Empowerment and community salience in multi-party collaboration: empirical lessons for development planning

Despite the plethora of works on empowerment, questions remain regarding when and how empowerment impacts a community group’s salience in multi-party collaboration. This article uses an Australian context to examine the relationship between empowerment and salience in local development partnerships. In doing this, it uses bivariate, multinomial logistics and thematic analyses to build an empirical case that empowerment is one driver of change in salience status. Study findings show that stakeholder salience is significantly influenced by accountability and capacity building, which help to build meaningful development collaborations. The article concludes with critical development implications.     

Participatory visual research with subsistence farmers in Papua New Guinea

This article discusses the trial of visual research methods in a socio-economic research and development project with women subsistence farmers and their families in two regions of Papua New Guinea (PNG). It reports on the benefits and challenges of three visual research methods (drawing, participatory photography, and picture elicitation) to explore the agricultural practice of women subsistence farmers and their families. The paper discusses the potential of these methods for enhancing community engagement, reducing the power imbalance between researchers and participants, and promoting dialogue and reflection to better understand the needs and practices of subsistence farmers.     

Building the capacity builders: lessons from a multi-country training programme for local consultants

Local consultants are an implicit, but overlooked, part of many capacity development strategies. It takes a trustworthy consultant to facilitate genuine change in a civil society organisation. This practical note identifies the learning from a local consultant formation programme (“Consultants for Change” – C4C) implemented in five countries in 2016–17. The note highlights six factors critical to C4C’s apparent success: recruitment; focus of the learning; design of the process; assignments between modules; mentoring support; and the human/financial resources. These same factors may be relevant and applicable to other capacity development programmes.     

Learning from a leprosy project in Indonesia: making mindsets explicit for stigma reduction

International attention for disability recognises that it plays an important role in persistent poverty. Leprosy can cause preventable disability. Stigma associated with leprosy often has greater implications for people affected than physical impairments. The Stigma Assessment and Reduction of Impact (SARI) project in Indonesia employs an action research methodology to develop stigma reduction interventions. By exploring the different mindsets of the stakeholders in the reconnaissance phase of the project, the project identified differences in aspirations, attitudes to research, and conflicting intrinsic models of disability. The differences in mindsets are not symptoms of failure but, rather, should be actively sought out.     

Developing participatory communication: a case study using semi-structured interviews in Samoa

Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI) was founded as an indigenous development agency in the Samoan village economy. The study described here utilises a participatory appraisal methodology to effectively articulate participants' perspectives on the programmes of WIBDI to provide ongoing input into project decision making. Increased income from increased sales resulted in being better able to pay for school fees, care for the elderly, the construction of infrastructure, and payment for utilities. In general becoming a producer for WIBDI resulted in increased certainty and confidence about the future for individuals and their families, and there were some indications of benefits for the village communities they live in.

Développement de la communication participative : une étude de cas utilisant des entretiens semi-structurés à Samoa

Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI) a été fondée comme organisme de développement autochtone dans l’économie villageoise de Samoa. L’étude décrite ici a recours à une méthodologie d’évaluation participative pour formuler efficacement les points de vue des participants sur les programmes de WIBDI en vue de contribuer de manière constante à la prise de décisions sur les projets. L'augmentation des revenus découlant des ventes accrues a engendré une meilleure capacité à payer les frais de scolarité, les soins aux personnes âgées, la construction d'infrastructures et le financement des services publics. En général, en devenant des producteurs pour WIBDI, les participants et leur famille jouissaient d'une certitude et d'une confiance accrues en ce qui concerne l'avenir, et certaines données recueillies indiquaient des avantages pour les communautés villageoises au sein desquelles ils vivent.

El desarrollo de la comunicación participativa: un estudio de caso usando entrevistas semiestructuradas en Samoa

Women in Business Development Incorporated (wibdi) se fundó como una agencia de desarrollo indígena centrada en la economía de aldea de Samoa. El estudio aquí descrito utilizó una metodología de valoración participativa que permitió articular con eficacia las opiniones de los participantes en torno a los programas de wibdi, con el fin de tener insumos constantes para la toma de decisiones sobre proyectos. Los mayores ingresos, resultantes del aumento de ventas, dieron pie al crecimiento de la capacidad para pagar colegiaturas, cuidar a los ancianos, construir infraestructura y pagar los servicios de agua, luz, etc. En general, el hecho de ser productor para wibdi implicó mayor certidumbre y más confianza en el futuro de los individuos y de sus familias, existiendo, además, algunos indicadores que dan cuenta de mayores beneficios para las comunidades en las que residen estas personas.

Desenvolvendo comunicação participativa: um estudo de caso utilizando entrevistas semi-estruturadas em Samoa

A organização “Women in Business Development Incorporated (WIBDI)” foi fundada como uma agência de desenvolvimento indígena na economia do vilarejo de Samoa. O estudo descrito aqui utiliza uma metodologia de avaliação participativa para identificar efetivamente as perspectivas dos participantes sobre os programas da WIBDI e, assim, fornecer continuamente contribuições para as tomadas de decisões. Uma renda mais elevada decorrente do aumento das vendas resultou em uma maior capacidade de pagar as taxas escolares, cuidados com os mais idosos, a construção de infraestrutura e pagamento para utilidades. Em geral, tornar-se um produtor para a WIBDI resultou em uma maior certeza e confiança quanto ao futuro para os indivíduos e suas famílias, e houve algumas indicações de benefícios para as comunidades do vilarejo nas quais elas vivem.     

Community assessment of NGO housing delivery: lessons from Port Vila,Vanuatu

This article reports on a 2016 field-based multiple case study of three communities in peri-urban Port Vila, Vanuatu. It offers robust empirical evidence that participatory planning, partnerships, and programme evaluation, as espoused in the literature from the last two decades and readdressed in Habitat III Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, is not regularly occurring in aid-based housing programmes. The study identifies that in sacrificing consultation – community cohesion, capacity building, resiliency, and innovation, are also sacrificed. This research differs from peer literature by employing an inductive and underutilised methodology, storytelling, and by focusing on an at-risk country which receives little academic, NGO, or development attention.     

Expensive English: an accessible language approach for Papua New Guinea agricultural development

Language used in capacity development programmes is usually that of the donor country, often English. However, research shows that the language used can be detrimental to the success of the programme. Little attention has been given to the issue of language, yet it is important that programme participants fully understand the capacity development programme’s concepts to ensure that the programme achieves its full potential. This article explores an accessible language approach to a Papua New Guinea development programme. Arguments are based on an in-country research project designed to provide women and men with deeper understanding of gender equity.     

Practice-based insights in developing and implementing a sport-based programme for girls

Parivartan Plus is a structured sports mentoring programme for girls, implemented in a Mumbai slum where social expectations around gender-appropriate behaviour and good parenting restricts girls’ mobility and visibility in public spaces. This article presents practice-based learning from developing and implementing programme theory to empower girls in achieving changes in their everyday social interactions at home and beyond. Gender and social norms theory were combined with local practical wisdom to turn main implementation challenges into opportunities. The article reflects on the strategies that gave visibility to, and achieved community endorsement for, the erosion of restrictive gender norms while ensuring community safety.     

Informing the future of capacity building: lessons from an NGO partnership

Despite a recent surge in popularity, critical gaps remain in effectively building the capacity of organisations through global development projects. Two non-governmental organisations, FHI 360 and Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), established a partnership focused on strengthening CTPH's organisational capacity to conduct high quality monitoring and evaluation and to effectively advocate for integrated population, health, and environment work. To help inform the design and implementation of future capacity building programmes, the partners describe their lessons learnt as illustrated through the five key capacity building steps: stakeholder engagement and partnership formation; capacity needs assessment; capacity plan design; plan implementation; and evaluation.     

A conservation partnership for development? Marine conservation and indigenous empowerment at Mimiwhangata

In New Zealand indigenous participation is identified as a means to achieve effective environmental conservation and indigenous empowerment. This article suggests that within current frameworks the scope for meaningful authority and control to be devolved to indigenous communities is limited. The Mimiwhangata project demonstrates the importance of participatory processes in confronting policy shortcomings. Although the successful implementation of culture-centred conservation offers a conservation model both accommodating state-led goals and providing for indigenous cultural empowerment, structural change is required within conservation policy to achieve this outcome.     

Autonomy and policy independence in Africa: a review of NGO development challenges

Drawing on empirical data gathered from discussions with executive directors of NGOs in Ghana, this paper critically analyses the complex multi-tier relationships between NGOs and their donor partners and how these affect outcomes of their development projects in Ghana. The paper discusses how experiences with funding agencies inform crucial shifts in NGO programming for poverty alleviation. This paper argues that, given their (NGOs') peculiar positioning in development practice, a critical appraisal of power dynamics central to NGO operations (such as funding and ownership of development projects) is crucial to proposing new strategies of engagement with NGO activity in Africa.

Autonomie et indépendance sur le plan des politiques en Afrique : un bilan des défis de développement pour les ONG

Sur la base de données empiriques recueillies à partir de discussions avec des directeurs exécutifs d'ONG au Ghana, cet article analyse dans une optique critique les rapports complexes multi-niveaux entre les ONG et leurs partenaires bailleurs de fonds, et l'incidence qu'ils ont sur les résultats de leurs projets de développement au Ghana. Il traite de la manière dont les expériences avec des organismes donateurs façonnent des changements cruciaux dans la programmation des ONG en faveur de l'atténuation de la pauvreté. L'auteur soutient que, étant donné le positionnement particulier des ONG dans la pratique du développement, une évaluation critique de la dynamique de pouvoir centrale aux opérations des ONG (comme le financement et la propriété des projets de développement) est cruciale au moment de proposer de nouvelles stratégies en vue de la participation aux activités des ONG en Afrique.

Autonomía e independencia política en África: una revisión de los retos enfrentados por las ong en el desarrollo

Apoyándose en datos empíricos recabados a partir de diálogos sostenidos con los directores ejecutivos de ong en Ghana, el presente artículo analiza críticamente las relaciones complejas y de múltiples niveles que se establecen entre las ong y sus socios donantes. Del mismo modo, examina la manera en que dichas relaciones afectan los resultados obtenidos por sus proyectos de desarrollo en este país. Asimismo, el artículo revisa cómo las experiencias de las ong con las agencias de financiamiento, influyen en los cambios sustantivos detectados en los programas que han implementado para el alivio de la pobreza. El artículo sostiene que, dado el particular posicionamiento de las ong en la práctica del desarrollo, para proponer nuevas estrategias de involucramiento en las actividades que realizan en África, resulta crucial realizar una valoración crítica de las dinámicas del poder que se establecen en dichas actividades (por ejemplo, el financiamiento y el sentido de pertenencia de los proyectos de desarrollo).

Autonomia e independência de política na África: uma revisão dos desafios de desenvolvimento de ONGs

Baseando-se em dados empíricos coletados a partir de discussões com diretores executivos de ONGs de Gana, este artigo analisa de maneira crítica as relações complexas de vários níveis entre ONGs e seus parceiros doadores e como elas afetam os resultados de seus projetos de desenvolvimento em Gana. O artigo discute como as experiências com agências financiadoras influenciam mudanças cruciais em programas de ONGs para redução da pobreza. Este artigo argumenta que, tendo em vista o posicionamento peculiar (das ONGs) na prática de desenvolvimento, uma avaliação crítica da dinâmicas de poder central para operações de ONGs (tais como financiamento e posse de projetos de desenvolvimento) é crucial para se propor novas estratégias de engajamento com a atividade das ONGs na África.     

From ‘Christians doing development’ to ‘doing Christian development’: the changing role of religion in the international work of Tearfund

This article seeks to bring more nuance to recent discussions about the role of faith in religious development NGOs. It takes an in-depth look at Tearfund, a leading Evangelical development NGO, and explores the ways in which faith shapes its conceptualisation of development, its programme design, and its implementation strategy. The article traces the process through which Tearfund actively sought to bring faith into the centre of its development work, and argues that grappling with faith in this way can lead religious development NGOs to innovate new approaches to development that are at least somewhat outside of mainstream development thinking.     

Community collaboration in development work with young people: perspectives from Zambian communities

Despite its recognised importance, studies of collaboration within specific communities in the Global South are rare. This paper examines the purposes and processes of collaboration between organisations undertaking development work with young people in two communities in Lusaka, Zambia. Interviewees recognised the need for collaboration given the limitations of existing provision and the fragmented organisational context. Existing collaboration was commonly orientated towards information sharing and joint provision rather than broader coordinated planning. Building awareness and understanding across organisations were viewed as key processes in developing collaboration. To enhance collaboration between organisations, it is suggested that inclusive community forums be instigated.

Collaboration communautaire dans le cadre d'activités de développement parmi les jeunes : points de vue de communautés zambiennes

Malgré son importance reconnue, la collaboration au sein de certaines communautés dans l'hémisphère Sud n'a fait l'objet que de rares études. Cet article se penche sur les finalités et les processus de collaboration entre organisations qui entreprennent des activités de développement avec des jeunes dans deux communautés de Lusaka, en Zambie. Les personnes interrogées reconnaissaient la nécessité de collaborer étant donné les limites des services disponibles et le contexte organisationnel fragmenté. La collaboration existante était fréquemment axée sur le partage des informations et la prestation conjointe, plutôt que sur une planification coordonnée plus large. Le développement de la prise de conscience et de la compréhension entre les organisations était considéré comme un processus clé dans le développement de la collaboration. Pour améliorer la collaboration entre organisations, le lancement de forums communautaires est suggéré.

Colaboración comunitaria en el trabajo de desarrollo con jóvenes: perspectivas de comunidades zambianas

A pesar de la reconocida importancia del tema, la colaboración entre comunidades específicas del Sur ha sido poco estudiada. El presente artículo examina los propósitos y los procesos de colaboración que se establecen entre organizaciones que realizan trabajo de desarrollo entre jóvenes en dos comunidades de Lusaka, Zambia. Dadas las limitaciones de la provisión actual y el contexto organizativo fragmentado, las personas entrevistadas reconocieron la necesidad de colaborar entre sí. En general, se constata que la colaboración ya existente se orienta más a compartir información y a la provisión conjunta que a una planeación coordinada más amplia. Construir conciencia y comprensión entre organizaciones constituye un proceso clave para fomentar la colaboración. El artículo sostiene que la colaboración entre organizaciones puede mejorarse a través de la realización de foros comunitarios incluyentes.

Colaboração da comunidade no trabalho de desenvolvimento com jovens: perspectivas de comunidades zambianas

Apesar de sua reconhecida importância, estudos de colaboração dentro de comunidades específicas no Sul Global são raros. Este artigo examina os propósitos e processos de colaboração entre organizações que estão realizando trabalho de desenvolvimento com jovens em duas comunidades de Lusaka, na Zâmbia. Os entrevistados reconheceram a necessidade de colaboração tendo em vista as limitações da provisão atual e o contexto organizacional fragmentado. A colaboração existente era comumente voltada para o compartilhamento de informações e provisão conjunta em vez de um planejamento coordenado mais amplo. Promover a conscientização e a compreensão entre as organizações foi vistos como um processo-chave no desenvolvimento da colaboração. Para ampliar a colaboração entre as organizações, é recomendado que fóruns comunitários inclusivos sejam promovidos.     

Doing development differently: Rituals of hope and despair in an INGO

Through an anthropological lens, using examples from working in an international NGO, I explore how and why a group of development workers navigated the coercive practices of aid in ways that benefitted their partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Rather than seeking conspiracies to explain the gaps between development rhetoric and practices, I suggest that people both contest and collude with bureaucratic systems of rule. Youth Rights reformed various rituals and created different management practices internally, as well as maintaining its long-established solidarity approach with partners, but only managed to challenge the donors’ controls to a limited extent.     

Rethinking dependency and development between international and indigenous non-governmental organisations

This article presents a case study detailing how the Netherlands-based international NGO Terre Des Hommes (TDH) works with and impacts the indigenous Tanzanian NGO Umoja wa Maendeleo ya Bukwaya (UMABU) and the Bukwaya region that UMABU serves. The article illustrates how indigenous agency and autonomy are actualised within relationships where indigenous over-reliance and dependency are connected to Western aid organisations. The paper proposes that dependent relationships between Southern and Northern NGO partners can be negotiated by indigenous leaders in order to disseminate resources for development in indigenous communities to a greater extent than previously imagined by Western donor agencies.     

Network development for non-state health providers: African Christian health associations

ABSTRACT

Substantial effort has been put into forming and strengthening national networks of non-state, non-profit health providers in lower- to middle-income contexts. Christian health associations (national umbrella networks of faith-inspired health providers) were first established in the 1950s, and are currently present in an estimated 23 of the 54 countries in Africa. The establishment of CHAs was equally encouraged by faith-based health providers, governments, and external stakeholders. CHAs look different in each context, but perform similar roles: networking diverse institutions and facilities together into a loose system; and establishing a more cohesive sector to simplify and strengthen advocacy and engagement with the government.     

David and Goliath: dismantling inequalities within faith-based cross-sector partnerships

This article reports on a research project that explored the internal dynamics of a faith-based and cross-sector partnership when different levels of organisational resources and capacity exist. A case of a three-way partnership between a faith-based, a for-profit, and a non-profit organisation is analysed. Through participant observation, interviews, and an examination of secondary data using grounded theory and the constant comparison method of analysis, an assessment of how resources impacts partnership structure, agenda/goal setting, roles, and responsibilities are highlighted and framed to demonstrate the inequalities in partnership outcomes. Furthermore, a framework for how to infuse structural equality into these partnerships is discussed.     

Models of engagement between the state and the faith sector in sub-Saharan Africa – a systematic review

ABSTRACT

In sub-Saharan Africa many individuals rely on non-state health providers, and engagement between state and non-state providers is increasingly common. Little analytic work has been done on the varied models of engagement, resulting in a lack of clarity about the promises and challenges of public–private engagement (PPE) for health. Despite their prevalence, PPEs often fail. Faith-based health providers (FBHPs) form a significant proportion of the non-state health sector in sub-Saharan Africa, and the number of partnerships with FBHPs is increasing. Building on a prior systematic review project that developed a typology of organisational models for PPE for health, this article reports on a secondary analysis, highlighting PPE initiatives with FBHPs.     

Post-project evaluation of the sustainability of development project outcomes: a case study in eastern Indonesia

The extent to which project outcomes are sustained years after development projects have ended is not routinely investigated. This study assessed the long-term impacts of a fire management project in eastern Indonesia seven years after the funding ended. Post-project evaluation increased understanding of the factors determining sustainability of project outcomes and links to development impacts. The continuation of community fire management and agroforestry groups was linked to demonstration of benefits to farmers and multi-level engagement. Activities had ceased where ownership was disputed. Some long-term impacts were outside the original aims of the fire project, including district government agencies applying fire mapping skills to other development issues.     

At the root of participatory approaches: uncovering the role of accompaniment

This article examines the impact of a participatory development project in rural Uganda and offers explanations for the results obtained. Though successful in facilitating the creation of specific goods and services, the project did not fully realise its intended outcome: empowering local actors and generating lasting human development. These mixed results were the consequence of inconsistent dialogue and listening among the actors, often resulting in a lack of genuine accompaniment. In evaluating community engagement through the lens of accompaniment, the study considers the potential for participatory approaches to overcome often-asserted criticisms, namely the presence of dependency and elite capture.