Reuters AlertNet Lite - LWF promoting the community ownership spirit

Reuters AlertNet Full site

FROM THE FIELD

LWF promoting the community ownership spirit

28 Jun 2008 08:33:00 GMT
Source: Lutheran World Federation (LWF) - Switzerland (Department for World Service)
LWF-DWS Burundi

Previous | Next

Members of Twiteho abamugaye association weeding the mosaic resistant cassava multiplication plot at Mwiruzi/Mishiha.
LWF/DWS Burundi

Background

• Burundi transition

MORE >>

LWF Burundi is strongly committed to promote community ownership spirit, making its partners understand that all the projects are essentially theirs. In this way, a sense of responsibility is nurtured and this in turn ensures the long term sustainability of our interventions, while empowering the communities we are working with. The LWF Livelihoods officer Juvenal Nzobambona also explained that by involving communities the cost of interventions will decrease over time, as more activities are gradually carried out by the people.

The most recent example of this approach is the development of several mosaic resistant cassava multiplication plots in all our four intervention collines.

These plots have been set up in close cooperation with 33 local associations who have all met critical selection criteria. LWF has furthermore prepared a memorandum of understanding that was signed by both sides as a sign of the community engagement.

Citegetse Marie Thérèse, the chairperson of Twiteho abamugaye association (32 members) which is comprised of families with one or more handicapped persons, praises the food security initiative. She believes that members of her association expect large revenues from the cassava project. In her opinion, associations build up strong linkages between people from different social backgrounds, thus building common values governing their relationships.

Citegetse also explained that through training, members of associations learn to understand their needs and analyse them, as well as plan and implement actions to address those needs.

For Mbesherubusa Balthazar from an interethnic association, the cassava project has come at exactly the right time. He explained that the area had done without cassava plantings for over 4 years, mainly due to the Mosaic virus couples with a total lack of external assistance.

This was detrimental for the regional food security, and sustained the conditions of extreme poverty and suffering. Now, he is sure he no longer has to struggle to get the casava cuttings and the nutricious roots, his first means to start providing for his family.

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Email this article Send comments

Topics

MORE >>

Emergencies

• Burundi transition

MORE >>

Members

• Lutheran World Federation (LWF) - Switzerland (Department for World Service)

MORE >>

NGO latest

• LWF promoting the community ownership spirit
LWF - Switzerland

• LWF Council Calls for Urgent Peace Building Process in Zimbabwe
LWF - Switzerland

• Trapped Somali populations need immediate life-saving assistance
MSF International

• Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children releases landmark report on refugees with disabilities in countries affected by conflict
Women's Commission - USA

• Rights-Based Perspective Crucial to Relief Work
LWF - Switzerland

MORE >>

Latest news

• The longest day in Norway, the toughest 10 days for emergency team trainees

• AU says Nigeria will send peacekeepers to Somalia

• SOUTH AFRICA: Reintegration with trepidation

• Millions mark World Refugee Day with theme of "Protection"

• ZIMBABWE: Government of National Unity mooted amid increasing violence

MORE >>

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Breaking stories

The longest day in Norway, the toughest 10 days for emergency team trainees (1 minute ago)

AU says Nigeria will send peacekeepers to Somalia (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight

MEDIAWATCH: Food summit thwarts hope (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed

LWF promoting the community ownership spirit (1 minute ago)

Blogs

Bali climate change talks: 'The long, arduous road' to nowhere? (1 minute ago)

Maps

MAP: UNHCR Burundi in 2008: Number of Returnees per Province (as of May, 27th 2008) (1 minute ago)