COSMER-LAV (Community Based Strategies for Management of the Environment and Lake Victoria Resources

The Origin of Cosmer-Lav

COSMER LAV was mooted against a backdrop of unprecedented environmental development challenges, problems and issues from various fronts, which variably threaten Lake Victoria as an ecosystem. Such problems include but not limited to Poverty; Pollution and waste Water disposal; Degradation of water quality, Poor ecological sanitation and poor rain-water and well-water management systems; Poor land use management systems; Degradation of wetlands, Over exploitation of fisheries resources; Eutrophication resulting in increased algae bloom and subsequent spread of water hyacinth and other weeds and lack of adequate institutional and technical capacities.

COSMER-LAV phase I was implemented between 2005 and 2008 in collaboration with partner organizations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with financial support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It had the following components:

• Industrial waste management and pollution control
• Ecological sanitation
• Capacity building
• HIV/AIDS

OSIENALA'S ROLE

The above problems and challenges facing Lake Victoria basin are not any different from what they were a decade ago. However the role of OSIENALA has become even more critical now and will remain so in the coming years. As a result of new knowledge and strategies for addressing the problems, OSIENALA, through the COSMER-LAV programmer, intended to provide interventions that will assist in restoring the Lake Victoria environment and ensure sustainable utilization of its resources.

OSIENALA implemented some components of COSMER-LAV in collaboration with partner organizations that are legally registered and operating in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. OSIENALA, as the lead organization, coordinated all activities and shouldered the overall responsibilities (financial management, accountability, supervision and reporting).

The Programme

The overall objective of the programme was to reduce environmental degradation and promote sustainable management of resources by empowering people to effectively participate and assert their rights in all issues that affect them. COSMER-LAV intended to build the capacity of community-based organizations to be able to monitor pollution levels and implement both remedial and corrective measures in a wide range of issues among them Waste water disposal, Water quality, Land use management, Wetlands and Sustainable management of resources. Water is a vital human need and access to safe and clean water is vital for the survival and well being of human beings.

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