The Developments Steps in the Delta
LWF Myanmar implements two projects in tandem in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta: Integrated Rural Development and Child and Youth Development. They reach over 26,000 people.
Village Development Committees are at the heart of the Integrated Rural Development project. Their members, who are selected by their communities, oversee the drafting and implementation of annual village development plans.
LWF works to facilitate an inclusive approach to planning and implementation. VDCs now gather suggestions from Women’s groups, Youth Groups, Child Groups, other community-based organizations (CBOs) and individuals for inclusion in the annual plan.
This process allows the VDC to “better gauge what the community wants”, according to members of the VDC in Shwe Taung Su village in Bogalay Township. All groups now have representatives on the VDC committee, which also conducts an annual village self assessment (VSA) that measures the level of participation by women, youths and children.
Shwe Taung Su had a VDC before LWF arrived, but residents say it is far more effective now that it has been expanded to include representatives from other groups, and that all members have had training on leadership, community mobilization and other skills. “Every member of the committee now knows who is responsible for what,” explains VDC chair U Khin Tun. The VDC is getting stronger because its members and the community are gaining knowledge and becoming more effective at planning, he said.
VDC members also hold quarterly meetings with members of seven other VDCs in their village tract and at the township level twice a year with 15 other VDCs. Strengthening links between VDCs and local governments is a critical step towards ensuring sustainability. Similarly, Youth Groups are forming links at the township level with quarterly township meetings commencing this year. These links are a critical step in the empowerment process. They provide village residents, including children and youths, with an opportunity to ensure their voices are heard by local governments. This promotes inclusion and accountability.
