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Nicaragua: Working with Communities to Improve Municipal Services (slideshow)

Published 03/11/2013 by Global Communities

Nicaragua: Working with Communities to Improve Municipal Services (slideshow)

Global Communities is working in Nicaragua through the USAID-funded Municipal Governance Program (MGP), to strengthen municipal governance and citizen involvement, empowering them and bettering their quality of life. By improving basic service delivery, MGP is helping local governments be more responsive to their citizens and develop citizen’s positive perception of their leadership. 
Through MGP, residents are learning how to participate in municipal planning, engaging their local governments and influencing the development of their own communities.
Some highlights of the Municipal Governance Program to date include:

10,602 rural residents have access to clean water through new water systems

146 Committees on Water and Sanitation (CAPS) strengthened, bringing access to water  to an equal number of communities

20 pre-investment water & sanitation studies underway, which could potentially benefit an additional 30,000 people in the future

89 officials trained in municipal  financial management, half of whom were women

5 days to 1hr – the amount of time reduced to generate financial statements in real time

2 to 1 ratio – $2 dollars obtained for every $1 dollar raised through strategic alliances

5 partner municipalities enhanced their ability to source new revenue

5,700 cattle brands digitally and legally registered in records of partner municipalities