40 years of support and involvement

History

• Worked through Catholic Church structures: dioceses, pastoral centre, missionaries
• Many small village-based projects
• Income generation
• DELTA training

• Initial support: NMJD (Network Movement for Justice & Development)
• Decade long conflict ends support to church
• Program limited to NMJD and organizing refugees in Guinea

• Support to civil society structure and involvement in peace process
• Expansion and support to democratisation
• Initiatives in the mining sector

1. 10-year conflict and instability in the sub-region
2. Poverty
3. Poor governance and corruption
4. Resource exploitation
5. Marginalization of women

• Passive during conflict period
• Late 1990s saw creation of Civil Society Movement
• Strong participation in Peace process and reconstruction
• 2002: Post-election disintegration
• New Civil Society Alternative Process
• Social Forum 2007.01

1. NMJD (Network Movement for Justice and Development) = Partner since 1989 and focal point for our work. Most of the program has sprung from their work. The focus is creating a strong and grounded civil society, promoting democratic development, alternative mining, community radio, peace and sustainable development.
2. MRD (Movement for Restoration of Democracy) = Partner since 2001 focussing on building capacity for ongoing work on promoting democratic practice and good governance.
3. CSAP (Civil Society) = New initiative to build regional and national action on various key issues through representative and democratic structures.
4. Eastern Radio FM 101.9 = Community-based, participatory and educational radio for the eastern half of the country
5. CJM Campaign for Just Mining = Network of groups working to improve mining conditions and seek alternatives to benefit people and country.

1. CSAP consultation & research on HIPC (World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) program created strong local links everywhere
2. But also revealed pitiful results of HIPC program
3. Created interest for national social forum
4. Served as a basis for a new civil society
5. NMJD formed a national youth movement
6. Youth involvement in advocacy
7. NMJD established a relationship with government with impact on good governance and democratization
8. Support to farmers enables them to work on issues of national importance
9. Campaign for Just Mining pushed government and stakeholders to review existing mining policy
10. Eastern Radio began broadcasting
11. Provides daily opportunities for groups and individuals to comment on issues and events.
12. MRD conducted mass education and organization of village democracy groups
13. WODA-Women's Development Ass'n (previous partner) has organized groups, particularly women, for income generation activities
14. WODA sensitization mobilised women on gender issues
15. NMJD/MRD/CSAP participated actively to ensure fair elections leading to a change in government (summer 2007)

15. Reduction in child labour in mining sector
16. Mining company works to relocate community
17. Dramatic impact on other radio stations/
18. Peace and human rights promoted
19. CSAP participates in budgetary debate
20. Women challenge men on issues of domestic violence, early marriage and child labour

1. An increasingly aware society conscious of issues and principles of democracy
2. A civil society inclined to work collectively to challenge unjust structures and defend their interests
3. A more aware population ready to mobilize
4. Capacity to challenge Government and political structures
5. Capacity to challenge corporations and economic actors
6. Growing gender awareness and commitment
7. Independent and progressive radio

1. Input that increased gender and regional representation to Social Forum
2. Assisted groups to find other funding: NMJD, WODA, MRD
3. Insisted on building vs renting radio station for better security
4. Initiated study on MRD for organizational development
5. Collaborated in Organizational Development for NMJD
6. Pushed for capacity for autonomy for Eastern Radio
7. Pushed for DELTA leadership training for civil society
8. Advocacy for youth arrested for challenging mining company
9. Ongoing provision of resources and documentation
10. Advice on results focus for reporting

• Despite progress in a strategic and global approach, we need to continue to support partners
• Focus more on partnership-related activities to increase the number and strength of results
• Attention needs to be constantly put on gender issues within the program
• Creating a social movement takes many years
• Some of the most important results are not easy to identify

1. Building a women’s movement
2. Election education and monitoring
3. Organizing mining sector and lobbying
4. Support to Civil Society Alternative Process strategy

• Budget – average up to $450,000 per year
• Program Officer
• Involvement by other D&P departments
• Information/documentation/resource material
• Special support activities & consultants