Why This Book, Why Now?
The worldwide governmental budget cuts of Official Development Assistance (ODA) make it more important than ever to foster self-sustaining local development systems led by the needs of the local communities and their lived experiences. The Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) is one of the key networks driving the shift the power agenda, and their new book offers pathways of locally-led solutions in a “post-ODA” world. The book consists of chapters written by over 30 community-led practitioners and scholars from all over the world. It is a practical guide into the ‘how’ of CLD.
Gunjan Veda, Global Secretary of MCLD, and Elene Cloete, CEO of Outreach International, explained that the initial idea of the book came from their research into what CLD is. In pursuit to create a space and legacy where people can read about CLD in practice, it became clear that CLD is best represented by showing how it works in practical case studies, centring the human change that these processes set in motion.
Key aspects of CLD
‘Community-Led Development is not a goal, but a continuous intentional journey’ – Gunjan Veda
CLD is about recognising that each of us brings special and unique knowledge and resources to transform our world. This transformation cannot happen when people are left out. Even though all CLD looks different depending on contextual situations, the book does distinguish nine key dimensions to CLD, also outlined in MCLD’s Participatory CLD Assessment Tool. It requires work to intentionally embody all nine interdependent dimensions when working with communities, and the book gives examples of how 13 organisations does so.
The nine dimensions of CLD:
- Participation, Inclusion and Voice: Asking questions around whose voices are heard and do they have a choice in the extent to which they are included.
- Local resources: Local resources should always be included, including the knowledge that already exists.
- Sustainability: This is not only a goal to work towards, but also a reason to do CLD.
- Exit strategy: When interventions are facilitated by external partners, a clear exit strategy should be in place.
- Accountability: Multi directional forces of accountability and shared responsibilities are a sustainable form of trust. Trust is a vital component of CLD.
- Responsiveness to context: CLD must always, and it is, responding to local context. The same intervention might look completely different in different contexts.
- Collaboration (including working with sub-national governments): Through collaboration is social capital not only the mechanism that drives collaboration, but also the result, product of collaboration. .
- Facilitation: Is a key process within CLD. How respectful is the facilitation process?
- Monitoring and evaluation practices: How much are these processes owned by the communities? Who is included?
Lived Experiences: Tools, Tips and Pitfalls
The goal of the book is to illustrate how Community-led Development works in practice, by giving examples from different contexts. Authors from 15 countries detailing their lived experiences with CLD, so readers can learn how CLD works and how to apply it. Below are some of the highlights presented by the co-contributors of the book.
Apoorva Oza (Agha Khan Foundation) talked about the necessity of joining in with the local communities’ festivities and to not take the burdens of the world on your shoulders.
“If you are not happy internally you cannot spread happiness.” – Apoorva Oza (Agha Khan Foundation
An important pitfall Apoorva highlighted is the community becoming too dependent on you, not only material but also emotional. When this happens, you are doing the community a disservice, so an exit strategy is essential.
Pascal Djohossou (MCLD Benin) focused mainly on the interconnectedness between the different organisations, as well as the need for co-creation, collaborating with volunteers, and building a resilient baseline. The ideas of the Tool and within the book have supported CLD Benin’s initiatives across all thematic areas across agriculture, nutrition, community engagement, and more.
“To transform the system, start with the heart.” – Pascal Djohossou (MCLD Benin)
When practicing Community-led development this also questions if there is a role for International NGOs in Community-Led Development. Nixon Ochatre ( Amani Initiative, Uganda) shares six steps INGOs can take to change their roles, highlighting that this requires a change from the traditional development model. These steps include moving away from top-down capacity-strengthening, to building capacity for local ownership, and emphasizing the necessity to leverage community resources. INGOs should also play a role in contributing to policy influence and collaborating with communities to ensure their voices are heard.
“The book is around leveraging using what you find in a community. We have this saying in our work, to use what you have to get what you want” – Nixon Ochatre (Amani Initiative)
Ida Yabo Kossou (ITISA) explained that the framework of the Participatory CLD Assessment Tool changed the way ITISA does their work to now have a stronger focus on the community. Through the nine dimensions, Ida found the tools to enhance the participation of community members in trainings.
“The communities need an immediate response to their realities.” – Ida Yabo Kossou (ITISA)
Future Pathways
“We have walked the road and are continuing to walk the road and want to invite people to join.” – Elene Cloete
CLD is a process, it requires trust and time. It starts with having conversations, opening the channel for communication between organisations. In every organisation, there are people open to CLD, open to having the conversation. Continue to engage and understand that you pick up the practical and core elements of what CLD is.
Did this spark your interest? Watch the recording for more in-depth insights from the authors.