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International Symposium on Community Governance Practices (ISCGP)
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International Symposium on Community Governance Practices (ISCGP) Theme of the project:The efficiency of the LEaD model to demand and acquire resources and services from the state and other non-state actors - whether the model play an integral role in addressing the real needs of the rural community. Research Study on Mobilizing Resources and Services for Sustainable Community Development: LEaD Participatory Poverty Reduction Experience in Sri Lanka Researchers Rev. Prof. W. Wimalaratana Dr.(Mrs.) DhammikaWithanage Dr. T. A. Dharmaratne
Background • One of the main economic issues in developing countries is poverty. • Mobilizing resources and services contribute immensely in effective poverty reduction. • Poor community members are not involved with mobilizing resources and services for many instances. • Poor and under privileged group members are marginalized further as a result of that.
Table: 01: Poverty in Sri Lanka Source: Dept of Census and Statistics
Poverty reduction strategies implemented since the political independence of Sri Lanka has mostly followed the top down approach. • Some common weaknesses of these strategies: • Poor community participation • Lack of public officials’ commitment • Resources & services allocated without considering the real needs of the community • Resources & services unequally distributed • Lack oftargets, weak follow up, mismanagement, waste etc.
2. CARE and LEaD in Sri Lanka: • CARE has been in Sri Lanka since 1956 as a leading development agency focusing on maternity and child health care in those early days. • Now its activities are expanded into community development and good governance to remove the root causes of poverty and related issues. • Local efforts for Empowerment and Development (LEaD), a new initiative of CARE for empowerment of marginalized communities, started in 2006.
LEaD project has been involved with 17,000 households of 170 villages in Hambantota and Moneragala districts to empower marginalized groups thorough; • Creating better socioeconomic conditions • Protecting environment • Promoting good governance practices LEaD has successfully tested its own model to achieve these goals in the past 06 years or so.
District Level Advisory Committee District Secretary Divisional Monitoring Committee Divisional Secretary LEaD INTERVENTION THROUGH - PO – FC – TL - PD Rural Coordination Committee (RCC) (GN Division DevelopmentPlan) Services Providers Public sector: Grama Niladhari, Agricultural Instructor, Agricultural Research and Production Assistant, Family Health officer and Samurdhi officer Private sector: Corporate sector, financial institutions, other business enterprises Village Operating Unit (VOU) Village Development Plan (VDP) CBOs Elders Conducting Participatory Rural Appraisal Non-CBO members Youths POP Figure 01 LEaD Model
3. Objectives of the Study 3.1 Main objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of mobilizing resources and services for sustainable community development in rural Sri Lanka under the LEaD Project paying special attention to Hambantota district. 3.2 Specific Objectives: To identify and evaluate the mechanism employed by the LEaDmodel to demand and acquire public and private resources and services. To assess the effectiveness of this model in promoting the sustainable community development. To identify the strategies to improve the efficiency of LEaDmodel further as mechanism for sustainable community development.
4. Data Collection Method • Secondary data: Published and unpublished information of the LEaD project. Other supplementary information from alternative sources such as DCS. • Primary data: Focus group discussion was applied to collect information from community members based on a general questionnaire. • Questionnaire survey to collect information from public officials and private sector players.
Photo 01 Researchers and section of community members participated in a FGD
Field observations as a supplementary source. • Hambantota Districts selected due to its vast coverage and long implanting time period • Stratified random sampling method was applied to select 24 villages from Hambantota district for FGDs.
Scope of Resources and Services of LEaD Financial Resources Grants and loans (LEaD) Public funds Other sources Other Resources Lands and buildings Machineries and equipments Raw materials Animals and poultry Other sources Services Public services Private services
5. Highlights of the Resources and Services process • Participatory development approach has been employed to facilitate a process of development planning (VDP). • Community Driven Development (CDD) projects have been promoted • Community inclusiveness in decision making process was encouraged • Fair representation including highly marginalized groups was guaranteed.
Training and awareness programs on communication & negotiation skills, leadership, proposal writings, book keeping, entrepreneurial skills etc. • Linkages between grassroots level service providers(public officials and private sector), and community members were strengthened. • Initiatives were taken to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of this system. • Micro projects were introduced to empower marginalized communities, so that they can work individually and collectively.
6. LEaD Micro Projects Table 02 Some of the Micro Projects of LEaD
6. LEaD Micro Projects Table 03 Funding for Micro Projects Source: LEaD Records
7. Key Findings • LEaD project has been able to established an inclusive structure at the community level for mobilizing resources and services. • The model has successfully created spaces for the voice of marginalized communities in acquisition resources and services. • The model has cultivated the culture of common ownership and responsibility of resources and services mobilization. • Grass toot level leaderships have been created to negotiate with resources and services providers. • Village development planning strategy has prioritized village development needs on consensual basis to mobilize resources and services.
The LEaD model has instrumental in enhancing community access to diverse services both in public and private sectors. • Communities have proven their capability in implementing development projects successfully utilizing acquired resources prudently. • Community cooperation is high in identifying and implanting Infrastructural needs such as roads, bridges, water projects, sanitary facilities, irrigation tank rehabilitation, digging agricultural wells. • VOUs have played a significant role in providing livelihood supports for the village communities.
Emergence of new village leaderships are visible in acquisition and utilization of resources and services. • Improved relationships between community leaders and the rural functionaries in mobilizing resources and services. • RCCs have created a platform for healthy interactions between rural leaders and public agencies such as Coconut Development Board, National Housing Development Authority, Mahaweli Authority, Road Development Authority, etc in mobilizing resources and services.
Resources and services mobilization for the GND level development projects have been more systematized. • The involvement of VOU and RCC have lead to build the Sewapiyasa (Service Cabin) with low cost but in high quality. • The model has been instrumental in establishing seed capital at rural level which has facilitated for marginalized groups’ access to credits. • Community members assets and income have gone up and poverty has gone down.
With the introduction of LEaD model, the mode of delivery of services have been changed. The traditional supply driven services have been changed to demand driven services. • The LEaD model has influenced for the fair and equitable distribution of services and resources within communities / GNDs. • The VOU and RCC process has paved the way for the community leaders to participate in decisional forums even at divisional and district level. • Community has been empowered to survive without external support.
8. Suggestions to Improve the Model Legal empowerment of LEaD model at grass root level and Institutionalizing the VOUs/ RCCs Layer One: GND Representation of the Community Electing community representatives to RCC democratically on non political basis. Determine the process to be adopted in electing representatives to RCCs from VOUs. Number of representatives shall be decided by number of villages and size of population. Chairman and other positions of the RCC shall be elected by the representatives of RCC on rotating basis. They are responsible to VOU and the community .
Layer Two: DSD Level Representation of the Community One administrative body shall be created by combining PradeshiyaSabha and DS division secretariat to create Divisional Development Council (DsDC) RCC shall be represented at DsDC by its chairman All RCC chairmen at DsDC shall select 5 members to represent them at District level on rotating basis.
Layer Three: District level representation of the community All RCC chairmen at DsDC shall select 5 members to represent them at District level on rotating basis. DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (DDC) shall be formed by combining district level administration and selected community members from DsDCs. Layer Four: Provincial level representation of the rural community Three community members from each District shall represent Provincial Development Council (PDC) on rotating basis.
