Local development and rural decentralization: the decentralized community of Diari is assuming full responsibility for its development.

The Rural Community for the Development of Diari (CRD) in the Foutah Djallon region of Guinea-Conakry was created on December 8th, 1992. This community is connected to Labe, the administrative center of Foutah Djallon. Diari is about thirty kilometers from the town center and access to the village is difficult because it is landlocked. The CRD community is formed by five different districts and had 13 400 inhabitants in 1998. The majority of the populations are Fulani and the Fulani tongue is the language in use in this community.

The Village Communities Support Program (PACV), funded by the World Bank is an important program that aims at improving access to basic infrastructures and services by the rural population. This project is aimed at helping decentralized communities to identify, to plan, to raise funds, to implement and to manage development actions in their areas.

From 1998 to 2002 Diari benefited from the PACV under the supervision of the Canadian Center of International Studies and Cooperation (CECI). The project was based on the following assumption: thanks to CRD, rural populations can play a central role in defining objectives and programs of action relating to them. Therefore, these objectives and programs must be identified, expressed and implemented by themselves in a participatory way in accordance with their needs and resources.

The strategy privileged by CECI was to "use participatory organization techniques based on the experience (practices) of participants (target-groups), and to focus on their capacities for systemic analysis (taking various factors into account) and for self-training (responsibility), while introducing new tools and practices (skills and expertise) allowing participants to appropriate the process of local development in a permanent way (sustainability)”. Cf. Capitalization Report on the experimental stage, CECI-Guinea, May 1999, p.20).

So, participation for local planning was the priority approach in Diari through the following steps discussed in details below: (I) participatory diagnosis; (II) Mapping a priority program of action; (III) implementation of the priority program of action.

I. Participatory and jointly devised diagnosis
The participatory diagnosis method rests on the following principles: a) Any community has the capacity to assume responsibility for their own development, to identify their problems, to analyze them and to infer potential solutions; b) For any intervention aiming at the community development to be efficient, it must necessarily call for active participation of the affected populations all along the intervention process; c) In order to encourage participation, it is necessary to maintain a dialogue within the community; d) Populations themselves have their local expertise to initiate dialogue and to organize frameworks for discussion and analysis.

In Diari, the participatory diagnosis happens in the following way: A dozen of people in the area called village facilitators are trained on participatory diagnosis and communication techniques so that they can support the approach in their district. In this way, they can assist the communities in identifying problems, analyzing them, finding out solutions and making a development plan for the district.

II. Working out a Community Development Plan (PDC) and a Priority Action Plan.
The inter-district evaluation session takes place at the CRD administrative center during highly-attended village assemblies. These assemblies are attended by local elected CRD and district representatives, by community leaders (the elderly and the leading citizens), by representatives of civil society organizations (associations of women and young people, economic interest groups, associations of nationals), by local administration (sub-prefects, prefects). Two village facilitators are appointed by every district to present on the district development plan, and the rationale for choosing their priority actions. The community assembly then discusses the consistency of local development plans, the selection criteria of district projects to be included in the short term priority action plan, and it establishes the order of priority of the infrastructures selected for the CRD short term action plan. Usually, the assembly considers the whole of separate district action plans as the CRD development plan. Some selection criteria are established for identifying priority actions among which we have: emergency level, cost, deadlines, number of people affected and level of villagers’ implication in the action.

III. Implementation of the priority program of action
All along the process, implementation calls for the responsibility of local actors. This responsibility is first expressed through a high level of local community participation in the management of the project. To this end, various local commissions were established to ensure equipment, administrative and financial management of projects. These commissions were formed by local elected representatives, civil servants and representatives of the civil society.

Besides, in order to appropriately fulfill their mandates, the members of the various commissions had some training sessions tailored according to their needs for them to develop some skills (reading and writing, decentralization techniques and management) and to learn some practices (opening bank accounts, invitation to tender, and signing employment contracts).

Finally, a local follow-up and assessment system was established. This allowed for controlling the different local commissions and to circulate information to the entire population of Diari.

The CRD of Diari joined PACV five years ago and here are their achievements: 18 classrooms, 3 health centers, 6 mosques, 1 administrative office, 2 improved wells, 1 soap production unit, 1 cultural center, 1 tourist site and 1 market. Besides, 150 people have been trained in decentralization and participatory activity organization techniques, 35 people in management and accounting techniques, 35 people in techniques for signing market agreements, 50 people in techniques of communal facilities maintenance, and about 250 people were taught in reading and writing skills, of whom the majority is women.

To these tangible achievements, it is necessary to add the impact achieved: greater capacity of local elected representatives in controlling mandates and activities, which means more effective grassroots’ representation, increased capacity for promotion and negotiation of local representatives with central government and with fund providers, and greater women‘s participation in the management of public affairs, etc.

For sure, people from Diari acquired knowledge, expertise and good manners that allowed them to be accountable for the control of their own sustainable development.

The association “Benemnoma” (Member of the Comite Burkinabe d’Economie Sociale et Solidaire), which in the mooré language means “it is a good thing to have people around us”, or in other words "union is strength", was created in 1985 in the city of Koudougou, the third most important town of the country.
Koudougou, a town of about 74 000 inhabitants, is located at 98 km from the capital city of Burkina. It is a city which is an ideal place for art-based, cultural and sport activities due to the particular youthfulness of its population (more than 50% are less than 15 years old).

In this town there is a high school drop-out rate; the school system is not adapted to the requirements of the labor market; there is a lack of vocational training in schools and parents are forsaking their children’s education due to poverty. It is in this context that “Benebnoma” decided to set up “the other school” in Koudougou in order to provide training, education, communication and cultural activities for young people who are excluded from the traditional school system. The objective is to help them become professionally independent.

In order to collect money to help achieve its objective for “the other school”, the association formed a band named “Saaba” (blacksmiths in mooré). The band which is made up of about 50 singers and dancers ranging from 15 to 30 years old goes on performing shows throughout Europe to raise funds for its objectives. The funds collected through this initiative supported the creation of “the other school” in 1992 and the establishment of a series of subsidiary activities. The “other school” is in fact a comprehensive activity center that operates with the help of about 400 people.

In the center, there are: (i) a school for specific professions, including ironworks mechanics and sewing, secretarial works, computing, photography, film shooting …(ii) a printing-office for printing documents from the center (iii) a day nursery in order to allow young women to devote their time to their activities (iv) a pharmacy where medicine is sold at moderate prices (v) a community radio that broadcasts messages of sensitization directed at young people and adults (on AIDS, genital mutilation, epidemics, farming…) with a popularity rate of more than 90%.

In conjunction with theses activities the Benemnoma association initiated a festival in 1996 named the “Atypical Nights of Koudougou” (NAK). This year (2003) will be the eighth edition of NAK. They receive artists from everywhere who put the specific talent of musicians, singers, dancers, and comedians to the service of culture with a mind on originality, diversity and solidarity. NAK is held every year, each time on the last week of November on a shopping street in Koudougou and goes on for four days. Since its creation, the fame of NAKS keeps increasing thanks to the national and international media involvement. The festival of 2002 received 500 artists from all over the world and more than 3 000 participants of whom 700 were foreigners. The entry tickets were sold at 1000 FCFA. Looking at the evolution of the financial participation of Benebnooma hints at the increasing interest it generates and the growth in the number of partners. In 1996, Benemnoma funded 50% of the budget required for NAK. To date, this contribution has gone down to 3% and the bulk of the budget is supplied by the city administration of Koudougou, the Ministry of Arts and Culture of Burkina, the Intergovernmental agency of French speaking countries (AIF), foreign embassies (France, Netherlands, China…), the French association of art-based actions (AFAA)…

Of course Benemnooma is facing self-financing problems for NAK activities and a lack of professionalism of some artists. However, the impact of their activities should not be ignored. Thanks to NAK many things have been achieved: (i) The economic development of the city of Koudougou in sectors such as the hotel business, catering and tourism development and encouraging economic actors to invest in the city; (ii) development activities in neighboring villages initiated by partners of NAK (iii) Twinning projects between Koudougou and other cities have been launched (iv) contracts between local artists and foreign producers (v) the creation of a national network of cultural operators (ROC) to watch over the rights of artists.

The experience of Bemennoma proves that it is possible to mobilize internal resources in a given community by means of cultural activities in order to support an indigenous and solidarity-based development.

No! Of course, you are not in a residential district with embassies and similar facilities, but in the Missira district of Bamako… People there have moved from marshy roads with nothing on and uncovered gutters to broader and paved streets bordered with trees and cleared of all household garbage. At the end of the street there is a flowery garden, a women training center and enthusiastic carpenters and masons busy laying the foundation of a new market.

The “Yeelen” association – “yeelen” means “light” in bambara language – (Member of the national Network for the promotion of the social solidarity economy (RENAPESS) in Mali) is a local structure that was set up in 1996 in one of the marginalized districts of Bamako, called Missira. Missira is a district at the center of the Malian capital city with roughly a thousand inhabitants. In a place where the population is not appropriately informed of the consequences of bad hygiene, demographic pressure and the degradation of the environment, the inhabitants of Missira challenged the lack of incentives resulting from the shortage in relevant means and methods, and the damage to ancient forms of solidarity, by taking the situation into their own hands and working to make Massiria an example of responsibility, creativity and solidarity.

It is in this framework that the association initiated the project " Le soi, le Voisin et le quartier (the self, the neighbors and the district) ". On the one hand, this project aims to create a social environment that encourages the participation of the district inhabitants in making decisions related to bad hygiene, health, social and cultural life… and on the other hand to effectively involve the population in activities aimed at improving their living conditions.

The following participative approach was adopted: (i) analysis of facts in the district and exploring a sustainable solution; (ii) dialog and local planning; (iii) implementation, follow-up and assessment; (iv) participative training according to identified needs; (v) mobilization and rigorous management of financial and material means; (vi) generating income by carrying out local professions.

As a result, the inhabitants of Missira, who are mainly young people, helped clear 500 cubic meters of garbage, pave 9 000 square meters of space, make 750 paving stones, cover up 15 gutters (each 940 meter long), plant 450 trees, and create1 800 square meters of parkland. In addition, other projects are under way such as the construction of a park, an organic market, a play area for children and a cybercafé for young people. These actions are already marked by some remarkable achievements: (i) a new type of neighborhood relationship between the inhabitants of the district; (ii) a considerable improvement in living conditions: inhabitants of the district are now benefiting from the absence of mud, dust and stagnant waters, from a decrease in mosquitoes and flies. Basically, they are benefiting from a healthier environment; (iii) restoration of good practices: sweeping courtyards and the proper management of garbage (iv) about one hundred young people are now able to earn sustainable incomes; (v) the outlook for being able to live with dignity in a healthier environment.

The “Yeelen” association was granted 217 millions CFA – which amounts to about 335 000 Euros – in financial support for the project by the Luxembourg cooperation.
The association works with the Center Hamadou Hampâté Bâ; which is a research center and whose role is to document approaches to local urban development and social innovations developed in the district.

Nowadays, the project “le soi, le voisin et le quartier” has raised the awareness of the district inhabitants about environment, as they are now actively involved in the decision making process. In short, this project has allowed the inhabitants of Missiria to create a higher level of self-esteem and concern for others in the spirit of solidarity.