IACD Africa goes from strength to strength following the full house IACD/ACDPK Africa conference and Practice Exchange held in Kenya in April. Huge appreciation to hosts the Association of Community Development Practitioners of Kenya. The theme for the conference and Practice Exchange programme was “Transforming Community Development Practice for Empowered Communities.” The event also saw the formal launch of the Kiswahili translation of IACD’s International Standards for Community Development Practice.
Report on the conference, consultative meeting of IACD Members and Practice Exchange
By
Daniel Muia
IACD Country Correspondent, Kenya
Chairman, Association of Community Development Practitioners – Kenya
The three events were held between 25th and 26th April 2019. They were largely well attended and successful with participants expressing lots of appreciation for the opportunity to have participated in the events. Two important launches were done during these events. One, the Kenyan network of Community development practitioners – Association of Community Development Practitioners-Kenya, was officially launched by Mr. Mugambi, Head of Administration in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in his capacity as representative of the Cabinet Minister. Secondly, the Kiswahili version of the document, Towards international Standards of Community Development Practice – entitled: Kuelekea Viwango vya Pamoja vya Kimataifa Katika Utekelezaji wa Maendeleo ya Jamii was officially launched by Catherine Wanjohi, the IACD Director, Sub-Saharan Africa.
There was great appreciation of the role of standards in community development training and practice in ensuring a value driven process. Most important it was noted that the standards document is prepared in a way that it can be applied in any context as it is largely a document driven by values which apply and should apply in all contexts where community development is practiced.
One Day International Community Development Symposium – 25th April 2019
We had 100 participants coming from diverse backgrounds – nine (9) universities in Kenya, Ministry in charge of Community Development in Kenya – Head Office staff as well as field staff from the counties; civil society and community based organisations; retired community development officers and community development students (undergraduate and postgraduate). IACD was represented by seven (7) members from Kenya (Including Catherine Wanjohi), two (2) IACD members from Tanzania, and three (3) IACD members from Uganda – an improvement from the previous meeting in Kampala, Uganda where only five (5) IACD members attended.
The theme was –Transforming Community Development Practice for Empowered Communities. The presentations included on topics-
- Keynote speech on Professionalisation of Community Development Practiceby Prof Mutea Rukwaru – a long serving CD educator and practitioner.
Key highlight: CD curriculum needs to be standardised and possibly accredited by the professionals; CD practitioners should establish own code of conduct and a certification process might be considered to ring-fence it; A strong professional association needed to guard interests of CD as a discipline and practice.
- Towards International Standards of Community Development Practice by Daniel Muia – CD Educator and IACD Country Correspondent Kenya
Key highlight: CD Standards as set in the document are ideals which underpin CD and thus apply in every community situation; Professionalising CD practice requires adoption and operationalization of the CD standards – in training and also in practice; Practitioners should align their work with the CD standards; CD standards should be translated further into the major Kenyan languages; more awareness about CD Standards needs to be created.
- Trends and Seasons in Community Development Practice – By Dr Wairire – a Social Work Educator
Key highlight: CD practice in Kenya has evolved from being largely a reactionary practice during colonial times to a participatory community empowering practice focusing on enhancing community capacity to uplift their livelihoods as well as exercise control over their spaces. Community development is now being aligned with and adopted to support main government development policy.
- Community Development and Devolution in Kenya – by Mr Mito – a Community Development Policy Advisor with Council of Governors Secretariat.
Key highlight: Devolution has given impetus to community development practice as more resources and spaces for engagement have been opened up at the grassroots
Practice Exchange – 26th April 2019
The initial group was started in 1978 and has survived to date. It has a membership of 258 members. While CBO has activities of its own, each member group also has its own groups thus ensuring local level relevance to the groups. The CBO is located in a largely arid area and thus addresses largely challenges related to shortage of water and economic empowerment. The main project so far undertaken has been development of sub-surface water dams to avail water for domestic consumption as well as irrigation. Afforestation has been undertaken and tree seedlings grown virtually in every homestead also are a source of income. Food security and economic empowerment has been addressed through improved breeds of goat using Toggenburg and Galla goat breeds; poultry keeping, and growing of fruits. Other activities bee keeping, building of rental houses and shops, brick making, and energy saving jikos (kuni moja jiko). All these activities are undertaken also at household level.
With the support of various development partners, including DANIDA, Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF); World Servant; Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, SAHCD, GIZ, JICA, VSO, Government of Kenya and County Government of Makueni, the CBO has built water pans, charcoal cooler for storing of fruits; a hatchery, and a juice processing mini-plant. All these are for purposes of ensuring the group members enhance the value proposition of their produce.
Key highlight:- participants in this practice exchange were impressed by how first, the group has managed to survive this long; two, the extent to which the CBO is addressing in a structured manner with minimal administrative costs the needs of the constituent groups and members – as the CBO’s office is run on a volunteer basis and in turns by the members; three, the adoption and replication of CBO initiatives at the household level so that members livelihoods needs are taken care of even at that level. Lastly, as seen in the dairy improvement project (see caption) charging small amounts for services rendered within the project internally generates money to run the projects and thus assure sustainability.
Consultative meeting with Tanzania and Uganda IACD Country Correspondents
In our consultative meeting as IACD Country Correspondents, we noted the need to benchmark and learn from each other with regard to mobilisation of members and promotion of CD practice in the region. We agreed to have regular skype/zoom meetings to compare notes. The first one is scheduled in July after WCDC2019 conference. There was consensus that the symposium and practice exchange were successful and efforts would be made to ensure continued holding of such fora in the region. Lastly there was agreement to explore ways of establishing a regional magazine as a vehicle for disseminating CD practice activities.
