Community Empowerment

For Rural Development

K.A.D.S Thilakarathna11/Ag/034

EG788

DimensionsIntroduction

Community Empowerment

Process

Community Empowerment

For Rural

Development

Advantages and

Disadvantages

Community Empowerment Projects in Sri

LankaConclusion

Introduction• Present World is consist of 46% of Rural population .

• Today Rural areas are facing major challenges

• Rural Development• Rural development may be defined as,

“ overall development of rural areas to improve the quality of life of rural people. It is an integrated process, which includes social, economical, political and spiritual development of the poorer sections of the society.

Introduction• What is a Community?

UNAIDS defines ``community'' as that a community is a group of people who have something in common and will act together in their common interest.

• Empowerment – Empowerment' refers to the process by which people gain control over the factors and decisions that shape their lives.

• Therefore,Community empowerment refers to the process of enabling communities to increase control over their lives.

New vision for Rural Development – Community Empowerment

• New vision Required for Rural development:A vision of prosperity through the empowerment of local communities.

• Top-down plans and donor-driven investment programs have proven less than successful.

•An empowered community is one which is:

1. Confident2. Inclusive3. Organized4. Co-operative5. Influential

Dimensions of Community Empowerment

Confident Inclusive Organized Co-operative Influential

How traditional approach to rural development different from community empowerment?

“New roof”Traditional / short cut approachYou contract with a builder, based on lowest cost, A community empowerment approach• Confident

You involve local people in discussions about the roof. • Inclusive

Involve the group working with.• Organized

You encourage people to work as a team and work to each other’s strengths.• Cooperative

– You encourage the group to look at projects elsewhere. How have other groups worked with contractors, what did they learn, who did they use and what happened?

• Influential– You encourage the group to make decisions and they do this within

known parameters

Community Empowerment ProcessDiscovery

Partnership

Self-Definition

Self-reputationResistance

Independent Alternative

Evaluation

Importance of Community Empowerment• Objective of community Empowerment is,

to strengthen the community’s capacity to identify problems and come up with the solutions, carry out action plans, as well as monitor the progress and make an appropriate

evaluation

Advantages of Community Empowerment

• Encourages active involvement through the participation of all members of the community.

• Community empowerment builds on local strengths, creativity and resource, and actively seeks to decrease dependency on, as a result sustainability is ensured.

• Equity in decision making processes, resources mobilization.• Enhanced motivation of the community.• Builds the capacity of the community by encouraging the acquisition of relevant

skills

Challenges in community empowerment:

• Less room allowed for community participation.• communities are often primarily motivated by their

strong sense of urgency about achieving their preset objectives and timeline.

• Incomplete participation or representation in decision making

• Resistance to change

Rural Development Projects for community empowerment in Sri Lanka

• Gemi Diriya• EMPOWERING WOMEN- Sahana Sri lanka• Fisheries Community Empowerment – 130mn – 21 Activities conducted

(2016 Budget)• Rural Agricultural Development• Village Uplifting Program - 2015 (Gama Neguma)• Road Development

Maga Neguma• Drug Prevention• Milk Production and Delivery • Rural Development and Poverty Reduction• Child Malnutrition Prevention

“Empowered rural community sustainably contributing to rural economy of the Eastern Province.”

World Bank Country Director Naoko Iishi inspects a water supply project(Gemidiriya project) in Perahettiya in Badulla.

Maga Neguma project Kegalle -Tholangamuwa Pananwatta

Ussana Irrigation scheme -Mathale

Conclusion

• Community empowerment practitioners firstly need to ensure that community members take ownership of the initiative.

• Secondly, creating strong links to outside resources and development partners as communities are not closed and self- sustaining systems.

• Thirdly, for a successful community participation requires a strong skilled local leadership

• Fourthly, optimal community leadership and optimal representation.

Reference

• http://dl.nsf.ac.lk– cited on 22.09.2007

• http://www.epi.org/downloads/docs – cited on 22.09.2007

• www.ceford.org.ug/index.php⁻ cited on 25.09.2007

• http://www.empower.coop⁻ cited on 25.09.2007

Thank you