(KENYA) In September I had a good week visiting with communities that are part of World Renew’s programs in Kenya. I used a lot of my time doing training about participatory tools that can be used to facilitate community development at the local level. The tools are sometimes used for baseline surveys to inform us as community development facilitators about where communities are at as we start working with them for transformation.

In September I had a good week visiting with communities that are part of World Renew’s programs in Kenya. I used a lot of my time doing training about participatory tools that can be used to facilitate community development at the local level. The tools are sometimes used for baseline surveys to inform us as community development facilitators about where communities are at as we start working with them for transformation.

…participants told the staff that they “do not need development from outside because development from outside the community brings conflict.”

In one community that we visited with some of our partner staff, participants told the staff that they “do not need development from outside because development from outside the community brings conflict.”

This was shocking news to the staff that had received funds to facilitate development in the area from another international organization. The staff did not know what to do since their funding proposals were accepted and the NGO that donated funds expected progress reports. This was tough for the staff. World Renew was entering this situation with the community participatory process that as an organization we have valued for many years. It is a slow process but for sure, it is the way to go about community transformation and development.

It was good to listen to the story from the partner staff, but at the same time, both sides were expecting World Renew to resolve the conflict through good community process, and also train the partner staff in community participatory methodologies.

Who are we and what do we have to enable us to build what we want to achieve together?

The training involved in-house and practical sessions in different communities that were four to five days in overall length. We spend two days in-house and three days in the communities. Facilitating community dialogue to help them identify their available resources is not an easy process. In most cases, communities have learned to expect handouts from outside organizations. It takes time to shift this mindset. Using different tools and training the partner staff to use them well was the key to facilitating transformation in this community that had refused external support.

Communities must come to understand their situation collectively. Each individual has their own way that he or she views their community. In most cases community members have no time to sit together as a community and reflect on their situation. As we sit down and ask reflective questions WITHOUT suggesting solutions, community members start talking and listening to each other. Creating such a forum is key to transformation.

Who are we and what do we have to enable us to build what we want to achieve together? This discovery process takes time, and one has to be prepared to listen when the community members start engaging with each other. Listening is what most people miss when they come with what they want to give! As a facilitator, it is good to go expecting nothing to come from a discussion. What is important is that the discussion is focused and issues are raised and identified.

The main work is not having the work done on time, BUT facilitating in a way that the community owns the process. This is what leads to community transformation: self- discovery that leads to unearthing the potential within the community for its own development.

After the facilitation, this community has welcomed the partner organization and the work has started, with lots of input from the community. At this time, the community is already organized into development committees that are ready to take on any project that is for the public good. Some of the community groups are keeping chickens, and the school children are busy with environmental projects like planting trees in their schoolyard.

Davis Omanyo

East Africa Team Leader
World Renew Uganda