In rural Zambia, parents are taking active roles in education reform by holding school leaders accountable, tracking budgets, and even constructing school buildings. Meanwhile, in Kenya, a Japanese road repair technique is not only fixing potholes but also launching businesses and turning unemployed youth into entrepreneurs.
Both countries face different challenges but share a common truth: community involvement leads to real change. Supported by the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) and the World Bank, these initiatives demonstrate that grassroots action combined with strategic investments can have lasting impacts.
In Zambia's remote districts, parents and community members are advocating for children's education by monitoring expenditures and reducing absenteeism. The Voice and Accountability: Community Empowerment for Improved Local Service Delivery project has trained over 84,000 citizens in social accountability tools like community scorecards and public expenditure tracking.
William Banda, Head Teacher at Tafera Dziko Primary School, noted improvements due to enhanced community engagement: “School facilities and resources have improved with the enhanced community engagement,” he said. “There are three toilets that were built through community participation, and we have more than 300 desks. As a school, we have benefited so much.”
The results of this engagement include increased school enrollment, reduced teen pregnancies, improved teacher accountability, stronger communication between parents and schools, and greater understanding of the importance of keeping children—especially girls—in school.
Beyond education, community ownership is fostering wider civic engagement and empowering women. In Kafunka, women from the social accountability committee formed a savings group to fund community initiatives. Communities have also constructed playgrounds and dormitories using their own resources.
In Meru, Kenya, poor road conditions have isolated communities from essential services. However, an ancient Japanese innovation called "Do-Nou" is changing this. Through the Improved Livelihood Opportunities and Accessibility for Underserved Urban Communities project by Japanese NGO Community Road Empowerment (CORE), residents are learning to reinforce roads using soil-packed bags.
The project has rehabilitated 26 kilometers of local access roads and improved access for over 63,000 people. Faith Karimi described the transformation: "This road up ahead used to be very bad,” she recalled. “We couldn’t even walk on it... But now you have built us a road."
The initiative has led to better access to markets and services for over 63% of residents. It has also spurred employment opportunities with new businesses along the roads.
The projects in Zambia and Kenya illustrate how citizen engagement can complement larger International Development Association (IDA) operations funded by the World Bank’s IDA fund for low-income countries.
In Kenya's Meru Bypass Project funded by IDA created a transport corridor while JSDF-supported initiatives improved local access roads connecting vulnerable communities to this network.
Similarly in Zambia JSDF-supported activities complement infrastructure investments made under the Zambia Education Enhancement Project ensuring transparency participation accountability resulting in improved learning outcomes
These experiences highlight that development done "with" rather than "for" communities is more effective resilient enduring
With support from JSDF World Bank these projects prove when grounded in community ownership inclusive participation development becomes more sustainable impactful