Social Mobilization & Organization

HDPG is committed to work at the grass roots level and in this regard has succeeded in involving the local communities in the self-help initiatives for sustainable social and economic development. HDPG will have to form Community Based Organizations (CBOs) during the course of time. The process involves mobilization of the local community to form a group/organization that can best serve the interest of the community. These CBOs then needs further strengthening to be self sustaining in future.

Capacity Building of CBOs

Community self-reliance will also require skills training. At this stage it too early to identity specific training needs since this will be dependant on detailed programs with upgrading communities. However, it is envisaged that training will be required in the following fields over time:

• Health promotion and communication skills
• Group formation and development
• Action planning
• Financial planning and accounts
• Skills required for planning, management and execution of community programs.

Community Participation

HDPG intends to undertake large integrated rural development projects in NWF province through village based organizations of men and women, who are actively involved in identification, planning and implementation of the village level development activities. Throughout this program, HDPG aims to strengthen public-private partnership and encourage the burgeoning dialogue between communities, government and NGOs. Its focus on institutional development is intended to improve overall capacity and efficiency to encourage good government, i.e. transparency, accountability, checks and balance. In all its work HDPG strives to make a reality of the participatory approach in mobilizing communities. Projects will be planned in an informed way and community perceived needs and community knowledge will be given due consideration. These will create a sense of ownership and long term sustainability of the projects.

The success of any intervention depends on the efficient utilization of all the available resources and thus the maximum utilization of local resources is the key to cost effective and sustainable projects.

Self Sufficiency/ Breaking the Dependency Syndrome

HDPG strongly believes in community ownership of the programs, which in turn creates a sense of self-reliance and therefore, breaks the dependency syndrome. The concerned community will identify the projects, participate in planing, designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluation. Once they are given full participation, they will sustain it on their own resources.

HDPG will provide technical assistance to the community through their respective CBOs in planning, designing and implementation of the project. During the implementation phase of the project, the community, HDPG and donor agency will monitor the project activities. This approach will strengthen the CBOs and COs and will increase their sense of ownership, determination and commitment during the life cycle of the project. It will help in institutionalization of various program components and make them sustainable at the community level. From the very first day the project will be considered as the community project and HDPG will only spend time in managing the project and will strive for development of institutions and human resource development. This will help in creating and building the capacity of local activists and institutions to become more aware and self reliant in the future.

The approach is to hold community meetings before undertaking any project to fully involve the locals in the project activities and to sustain the project through he community efforts and resources. One of the objectives of this plan is to involve the community as a partner during the implementation of the project and after completion, as the sole owner of the project. This is a new approach and to succeed, it is imperative that NGO and GOs (governmental organizations) must recognize the CBOs as the real project implementers with supervision and technical support from the NGOs and GOs.