8 Features of Community-Led Development
There are thousands of organizations all around the world working to improve people’s lives: provide clean water, build schools and hospitals, promote human rights, support agriculture, eradicate poverty, combat climate change; the list goes on. And although it sounds natural to include the voices of the people whose lives are purportedly being improved, that’s not always the case. OneVillage Partners and many other grassroots organizations have noticed the lack of inclusive planning in global aid and development and have chosen to take part in what’s called community-led development. But what is it, you ask? We’ve compiled a handy list of characteristics, inspired by our own Theory of Change and the Movement for Community-Led Development.
1. Participation and inclusive leadership
First things first, you must have participation from the community members you are working with! In OneVillage Partners’ Community Action program, we start by holding community meetings, where everyone is invited, and all are encouraged to vote on their priorities as a community.
2. Social cohesion and collective planning
It’s also important to foster an environment where ALL community members can work together to achieve their development goals, not just the traditional authority figures. When all voices are heard in the project planning process, including those who are traditionally marginalized, the better the planning will be.
3. Emphasis on gender equity
It is an unfortunate reality that around the world, men are often the default decision-makers and leaders. We know that when that default starts to come undone and more women are given the opportunity to lead, voice their opinions, and make decisions in their communities and homes, everyone benefits. At OneVillage Partners, we intentionally include women in all programming and work with communities to elevate women’s voices and power.
4. Asset appreciation
Local knowledge and expertise are bountiful, but it’s often overlooked or assumed to not exist. When OneVillage Partners begins a partnership with a new community, we don’t jump to the problems or the needs right away. First, we work with community members to identity their strengths and opportunities.
5. Capacity strengthening
Nobody and no community is perfect! We identify gaps in technical expertise and work with local partners to fill those gaps, so when projects such as water wells or solar-powered agricultural machines need maintenance, the capacity is already in the community to address them.
6. Sustainability
Which brings us to our next point…sustainability! While many organizations have very good intentions, they lack an emphasis on sustainability. They build projects without input from the community or training for individuals, and when they leave and the facility invariably needs fixing, it is often left to deteriorate. We focus on the opposite. All of our partners include maintenance trainings in their project plans, so that they are able to maintain and sustain projects well after completion.
7. Transparency
An often overlooked, but highly important characteristic of community-led development is transparency. Not only is it important to get input from community members on the planning, but it is equally important to share the results of the project with the community. While more time sensitive, this practice strengthens capacity of community members and makes it more likely that the project will last longer. See how this is all coming together?
8. Partnership
And lastly, it all comes down to partnership. Partnership means building relationships with communities you’re working with. It means building trust and transparency. It means there is no hierarchy between those who work for the organization and those who are benefitting from the organization. It means working together, side by side.
Be a partner and join us in promoting community-led development today: connect with us on social media or make a donation.