Exploring the transformative potential of collaborative approaches in improving service delivery in Blantyre, Malawi

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.ENGLISH SUMMARY: The introduction of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) has prioritised the importance of collaboration, particularly between governments and non-governmental development organisations (NGO’s), in achieving these goals globally. Malawi relies heavily on donor aid, has high levels of poverty and lack of water and sanitation service delivery worsened by the effects of climate change, and by focusing on this country, this research explores how collaborative approaches help in alleviating poverty as well as improving water and sanitation delivery This paper explores how these collaborative approaches in meeting the goal of clean water and sanitation in Blantyre, Malawi and the transformative potential of engagement between smaller community groups, international NGOs as well as local government. By focusing on Blantyre, this paper explores the transformative potential of these collaborative approaches through a conceptual framework based on Marc Wolfram’s (2016) key components of transformational capacity and development. Additionally, data collected from existing stakeholders in Blantyre clearly shows the possibilities of creating climate resilience through transformative capacity framework by offering a new vocabulary to understand the process of urban sustainability transformations. It supports the systematic analysis of different dimensions of transformative capacity as a means to develop alternative forms of evaluation of projects and programmes that aim to achieve sustainability transformations in urban areas. If applied for evaluative or self-reflection purposes by a team of project actors, the framework could provide an opportunity to identify weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities to realise more effective transformative action for urban sustainability goals. In this way, this study contributes to a growing trend in literature around the way in which more qualitative types of outcomes from urban sustainability initiatives can be measured.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Verenigde Nasies (VN) se Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte plaas klem op samewerking om globale doelwitte te bereik. Samewerking het ’n gewilde konsep geword en is duidelik sigbaar in die vennootskappe tussen die regerings- en nie-regeringsontwikkelingsorganisasies. Hierdie studie ondersoek hierdie samewerkende benaderings se transformerende potensiaal. Die argumente in hierdie studie word illustreer met verwysing na gevalle van water- en sanitasiediensleweringsooreenkomste in Blantyre, Malawi. Hierdie samewerkingsooreenkomste poog om kleiner gemeenskapsgroepe te laat saamwerk met groot, internasionaal-befondse nie-regeringsorganisasies en die plaaslike regering. Die oogmerke van hierdie samewerkingsooreenkomste strook met verskeie teikens van die Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte, soos skoon water en sanitasie, ordentlike werk, en ekonomiese groei en voedselsekuriteit. Deur meer nouliks op Malawi te fokus, wat swaar steun op skenkerhulp, wat hoë vlakke van armoede het, en ’n gebrek aan water- en sanitasiedienslewering ervaar, wat vererger word deur klimaatveranderinge, is dit moontlik om die transformerende potensiaal van hierdie samewerkingsbenaderings ten einde armoede te verlig en spesifiek water- en sanitasiedienslewering te verbeter, te ondersoek. Ten einde die transformerende potensiaal van die samewerkingsbenaderings te ondersoek, gebruik hierdie navorsing komponente van Marc Wolfram (2016) se transformerende-kapasiteit-sistemiese-literatuuroorsig en -raamwerk om die prosesse van samewerking wat in Blantyre te voorskyn gekom het, te ontleed. Die bevindinge dui aan dat die meerderheid van die samewerkingsprosesse op dienslewering fokus. Die bevindinge dui ook aan dat Blantyre se plaaslike regering en burgerlike samelewingorganisasies dikwels saamwerk en dus memoranda van verstandhouding onderteken het vir gedeelde verantwoordelikheid vir die lewering van dienste soos water en sanitasie as gevolg van die feit dat die plaaslike regering nie oor die hulpbronne beskik om hierdie dienste te lewer nie. Die samewerking rondom dienslewering voldoen aan die meerderheid van die kriteria van die transformerende-kapasiteitraamwerk. Hierdie bewyse beklemtoon dat hierdie samewerkingsprosesse in terme van water en sanitasie inderdaad transformatiewe potensiaal inhou.Master