Community mobilisation by using local resources in cities

Community mobilization is to ready the community organisations for implementing SIF and SEF interventions by a single project personnel is possible? – Apparently, it seems a harder and tough task. But how can we make it possible to some extend in the city. The objective of this think piece is to thinking the potential ways how we can move forward to overcome the current challenges. At the same time, identify some possible ways that can help us to overcome those Challenges. The ideas of this think piece is to help the Town Manager of NUPRP to think critically regarding the current challenges and explore some ways to mobilise, reform and reactivation of existing CDCs in old and new cities by using the local resources.

We, all are knows that our DPP is not approved yet, there is no programme staffs except the Town Manager in the city, conflict and political polarization among the leaders of Federation and clusters. In some cases, CDCs members are dissatisfied to their leaders due to misapplication of savings & credit and Operation & Management fund. But, will we roll back ourselves to facing that challenges? Or we’ll find out alternative solutions to overcome those challenges. Because, we everybody knows that we are passing a critical and transitional time with the programme modalities from inception to implementation phase. Our donor is critically reviewing our performance and testing our strengths how far we are capable to implement such a big programme.

On the other hand, we will not get enough time to make the community organisations ready after approval of the DPP for this year. Meanwhile, we’ve conducted lot of planning activities in the cities which also creates some expectation among the beneficiaries, as well as key stakeholders. Other development actors who are our potential competitors are being more active in the city. Therefore, our active presence and continuous relationship with them is also important in this circumstances. To overcome this situation, what strengths we have? First of all, NUPRP and UNDP have a wider acceptance by all level stakeholders in our targeted cities. Secondly, we have organized & united community organisations of different level of capacity. And finally but not least, we have motivated and experienced community leaders and volunteers. We can easily maximizing these strengths for community mobilization purpose. Below are four key ideas to integrate into our strategies of community mobilization:

Building strong relationship with Mayor, councilors and officials of city corporations or municipalities

Generally, we knows that City Corporation and municipalities have limited financial and human resources. Although, we can mobilise some resources for community moblisation purposes, if we able to build strong relationship with the Mayor, councilors and officials, it requires effective communication skills and we believe we have it. Already, we have some experiences in Narayanganj City Corporation that they extended total resources for HHs survey. In Chandpur municipality, Mayor and councilors take lead role to conduct mass meeting into all the wards, where refreshment cost born by their own. Yes, the reality is not so easy to mobilise this resources from every cities, because it depends on the leadership of Mayor and political dynamics of that city. But, our believe is that if we can motivate the Mayor, councilors and key officials on this point that community readiness is prerequisite to implement SIF and SEF grants. At the same time, make them understand, if we wait until the approval of DPP for planning and mobilisation activities, then it’ll not be possible to delivery SIF and SEF grants by this year within short span of time.

Aside, Town Manager can also develop personal and professional rapport building with the councilors, because many of the councilors have strong influence in his/her own wards and personal ability to provide support for community mobilization activities. He/She can organise mass meeting, deploying volunteers, engaging community leaders and ward staffs for forming new Primary Groups (PGs) and Community Development Committee (CDCs) and reactivation process of old PGs & CDCs. Because, they have also commitment with the poor segment for supporting their wellbeing initiatives. All the leaders, especially councilors are fascinating in competition with other wards. We can take advantage of this assertive attitude from the councilors. For gaining this, we can target one positive and easy access councilor first, to provide support in community mobilisation activities i.e. mass meeting, CDCs meeting and cluster meeting in his respective Wards. Take some photographs of the events and share with his facebook or other social network with due permission in order to encourage him/her. I hope he’ll be happy enough to do more. This message might share with other councilors and do some praise for their support. So, that everyone can feel a competition to do the same thing into their respective wards. Please deal the hardest person at last.

Develop a city team to lead the mobilization process
In each city, a mobilization team might be formed from the participation of motivated, dedicated and trusted leaders from Federation, CHDF and clusters. And for the new city it is participation of Community Volunteers/Natural leaders, staffs from councilor’s office. SDO or Urban Planner of respective City Corporation and municipality will lead the team. Town Manager will conduct orientation for the team, how to do the mobilization activities into new community or with the existing Community Organisations. We have gathered very good experience in Chandpur Munacipality and really glad to see the performance of SDO, Mayor, Councilors and officials. Moreover, DNCC has already formed a team from the leaders of federation & clusters to support him in mobilization activities and planned to orient them sooner. This not only helps the process be more effective, but more sustainable too.

Promote horizontal learning/Peer learning approach at community level
In old cities of NUPRP, there are different categories of CDCs in terms of capacity, some are fully effective, some are moderately effective and some are weak/very weak. CDCs to CDCs learning visit can arrange in the following way: Weak and very weak CDCs can visit to fully effective or upper tier of moderately effective CDCs. Federation leaders and Clusters leaders can moderate the visit, while respective Town Manager can coordinate with the Federation, clusters and CDCs leaders to organise the community to community learning visit. Due to this learning visit, host CDCs will make them prepare to show their best results to the visiting CDCs. And visiting CDCs will learn from the host CDCs. It’ll be double benefit program and the situation is ‘Win-Win’. CDCs leaders can collect some token money from their members to bear the transport cost, if the visiting CDCs is far from the host CDC. Otherwise, this exchange programme can be arranged at nearest to an effective CDCs, which need not any cost.

Moreover, Town Manager can also identify some other good leaders from the effective/moderate CDCs and Clusters. An hour long discussion could hold with this selected leaders about their role and responsibility in reactivation process of their neighboring CDCs. At the same time, a reactivation plan for weak CDCs might develop by the sub team with the support of TM. Then, necessary follow up is needed over phone or physically with the assigned leaders.

Continuous motivation and encouragement for the leaders and volunteers
Community leaders, volunteers and councilors need strong motivation and encouragement in favor of their voluntary efforts. As the Programme will not provide any direct financial benefits to them, therefore good motivation and positive encouragement from the Town Manager which may boost up their mindset. Moreover, Town Manager might participate in some of the CDC to CDC learning exchange visit, mass meeting organised by respective councilors and meeting at federation, clusters and CDCs level. And make them understand that he/she is part of the process and always being with them. He/she should encourage all the leaders and councilors, officials of municipality/city Corporation for their good support and cooperation.

Conclusion:
In normal circumstances, programme staffs like CO and CF will take lead role to facilitate the community mobilisation activities with the support of respective municipality/city corporation and guidance of Town Manager. As, we didn’t deploy field staffs yet due to DPP is not approved, but we can explore the local resources as an alternative solution. Programme sustainability and ownership depends on effective engagement of the local government, community organisations and volunteers in planning and implementation process of designed activities. It’ll more effective and sustainable, if we believe it, practice it and engage them truly from the beginning of the programme action.