BLOG POST 6: SHOCKS AND STRESSES AFFECTING INSTITUTIONS IN THARAKA

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BLOG POST 6:   SHOCKS AND STRESSES AFFECTING INSTITUTIONS IN THARAKA

 

This blog post is an extension of blog post 4, which identifies and describes common shocks and stresses in Tharaka. The blog post identifies shocks and stresses that specifically affect or are associated with institutions. As such, this blog post focuses on what can be described as “organizational resilience dimension”.

The available data reveal limited information on shocks and stresses among institutions in Tharaka. There is generally limited appreciation, both in literature and in day-day discourse in Tharaka regarding this issue, despite its importance and connection to community system resilience. The general perception is that shocks and stresses affect mainly the local households and communities, who then become recipients of assistance from organizations and institutions. The latter are assumed either resilient or immune to common shocks and stresses experienced in Tharaka. Key informant interviews so far held with representatives of organizations and institutions in Tharaka do not provide a robust direct connection between the common shocks and stresses in Tharaka with their own capacities to provide services or general well-being. There is a tendency to see organizations and institutions as entities that are outside the local community system.

However, there seem to be several shocks and stress that affect institutions. These are largely related to the governance, and service provision dimensions of resilience described in Blog Post 3. The main ones are follows:

·            Lack of funds to implement planned projects. This happens due to budgetary cuts by national treasury or late disbursement of funds.
·            Lack of materials and resources required to offer services. e.g. veterinary services lacking vaccines, lack of transport (vehicles, vaccines, bicycles, etc)
·            Corruption and impunity: This is life within institutions, which undermines efficient and effective service delivery.
·            Politics: Some institutions complaining interference with their work by local politicians. This hampers their ability to provide services in a free and objective manner.
·            Understaffing and transfers of key staff
·            Government policies and orders from above, which undermine planned programmes
·            Huge demand for services and assistance y local communities; over dependency on them by local communities; local people seeking short term benefits
·            Community expectations and cooperation. Where dependency syndrome is high, they tend to offer support/cooperation for short-term gains and less on long-term projects.
·            Un-genuine love by Tharaka towards NGOs and government officials.

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