Redd Barna

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The Redd-Barna Programme

The Redd Barna Sponsored Community Improvement Program

The World Bank Study of urban situations in Ethiopia has been referred to earlier. In terms of chronology the REDD BARNA community improvement project in Kebele 41 started soon after the publication of the World Bank Report. However, none of the recommendations was taken into account in designing the program for the cycle of 1981–1986. Even the 1989 to 1997 of the IHA-UDP Project did not incorporate the World Bank recommendations. The main reasons why the World Bank recommendations were not used were:

a) Recommendations were not based on felt needs.
b) They were impractical and inappropriate.
c) They contradicted the 1975 Government Declaration of the Establishment of Urban Dwellers' Association.
d) They were unaffordable and impossible (refer to the1978 and 1986 studies).

After seven years of operation, IHA-UDP had phased out as per the agreements signed with the government. Accordingly all activities undertaken by the project were handed over to the target community through the established Board of Trustees composed of appropriate government offices Representatives from the Regional Development Office (FRDCB), Woreda representative and chairmen of the 4 Kebeles. Sixty-five percent of the Board constituted community leaders: the neighbourhood group, the youth representatives of programme workers. It acquired legal status and was named Community Based Integrated Sustainable Development Organization (CBISDO) - the first community based organization of its kind in Ethiopia.

General Policy Of The Project In Relation To All Stakeholders Including Donor/Donation Issues

Overall Policy

The target group in the development process are those who are usually the last in the order of priority to benefit from aid that is the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable members of the community. Some of these are self-employed women with very low income, children, old people, the disabled and the socially disadvantaged as well as the unemployed or the ‘so-called’ self-employed men especially if they are the bread winners of the family.

From the present IHAUDP the following statistical figure dictated the process of the programme planning besides the community priority:

Women headed household 75%
Children under 14 years old 50%
Youth and children 66%
The old and disabled 10%

While IHAUDP has not been either group or gender biased, its largest beneficiaries have been women, children and youth. The statistical analysis dictates which beneficiaries have the greatest needs.

Overall Policy in relation to donation

The Project's previous experience has taught the staff to encourage donations that address the objectives of the integrated holistic approach, so as not to be donor driven.

Although some donors prefer to give a more earmarked donation, the overhead cost must still be shared between all donors' grants which have been given as a ‘block’ fund (e.g. Ex-consortium) upon which budgets are regularly prepared. Such an integrated project cannot run smoothly without an efficient administrative back-up in order to co-ordinate funding cash flow and the proper apportioning of each donor's shares.

However, certain donations are still earmarked when mutual agreements have been reached; they are accommodated according to their policy regarding overheads.

The IHA-UDP does not allow itself to be donor driven and whenever possible attempts are made to create awareness amongst donors so that their grants are given on demand a responsive basis and not imposed.

Whenever possible, the Project holds donors' meetings locally with all senior staff or abroad with the Project Co-ordinator.

Flexibility in releasing funds facilitates bulk purchasing which is usually more cost effective.

Quarterly reviews of budgeting are carried out to avoid neglecting urgent current felt needs (e.g. houses that collapsed during the heavy rainy season or demobilized ex-soldiers who became a social problem for whom the community requested rehabilitation).

Whenever possible precautions are taken to avoid abusing such flexibility: Nothing was ever changed or modified without informing all stakeholders.

Implementation of Programmes

Programme implementation begins immediately upon the release of funds.

Budgets are linked to quarterly plans of action.

Whilst 5-year plans and budgets are set for different purposes, the quarterly plans of action and the annual plan and budget reviews enable to be current and appropriate as well as realistic in the process of implementation of programmes.

Since the Project operated with an advisory committee (members of local authority, NHG, Youth Group, and relevant IHA-UDP staff), Programme staff were responsible to adhere to plans and be accountable for plans that were not executed on funds that were either under or over utilized.

Next: Culture and philosophy of IHA-UDP

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Glossary:

AHISDO: Addis Hiwot [New Life] Integrated Sustainable Development Organization

CBISDO: Community-Based Integrated Sustainable Development Organisation

CD: Community Development

EEW: Educational Extension Worker

IGU: Income Generating Unit

IHA-UDP: Integrated Holistic Approach Urban Development Project

NHG: Neighbourhood Group

PUG: Physical Upgrading

PHC: Primary Health Care

Is anything missing? If you think it would be helpful to add other terms to this list, please simply email the web editor.

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