Our approach is part of the ongoing dialogue between various actors in the sustainable development environment. It interprets three distinct strands of academic and institutional thought as in essence part of the same larger integrated long-term approach to creating processes of change.

We learn from the World Bank’s community driven approach (although now used by various organizations around the world), broadly defined as an approach that gives control over planning decisions and resources to community groups. This approach operates on the principles of local empowerment, ownership, enhanced local capacity and administrative responsiveness. Connected to this is our work towards the formation of action groups and use of focus groups to provide spaces for this form of ownership and administrate autonomy to take shape.

LINKS:
http://www.unmc.edu/Community/ruralmeded/Community_driven_JRH.htm
http://www.ifad.org/evaluation/public_html/eksyst/doc/insight/pa/mli.htm
http://www.livelihoods.org/SLdefnSimilarApps.html
http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/english/agenda21chapter3.htm

We also believe in the value of Participatory Learning and Action as developed by Robert Chambers and the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK, Wagenigen University in Holland and the International Institute of Environment and Development. It believes in the inherent value of the full participation of people in the processes of learning about their needs and opportunities, and in the actions required to address them. Common themes in this approach include a process of group learning, analysis and interaction, the need for multiple perspectives, context specific interventions, and a process of dialogue and joint analysis. From PLA come the principles that local knowledge and community input is of major importance for the project cycle. Critically PLA sees the role of the outsider as a facilitator and as a networked working to connect local communities with organizations with technical expertise and funding.

LINKS:
http://www.ids.ac.uk/
http://www.eldis.org/
http://www.iied.org/
http://www.pnet.ids.ac.uk/prc/index.htm
http://portals.wi.wur.nl/ppme/?Participatory_Learning_and_Action
http://www.iac.wur.nl/UK/

Thirdly, we take from the Human Development Approach as espoused by United Nations Development Program. Critically for our foundation it highlights the importance of an integrative approach that increases the human capabilities of people, enlarging their choices and opportunities while also caring for the ecological environment as well. It is grounded in the idea that people have the right to enhance their livelihoods and opportunities. In this way Human development is a process of enhancing people’s choices but this enhancement must be for both present and future generations without sacrificing one for the other.

Links:
http://www.undp.org
http://www.unhchr.ch/development/approaches.html
http://www.kit.nl/smartsite.shtml?id=2037
http://www.undg.org/?P=221