DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Rural Community Infrastructure and Livelihood Support Programme (RCILSP)

Rationale of the Project

The failure of development and governance in Nepal created the pre-conditions like poverty, inequality, social discrimination and lack of social justice and democracy for widespread discontent among the people. The decade long CPN (Maoist) engaged conflict, discriminatory practices and the social exclusion of women and other disadvantaged groups have also been a source of frustration and conflict within the local communities. The government has been ineffective in addressing the fundamental needs of the resource poor and hence, it is perceived as working against the interests of ordinary people which failed to address the underlying causes of the conflict. Although the Maoist-led struggle was based on ideology, many of its supporters were believed motivated to join them by the situation of continued poverty, insecure livelihood, social exclusion and lack of viable solutions to their problems, rather the philosophical part alone. The insurgency by the Maoists and the counter-insurgency measures launched by the state to combat the Maoists has been a source of protracted humanitarian crisis in Nepal, particularly in the remote rural areas. In this context, the DFID supported Rural Community Infrastructure and Livelihood Support Programme (RCILSP) is implemented in 16 districts in east, mid west and far west development regions of Nepal.

General Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this project is to create an environment conducive to building peace by responding to the high levels of needs experienced by ordinary local people, particularly the poorest of the poor, women, Dalit, members of ethnic minority groups and unemployed youths living in rural areas. The aim of the project is to provide direct benefit to the rural poor community by maximizing sustainable use of community resources and mobilising additional resources from DDCs, VDCs and government line agencies and other NGOs and INGOs operational in the area.

Specific Objectives

• Establish and strengthen sustainable livelihoods opportunities (farm and off-farm based enterprises and income generation activities) and reduce levels of poverty;
  
• Improve health, sanitation and hygiene of the community people by increasing access to drinking water and sanitation facilities
  
• Establish and strengthen local peace building initiatives through community mobilization and implementation of development works.
  

Beneficiaries

In total, 411,083 people have been benefited directly and indirectly from the project initiatives. Resource poor, socio-economically excluded janajati, dalit, and women were the main beneficiaries as targeted by the project. Some families belonging to so called upper castes, resource rich and relatively advantaged janajati have also benefited due to the nature of the support of the community development projects such as support to community schools, community drinking water, rural roads, culverts, village health posts, etc.

Number of projects completed during reporting year

Results

By way of intervention to conflict affected and vulnerable school building programme, the communities are found eager and aware to send their children to schools. According to school teachers and school management committee, the children enrolment rate has been increased by 15-20% and school drop out rate has also decreased in relative terms. It was also found in some of the rural areas the number of domestic child workers (animal herders, household chores etc.) is reduced. Due to public auditing process people have become aware about their rights and responsibilities. From farmers managed irrigation and shallow tube well support productivity is increased by 40-50 %. Similarly, cropping pattern has been changing. People have started growing off-season vegetable production and youths and adult migration have also reduced. Dalit awareness and provision of tap has lessened caste discrimination and facilitated harmonization amongst the community people. Awareness has also increased on the fundamental rights and indigenous rights. Qualities of drinking water and health status of people have improved. Road and culverts have increased economic activities. Access to market has created opportunities. Coordination and linkages of the community people to other stakeholders provided better working environment. Vocational training and agro enterprise training helped to create self-employment and entrepreneurship promotion. It also helped for technology transformation to community as they have been provided with various trainings on the construction, management and repair/maintenance.

Thus, the project is providing rapid and positive impacts on the lives and livelihoods of the rural people by enabling communities to meet their basic needs. Interventions have responded to some of the most critical community needs, which are rarely addressed by mainstream development process.