Village Earth

Last updated
Village Earth: Consortium for Sustainable Village Based Development
Founded1993
Founders
FocusRural and Indigenous Communities
Location
Area served
Worldwide
ProductAppropriate Technology Library
MethodCommunity-based Sustainable Development
Website villageearth.org

Village Earth: The Consortium for Sustainable Village-Based Development (CSVBD) DBA: Village Earth is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Fort Collins, Colorado, US. The organization works for the empowerment of rural and indigenous communities around the world with active projects with the Oglala Lakota [4] on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the Shipibo-Konibo of the Amazon region of Peru, India, Cambodia, and Guatemala. Village Earth [5] is associated with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at Colorado State University. Village Earth is also the publisher for The Appropriate Technology Library and The Appropriate Technology Sourcebook , a low-cost rural-development resource initiated by Volunteers in Asia [6] in 1975 but transferred to Village Earth in 1995.

Contents

Objectives

The roots of Village Earth's approach [7] to community development grew from the reformist tradition of development which emerged in the 1970s as a reaction to liberal and neoliberal development policies which were blamed for increasing income gap and as well as increasing human migration from rural to urban areas around the globe. [8] [9] To address this situation, reformist approaches attempt to achieve greater equity, sustainability, and local self-reliance through an integrated multi-sector approach emphasizing the use of "appropriate technology" the creation of local participatory institutions. [10]

While the roots of the Village Earth approach can be traced to reformist traditions of development, [11] it combined many practices used in community development programs around the world in a new way. In particular these include:

  1. A sustainable livelihoods approach which recognizes the multi-layered and interrelated survival strategies of rural families and communities and seeks to build on assets and eliminate underlying constraints through an ongoing process of participatory reflection and action.
  2. The clustering [12] [13] and networking of local institutions to promote regional self-reliance without compromising local autonomy.
  3. The development of multi-sector service centers to link local institutions to local, regional, and global resources.
  4. The creation of mutual agreements and clarification of roles between internal and external activators (locals and outside community workers).

Philosophy

Village Earth differs from many traditional development NGOs [14] in the following ways:

  1. At the heart of the Village Earth approach is the recognition that lack of access to resources, such as land, clean water and credit, is the fundamental issue faced by the majority of the world's poor. Ending global poverty is not as simple as just increasing people's income. Rather, to be sustainable, poverty alleviation programs must work to increase the fundamental rights of poor communities to access resources while building long-enduring and equitable institutions for their protection and management. [15]
  2. Influenced by the ideas and methods of Paulo Freire, Village Earth engages in a long-term dialog with communities to reveal and transform the underlying, and often inter-generational, causes of poverty. [16] [17] This approach differs from the approach used by many NGOs, which often define the problem, draft the proposal, and project a timeline prior to their engagement with communities. [18]
  3. Rather than focusing on problems impacting communities, Village Earth starts with a community's long-term vision for the future. According to the organization, if communities focus only on "fixing" problems, they may not actually be transforming the underlying structural contradictions causing their problems. By first clarifying a long-term and shared vision for the future, communities are free to imagine an entirely different future and begin working to create it . This principle goes against theories of development based on modernization which locate the concept of development in a continuum of progress, mostly based on Western cultural and economic concepts.
  4. The necessity for the tandem use of appropriate hard and soft technology, a concept pioneered by Village Earth founder, Maurice L. Albertson. According to Albertson (1992) [19] "It is the structure and process of social participation and action by individuals and groups in analyzing situations, making choices, and engaging in choice-implementing behaviors that bring about change. As with hard technology, the appropriate soft technology is related to the villages being able to organize, operate, and maintain the technology with a minimum of outside technical assistance (e.g., from professional social workers). It usually aims at changing the sociopolitical environment. [20] "

Structure

Village Earth can be most closely classified within a specialized subset of Intermediate NGOs, referred to in the literature as "Grassroots Support Organizations" or GSOs. According to Carroll (1992): "A GSO is a civic development entity that provides services allied support to local groups of disadvantaged rural and urban households and individuals. In its capacity as an intermediate institution, a GSO forges links between beneficiaries and the often remote levels of government, donor and financial institutions. It may also provide services indirectly to other organizations that support the poor or perform coordinating or networking functions. It may also provide services indirectly to other organizations that support or perform coordinating or networking functions. [21] [22] "

Village Earth advances its mission through the following means:

  1. Providing grassroots support services to communities in the form of training, networking, research, and organizational sponsorship.
  2. Training and consulting with other intermediate and resources organizations in our approach and methods.
  3. Promoting the development and dissemination of appropriate technology information.

History

The CSVBD was founded in 1993 as a result of a mandate on the part of participants at the International Conference on Sustainable Village-Based Development September 27-October 1, 1993, at Colorado State University. It was organized by Maurice L. Albertson, then president, Miriam Shinn, and Edwin F. Shinn, and attended by approximately 250 delegates from 40 different countries. The purpose of the conference was to find ways to cause sustainable-village-based development (SVBD) to occur in Third-World villages to help meet the needs of the world's rural poor. [23]

The majority of those in attendance were from developing nations, and most of those individuals represented non-governmental organizations working in very grassroots and participatory projects around the world. More than 200 papers were submitted and formed five volumes of Proceedings. By the end of the conference it was agreed that the organizers should form a consortium made up of the participants. The purpose would be to launch several pilot projects, establish a newsletter to be sent to all conference participants and to find ways to make the proceedings generally available to attendees and the interested public. CSVBD was to serve as a sort of information hub for the different chapters, provide training in the methods discussed at the conference, provide monitoring and evaluation services and coordinate demonstration projects on the ground. According to Ed Shinn, "Perhaps one of the most important functions of [Village Earth] is to insure that the local NGO build teams with expertise in key development sectors that can interact with both the public and private sectors to secure needed resources." [24]

The conference, as well as the roots of the Village Earth approach, were heavily influenced by Agenda 21 [15] produced at the United Nations Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro on June 14, 1992. In particular, its recognition that poverty is not the problem, rather, lack of access to resources is the primary obstacle to building a better life for the majority of the world's poor. As such, the Village Earth Approach was designed to transform the role of the NGO from being a service provider (health, irrigation, education, etc.) to functioning more as an "intermediary", working to mobilize village leadership and planning and from that, develop linkages to resources institutions such as governments, single sector NGO's, universities and the private sector. In development circles, an NGO that works in this capacity is referred to an "Intermediate" NGO.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appropriate technology</span> Technological movement

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Community-based economics or community economics is an economic system that encourages local substitution. It is similar to the lifeways of those practicing voluntary simplicity, including traditional Mennonite, Amish, and modern eco-village communities. It is also a subject in urban economics, related to moral purchasing and local purchasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International development</span> Concept concerning the level of development on an international scale

International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic or human development on an international scale. It is the basis for international classifications such as developed country, developing country and least developed country, and for a field of practice and research that in various ways engages with international development processes. There are, however, many schools of thought and conventions regarding which are the exact features constituting the "development" of a country.

The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens, and professionals to improve various aspects of communities, typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primary health care</span> "Essential" health care key to securing universality by emphasizing community and equity

Primary health care (PHC) is "essential health care" that is based on scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology. This makes universal health care accessible to all individuals and families in a community. PHC initiatives allow for the full participation of community members in implementation and decision making. Services are provided at a cost that the community and the country can afford at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination. In other words, PHC is an approach to health beyond the traditional health care system that focuses on health equity-producing social policy. PHC includes all areas that play a role in health, such as access to health services, environment and lifestyle. Thus, primary healthcare and public health measures, taken together, may be considered as the cornerstones of universal health systems. The World Health Organization, or WHO, elaborates on the goals of PHC as defined by three major categories, "empowering people and communities, multisectoral policy and action; and primary care and essential public health functions as the core of integrated health services[1]." Based on these definitions, PHC cannot only help an individual after being diagnosed with a disease or disorder, but can actively contribute to preventing such issues by understanding the individual as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capacity building</span> Process by which individuals or organizations improve their capability to produce, perform or deploy

Capacity building is the improvement in an individual's or organization's facility "to produce, perform or deploy". The terms capacity building and capacity development have often been used interchangeably, although a publication by OECD-DAC stated in 2006 that capacity development was the preferable term. Since the 1950s, international organizations, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities use the concept of capacity building as part of "social and economic development" in national and subnational plans. The United Nations Development Programme defines itself by "capacity development" in the sense of "'how UNDP works" to fulfill its mission. The UN system applies it in almost every sector, including several of the Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. For example, the Sustainable Development Goal 17 advocates for enhanced international support for capacity building in developing countries to support national plans to implement the 2030 Agenda. 

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akhtar Hameed Khan</span> Pakistani scientist and activist (1914–1999)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participatory rural appraisal</span> Process in international development

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Participatory GIS (PGIS) or public participation geographic information system (PPGIS) is a participatory approach to spatial planning and spatial information and communications management.

The Comilla Model was a rural development programme launched in 1959 by the Pakistan Academy for Rural Development. The academy, which is located on the outskirts of Comilla town, was founded by Akhter Hameed Khan, the cooperative pioneer who was responsible for developing and launching the programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rural development</span> Improving quality of life in rural areas

Rural development is the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in rural areas, often relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas. Often, rural regions have experience rural poverty, poverty greater than urban or suburban economic regions regions due to lack of access to economic activities, and lack of investments in key infrastructure such as education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water supply and sanitation in Ghana</span> Drinking water supply and sanitation in Ghana

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Maurice Lee "Maury" "Quickshot" Albertson, PhD, civil engineer, a teacher of water resources management over a long career at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado and former head of the Colorado State University Research Foundation.

Grassroots Support Organizations (GSOs) are a specialized subset of Intermediate Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) that provides services and support to local groups of disadvantaged rural or urban households and individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strengthening Participatory Organization</span>

Strengthening Participatory Organization is the largest rights-based national support organization in Pakistan working since 1994 to strengthen and support community organizations and public interest institutions for promotion of democratic governance, social justice, peace and social harmony. SPO engages civil society networks, faith-based organisations and groups representing a wide range of stakeholders.

Community-driven development (CDD) is an initiative in the field of development that provides control of the development process, resources and decision making authority directly to groups in the community. The underlying assumption of CDD projects are that communities are the best judges of how their lives and livelihoods can be improved and, if provided with adequate resources and information, they can organize themselves to provide for their immediate needs. CDD projects work by providing poor communities with direct funding for development with the communities then deciding how to spend the money. Lastly, the community plans and builds the project and takes responsibility for monitoring its progress.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoaib Sultan Khan</span>

Shoaib Sultan Khan NI is one of the pioneers of rural development programmes in Pakistan. As a CSP Officer, he worked with the Government of Pakistan for 25 years, later on he served Geneva based Aga Khan Foundation for 12 years, then UNICEF and UNDP for 14 years. Since his retirement, he has been involved with the Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) of Pakistan full-time, on voluntary basis. Today, the Rural Support Programmes have helped form 297,000 community organisations in 110 districts including two Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) is a charitable trust dedicated to rural development and environment awareness. It was founded by Vikram Sarabhai in 1965. The foundation is dedicated to promoting basic environmental education and thinking on current problems of development at individual and the societal level.

References

  1. ↑ "CSU prof helped create Peace Corps". 2009-01-12.
  2. ↑ "Colorado State University - News & Information". Archived from the original on 2009-01-17. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
  3. ↑ "Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency". media-newswire.com.
  4. ↑ "Life and Conditions on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Reservation of South Dakota". Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  5. ↑ "VILLAGE EARTH—THE MISSING LINK FOR SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
  6. ↑ "VIA | Volunteers in Asia".
  7. ↑ Faulkner, A. O. and M. L. Albertson. "Tandem use of Hard and Soft Technology: an Evolving Model for Third World Village Development" International Journal of Applied Engineering Education. Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 127–137, 1986.
  8. ↑ "Monthly Review | the Neoliberal 'Rebirth' of Development Economics". May 2006.
  9. ↑ Rural Development and Urban Migration: Can We Keep Them down on the Farm?, International Migration Review, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Spring, 1983), pp. 34–64
  10. ↑ Shamsul Haque. Restructuring Development Theories and Policies: A Critical Study, State University of New York Press (1999)
  11. ↑ "Community development - poverty and hunger: Journey to Forever".
  12. ↑ "Village Earth Success Stories: Azerbaijan Cluster Development Program". Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  13. ↑ Cluster development
  14. ↑ "NGOs: Environmentally Sustainable Development". Archived from the original on December 25, 2008. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  15. 1 2 "-- Agenda 21 - Combating Poverty - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --". Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-03-10.
  16. ↑ Bellows, Anne C.; Hamm, Michael W. (2001). "Local autonomy and sustainable development: Testing import substitution in more localized food systems". Agriculture and Human Values. 18 (3): 271–284. doi:10.1023/A:1011967021585. S2CID   153226902.
  17. ↑ "Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed".
  18. ↑ Grant Power; Matthew Maury; Susan Maury. Operationalising bottom-up learning in international NGOs: barriers and alternatives, in Development in Practice, (Winter 2003 Edition).
  19. ↑ Faulkner, A. O.; Albertson, M. L. (1986). "Tandem use of Hard and Soft Technology: an Evolving Model for Third World Village Development". International Journal of Applied Engineering Education. 2 (2): 127–137.
  20. ↑ Chatterjee, P. and H. Ireyes, "Technology Transfer: Implications for Social Work Practice and Social Work Education. Int. Social Work, vol. XXIV, no. 1, pp. 14–22 (1981)
  21. ↑ Carrol, Thomas F., Intermediary NGOs: The Supporting Link in Grassroots Development. Kumarian Press, Inc., 1992
  22. ↑ Rafael A. Boglio Martínez, Grassroots Support Organizations and Transformative Practices, Journal of Community Practice, Vol. 16(3) 2008
  23. ↑ Albertson, Maurice and Shinn, Miriam, Proceedings from the International Conference on Sustainable Village-Based Development at Colorado State University (October 1993)
  24. ↑ Edwin F. Shinn, 2000. A BRIEF HISTORY OF VILLAGE EARTH: THE CONSORTIUM FOR SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE-BASED DEVELOPMENT
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