Community Development, Diversification & Training
Relevant Projects: Women in Business
Community Development Boards have been established in Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes. 29 Community-based groups (CBOs) have been setup under the supervision of CECAD to manage community development programs. These groups have successfully implemented number of projects to aid development in the areas where they live and helped to improve the local people’s livelihood. They focus on diversifying into areas, such as beekeeping, mushroom cultivation and animal husbandry.
In 2006 we facilitated establishment of the Women’ Saving and Credit group that gathered 519 women in Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes, Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province. The main objective of this group is to empower women from Muong minority, improve their status and fight discrimination against them (limited working opportunities, restriction of freedom of movement and lack of respect). In the groups, they can share knowledge and support each other, which make long-term development more likely to take place.
All poor households who participated in the ICCO funded projects on Livelihood Improvements and Capacity Building for the poor funded are no longer considered to be in poverty. Local communities of Tan Lac district got an opportunity to diversify their activities and use of alternative means of income, such as tourism and mushroom cultivation. Households received training on how to overcome problems such as drought, pests and diseases and therefore secured their incomes. Employment has been created for the poor, thus contributing to poverty alleviation in the region.
CECAD implemented a number of projects to empower local communities through giving them opportunity to assess funding themselves and to increase their interest in the developmental projects. People in Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi communes have received training in how to write proposals during the ICCO funded project, and have sent requests for funding to the Board of Community development and CECAD. In the future, they are planning to submit the documents to the District People’s Committee and other donors to obtain funding. After the project, local people showed interest in accessing capital, new farming technology and processes and preventative measures against disease and seek for further consultations.