Identifying Community Needs

What is Community Service Learning?

Community Service Learning (CSL) is a CBC (KICD) component in which learners apply classroom knowledge to solve real problems in their communities. It builds citizenship, teamwork, leadership and problem solving. In Kenya, it connects with values such as utu (humanity) and harambee (pulling together).

What is a community?

A community is a group of people who live in the same place or share interests, for example a village, a school, a church or a market. Each community has people, resources and challenges.

What is a community need?

A need is a gap between what exists and what should exist for people's wellbeing. Examples: lack of clean water, poor sanitation, littered environment, unemployed youth, drug abuse and soil erosion.

Steps in the CSL cycle

1. Identify needs.
2. Plan the project.
3. Implement the plan.
4. Reflect on learning.
5. Report and evaluate results.

Methods of identifying needs

• Observation - walking around and noting problems.
• Questionnaires - written questions to many people.
• Interviews - one-on-one talks with elders, chiefs, teachers, health workers.
• Focus group discussions - small groups discussing issues.
• Document review - reading reports, minutes and county plans.
• Community mapping - drawing a map showing resources and problems.

Tips for gathering information

Seek permission from the local administration, be respectful, keep information confidential, and record accurate data.

Prioritising needs

Because resources are limited, rank needs using criteria:

• Number of people affected
• Urgency and severity
• Feasibility with available time, money and skills
• Community support
• Sustainability after the project ends

Worked example 1

A school in Kajiado finds three problems: lack of drinking water (affects all 400 learners), broken desks (50 learners) and no playground (all learners). Answer: Water ranks first because it affects everyone and is vital for health. A rainwater harvesting project is feasible with gutters and tanks.

Worked example 2

Writing a problem statement. "Many households in our village lack a safe waste disposal method, which causes disease and pollution." A clear statement names the problem, who is affected and the effect.

Try it

• Draw a simple map of your school area marking resources and problems.
• Design five questions for a community needs questionnaire.
• Rank three needs using the criteria above and justify your top choice.
• Interview an elder about a past community project and write a short report.