Enabling communities for socio-economic transformation (ECST) adopting people led development process in Nepal
The program began with a noble objective to improve the living condition of the urban poor communities in the year 2005. The program which was initiated ten year back in Dharan, Bharatpu, Birgunj and Ratnanagar is now being implemented in sixth phase in Sundar Haraicha,Kalaiya and Khairahani.
With the encouraging and effective participation of the community people and harmonious partnership with the local government for the development of the targeted urban poor communities, the program (seventh phase) with the title 'Enabling communities for Socio-economic Transformation adopting people led development process' is under implementation in Sundar Haraicha,Kalika and Jeetpursimara covering a total of 11390 individuals across 2302 households from 42 communities. Specifically, it includes 10 communities in Kalika with 613 households and 2972 people, 10 communities in Jeetpursimara with 678 households and 4061 individuals, and 22 communities in Sundar Haraicha with 1011 households and approximately 4,357 people, spanning 22 wards across three cities.
The overall goal of this phase of the project is;
The socio-economic life situation of the urban poor in Nepal has improved due to a better access to secured shelter and an improved infrastructure and livelihood and the people are able to prepare for crisis and catastrophes and react proactively.
The specific objectives of the projects are;
- Decision-making processes of the government agencies have been influenced to formulate local level policies and plans that support mitigating impacts of climate change in the poor and marginalised communities.
- The community groups (including men, women, youth, children and elderly people) are empowered along with the local leaders and government officials to take on an active role in resilience-building efforts.
- The housing and health situation of the community people is improved due to better access to public services and the communities are prepared to emergency situations like pandemics, epidemics, flooding, fires and earthquakes.
The project is implemented adopting People Led Development Process (PLDP) approach as Lumanti has always been working for the needy people in the community making them as the major part of the project. Understanding that the PLA is a process of self-realization and self-values in which community people are made realized their self-capacity building, decrease in dependency by building their capacity and then to aware about sustainable development, Lumanti is working in the community as a facilitator for their social and economic transformation by making them realized their needs and essentiality. Lumanti encourages and facilitates the community and other stakeholders to evolve the inner capacity of the people for making their own traditional occupation and business an effective one by enhancing and promoting conventional knowledge, processes and skills. Lumanti also facilitates the community and the people to tap the Resources of the local government and the line agencies and will mobilize it as per their need and demand.
The engagement of the community in the project activities is one of the major approaches of Lumanti to implement its project to ensure strong participation and ownership. Users committee, Child Groups/Clubs are formed for the management and implementation of activities and the users committee together with the communities are mobilized and efforts are made for the institutionalization of the community processes so they can take full responsibility of the project and could act to ensure sustainability of the project. Capacity strengthening, awareness and education of the community is one of the major part. Apart from training and orientations, various different activities are adopted to disseminate the knowledge on the subject matters like shelter rights, child rights, WASH, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and other right based issues in the community effectively. Activities include education sessions, cultural activities like street drama and cleanup campaign, mass awareness rally, art competition, health camps, wall paintings, visibility boards with key message etc. These activities are conducted in partnership with local CBOs specifically women cooperatives and youth groups/networks by strengthening their capacities.
The strategy to work with CBOs and Women Saving and Credit groups Cooperatives in all cities is being promoted. Under this concept, the capacity of the CBOs is gradually enhanced in delivering project activities which definitely support for the successful, effective and efficient implementation of the project works. On the whole, CBOs with support from Lumanti is supposed to establish coordination and linkages more strongly with the municipalities and the sector stakeholders at municipal level.
Apart from thses Lumanti is working in partnership with the municipality, and communities along with working in close coordination with other stakeholders such as TLO, political representatives, service providers, and district offices of sector agencies, civil societies etc. at the municipal and district level to address needs of the targeted poor and vulnerable communities within the municipality.
Lumanti has always made efforts to mobilize local contribution from beneficiaries as well as other stakeholders and partners including the municipality and other line agencies within the municipality and district to ensure ownership of the outputs and the process by the community.