By focusing on key basic services relevant for the urban poor, the Programme succeeded in bringing about pro-poor benefits and outcomes. In the pilot local authorities where PPP arrangements have been put in place, the services to be delivered under the new arrangements were often determined in close consultation with the local community. This demand-led approach substantially increased the positive impact on poor communities.
The poor benefited from access to better services, including waste collection and sanitation. Other benefits include increased access to employment opportunities and processes of empowerment through learning new skills, gaining confidence and trust, understanding how to deal with local authority officials and having the oversight role on services provided.
A more indirect, yet critical given the overall objectives of the Programme, benefit for the poor derived from their increased understanding of how to transform an environmental problem into a business opportunity. This constitutes one of the foundational aspects of pro-poor PPPs for the urban environment and has characterized the implementation of a number of pilot projects at local level.