Child-Centered Community Development in Guinea
''Children are at the heart of everything we do''
Introduction - Forest Area of Guinea
After numerous consultations and visits to possible program area, Plan opened it program in Guinea in 1988 in what is called 'the Forest Area'. This was an area 700-1000 km from the capital city of Conakry. It was chosen because it was an isolated and neglected area of the country and because the local population showed that they wanted Plan to work with them. PlanGuinea also opted to keep the operations in the program area instead of a far off capital city.
CMPs
Over the years, PlanGuinea has developed a "community-managed project" (CMP) approach for project implementation. Many people are interested in this tool. But, the idea is much larger than just CMPs. It goes down to the roots of the program and how it treats partner families and communities. Thus, it is not just a CMP approach; rather, it is a "Community-Ownership of Plan" approach of which CMP is a component. It has been suggested that CMP should instead stand for "Community-Managed Program".
The program is therefore based on several simple notions:
· Transparency
· Partnership & Collegiality
· Community-ownership
What are some of the tools by which we promote the above?
Before Plan starts any sort of operation in a community, the community expresses its desire to work with Plan and a community agreement (Convention de Partenariat) is signed between the two parties. It is in this agreement that the Community promises to give a community animator to follow both animation and sponsorship work in that particular zone.
Formal, yearly policy meetings with community & government representatives, religious communities, NGO partners and Plan staff are held in each zone to find out what worked or didn't work and to revise how Plan will work in the forthcoming fiscal year. This « politique » is then distributed in 2500 copies. For example, the « politique » for FY2003 decided that communities should give 15% of a project's cost.
Plan allocates Annual Community-Assigned Budgets based on number of SCs. This encourages communities to think of Plan as a long-term dependable partner – and not to hurry human development. This budget assignment forms part of the "politique" document in No. 2 above- plus, it clearly shows all involved how much Plan has to work with in a given fiscal year, including operating costs.
All projects are approved throughout the year by a Community Advisory Council ("Comité pour Conseiller le Programme de Plan") which also helps Plan resolve problems that might emerge in communities or with authorities. The civil society members of this group represent the Catholic & Protestant churches, Islamic League, Council of Elders, local NGOs, and women's organizations. A Children's Advisory Council is planned.
All projects are community-driven and managed. People (men, women, children) decide their priorities through participative democratic method otherwise known as animation (MARP, GRAAP, other animations techniques). In FY02, projects were divided about half and half between "hardware" and "software". Communities write their own POs.
At the end of the FY, Plan and Communities conduct a series of "round-table evaluations" during which time all projects are discussed. Given the manner that projects can receive quick approval and fast attention from communities, PlanGuinea can absorb any amount of money per year which goes to nourish literally hundreds of projects, both big and small. The results of this round-table evaluation, and the end result of all Plan's finances are published and distributed in 2,500 copies. The numbers published also include community contribution and Plan's operational budget.
Throughout the year, transparency is the order of the day. This can be seen from the public redaction of POs (by the communities themselves), to known budgets, to the end-of-year financial wrap-up. A team of six "transparency agents" (internal auditors) help keep community management committees, Plan partners, and Plan itself on track.
As another measure of transparency, PlanGuinea's newsletter, "Partenariat" is printed monthly with 2500 copies to disseminate program information to communities and partners. The monthly newsletter is intended to publicize both program successes and failures to all actors.
Partnership organizations: PlanGuinea aims to strengthen existing institutions in the country, and help create institutions where none exist presently. To this end, Plan should always ask itself, "Why is Plan doing such-and-such?" PlanGuinea has helped found the following because nothing like them existed in Guinea:
· AACG (1990), GACOBO (1998) and ZALIAC (1998) - Animation NGOs
· Association of ATS (1994) - Health Workers NGO
· Franco-Arabic School Federation (1995) - coordinates work of dozens of schools
· Education Trust Fund (1995) - Fund to support children in school
· GPS (1994) - Business center for translation, typing
· WEST Engineering (1999) - local partner business employing engineers
· Government - Plan's Domain Advisors, especially, work with higher levels of Government in advocating certain activities (absorption of community teachers, Children's Rights radio campaign, eg) ; at local level, Plan has intimate contact with many levels of Government which is a necessary and vital partner (birth registration, Child-to-Child programs, eg).
What have we learned?
1. Never underestimate communities, families, and children... Listen to people.
2. Always ask, "Why is Plan doing this?"
3. Involve all sectors of a community in policy making - religious groups, adults, children, Government, NGOs, CBOs
4. Be transparent in everything - policy-making, budgeting, and dialogue.
5. Work in one distinct region of the country and saturate enrollment.
6. Fit Plan's program into the Community's agenda (not vice-versa).
7. Strive for continual improvement; acknowledge failure and improve; don't be complacent.
8. Put computers and technology in the hands of people.
9. Be humble in policy decisions - we're dealing with the lives of children.
10. Finally, be patient - human development is a long-term process that aims for generational change. Human development doesn't usually happen in accordance with a Plan or a particular person's timeframe.
Partnership Cycle
