activities of the initiative in theirrespective communities. Both of these committees are composed entirely of communitymembers. Monthly meetings continue for evaluation of the project. The fees paid bysubscribers have also enabled hiring a permanent secretary to follow-up on the activities ofthe collectors, problems of the community, and to aid in implementing decisions made at thecommunity meetings.

RESULTS ACHIEVED

Pr.A.P.E. is known throughout Benin today for its work in recycling of waste. Pr.A.P.E.organizes women to help them in the collection of recyclable materials (bottles, plastics,etc.), which they are able to resell and earn up to US$ 12 per day per person. A foodpreparation business initiated by Pr.A.P.E. produces a daily income of US$ 40 for eachwoman involved.

Measurable results include:

After 5 years, 80% of the population of Sainte Rita subscribes to the garbagecollection system.

After 5 years there is a 95 % fee recovery rate. The door-to-door garbage collection system using non-polluting, local technology is

100% self-financing. Over 200 permanent jobs have been created (of which 85 belong to women). A community bank with a net worth of approximately US$ 1,400,000 is in operation.

Other important results include:


17/19

17

Recycling of plastic and paper materials is in place using an electrical grindingmachine and agglomerator to refrain from the production of unnecessary gases.

The city of Cotonou takes responsibility for transportation of waste to the finaldestination sites, which are in compliance with environmental standards.

Cooperation of the local population to sort recyclable and non-recyclable materials

has been accomplished. Beninese Center for Sustainable Development selected Pr.A.P.E. to participate in a

program with them to fight air pollution in Cotonou. The Ministry of theEnvironment also selected Pr.A.P.E. as a role model for others in the area ofreducing toxins, including those produced by the exhaust fumes of vehicles.

SUSTAINABILITY

Pr.A.P.E. developed in 1995 on a very small scale, and has since become a structure ofsupport and assistance to cities, governmental ministries, other NGOs, and acts as anagency for community development. The initiative is sustainable because not only it is

entirely self-financing which allows for some resources to be used in other aspects ofdevelopment. The combination of community and city resources ensures that the initiativeneed never go out of existence for lack of funds. Pr.A.P.E. is available to all communitymembers at every economic level. A current base fee of US$ 1.40 is charged per month forthe collection of waste, but depending on the amount and type of waste, other subscriberspay amounts of US$ 2.10, 4.20, and 7.00. Employing youth, and both men and women ofvarious ages ensures a sustainable work force for the initiative.

This endeavor is also sustainable due to its success at educating the population (theproducers of waste) about the importance of garbage collection for which the communitypays, and also by developing a technology for recycling plastic materials, cardboard boxes,

and used motor oil. The products (such as plastic granules) obtained from recycling permitfor consumption of less than half of the raw materials which would be used without thisinitiative. The briquettes which are produced from recycled paper and sawdust are also aprotection from deforestation. To date, around four tons of briquettes have been produced.At the final dumping site, the garbage is received on an impermeable platform which allowsfor the collection and biological treatment of run-off water using aquatic plants. Theisolation of batteries after sorting and composting is also a means of protecting the watertable. All of these activities contribute to the sustainability of the environment.

TRANSFERABILITY

Today Pr.A.P.E has become a program of reference in Cotonou and in neighboring countriesfor its successful experience in the collection of waste in the urban community. On average,the initiative receives ten interns per year who come from other NGOs working in wastemanagement, or are students at the end of their studies. We can cite NGOs such asProgramme Bnin Propre, Association de Volontaires Togolais pour le Dveloppement, andEquinox Ville Propre who have sent interns to Pr.A.P.E.


18/19

18

The principles from this initiative have been integrated into plans for the management ofwaste in other cities. For example, African Development Foundation, Dutch DevelopmentService, and Care International, requested that Pr.A.P.E. complete a study on how toproperly manage waste collection projects and how best to reduce the negative impacts insuch projects. To help others reproduce our experience, we give consultations on how to

avoid transporting waste an unreasonable distance and the importance of sorting andkeeping recyclable material near its source. We further advise that all precautions shouldbe taken to avoid the collection of mixed garbage; separation of waste must be done atthe source. Because of the success of our experience, parts of our program have beentransferred to other localities, an example of which is Kandi, a city in northern Bnin.

Some ideas generated through this initiative have now been transferred to legal regulations(presidential decrees) for the environmental management of waste in Bnin.

Pr.A.P.E. has prepared a written description of its history for the World EnvironmentReport (Rapport Mondial sur lEnvironnement), and in 2001 PNUD (Programme Nations Unis

de Dveloppement) identified Pr.A.P.E. as an encouraging leader in waste management.Pr.A.P.E.s programs have generated enthusiasm outside of the local community. sThisattention suggests that Pr.A.P.E.s initiatives warrant further exposure, and may offervaluable ideas to other communities.

REFERENCES:

Lancement Officiel du Rapport sur lEtat de la Population Mondiale 2001:Philippe Delanne. FPA/JNP-Lancement/1076. 31 Oct. 2001 FNUAP.

Environmental Improvements in Cotonou:

The Development Planning Unit. Implementing the Habitat Agenda in Search of UrbanSustainability. 2001. 129.

Crmonie de Remise de Prix du Concours du Quartier le Plus Propre de Cotonou:Vincent Francis Kpohihoun. Actualit Nationale. 27 Dec. 1999.

Les Ordures Mnagres Enfin Rcuprables:

Author. Jeune Afrique Economique. 3 June 1996. 216.

Lancement Officiel du Projet dAssainissement et de Protection de lEnvironnement

(Pr.A.P.E.):

Philippe NSeck. Notre Cadre de Vie. Bulletin dinformation trimestriel no. 4. MEHU. April1995. 18.


19/19

19

Cotonou, la ville daccueil du programme PrAPE

Cotonou, capitale conomique, est unedes villes les plus peuples du Bnin. Sapopulation qui crot un rythme effrn,est estime aujourdhui plus de 800 000habitants. Elle connat une pressiondmographique les fortes du pays. Celle-cise traduit par une kyrielle de problmesaussi bien sur lenvironnement que surlhomme. Au nombre de ceux-ci, on peutciter la pollution de sources diverses, letrafic urbain, le logement, la distribution etl'puration des eaux, la gestion desdchets, la nature mme du sol o lanappe aquifre affleure presque le sol, ltenduedes zones marcageuses qui fait plus de 30%des 7006 ha que constitue la surface totale de laville, etc...

Projet de gestion Urbaine

Dcentralise Composante C

ObjectifsL'ONG DCAM BETHESDA, assistante l'Agenced'Excution dans le cadre de la composante C, estcharge entre autres, de mobiliser les communautsconcernes dans les 5 quartiers des 3 villes, de lesaider s'organiser en Comits de Dveloppement deQuartiers et formuler leurs demandes sous laforme de Plans de Dveloppement de Quartierscomposs de plusieurs Projets de Quartier.

Activits

Ouverture et fonctionnement dantennes deDCAM dans chacun des quartiers du projet ;

Organisation et tenue rgulire de runions deconcertation dans chaque CU entre les CDQs,les SAICs et l'Ong DCAM pour la coordination et

le suivi des activits ; Organisation de Journes de Dialogue

Publiques (JDP) et mise en place des ComitsProvisoires (CP) ;

Mise en place des Comits deDveloppement de Quartier CDQs ;

Elaboration des plans de dveloppementdes quartiers PDQs ;

Organisation du ramassage des orduresmnagre ;

Ouvertures de lignes de crdit par leprogramme de micro finance de lONG DCAM ;

Mobilisation des partslocales .

Programme dEparge/Crdit Base

Communautaire (PEBCo)Objectifs

(i) Dvelopper une solidarit communautaire entreles populations dune mme localit travers lacollecte de lpargne pour le financement desinitiatives prives gnratrices de revenus. (ii)Aiderpar loctroi de crdits les communauts faire faceefficacement leurs problmes de sant, denutrition, dhygine du milieu ou dassainissement.

Activit

Trois volets de crdits sont retenus : Petit crdit : tranche 25.000 100.000 Fcfa

une chance de 7 mois au plus deremboursement ; Crdit moyen : tranche 100.000 500. 000 Fcfa

une chance de 14 mois au plus ; Crdit substantiel : tranche 500.000 5.000.000

Fcfa une chance de 24 mois au plus.

Zone encercle en rouge reprsente le territoirede Ste Rita au sein de la ville de Cotonou o leprogramme a t lanc. Cest galement danscette zone que se trouve le sige social de lONG.

case study benin

Documents