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Title
Sustainable Community Development: Case Studies from India and Kenya |
Full text
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/81348 |
Date
2009 |
Author(s)
Wood, Lindsey M. |
Abstract
A sustainable community can be defined as a community that implements projects
aimed at long-term management of natural resources for ecological health, economic
growth geared towards supporting basic needs, and social equity. Sustainable community
development projects in rural areas of developing countries often begin with efforts
towards better ecosystem management and poverty alleviation. This is a result of the fact
that environmental degradation has reduced people's capacity to even meet their most
basic needs, which are met through the use of surrounding natural resources. This
research project investigates two cases of sustainable community development in
Sanjadi-ka-badia, India and Nyumbani Village, Kenya to understand how these initiatives
have met the needs of community members and contributed to the development of a
sustainable community. A qualitative analysis of data collected in interviews, direct-observations, documents and rapid resource assessments was used to write the descriptive
case studies.
Major findings from the Sanjadi-ka-badia case study indicate that the project was
successful to a degree in terms of helping community members meet basic needs and
initiating a move towards sustainability. The project, a collaborative effort between the
community, local panchayat government, and Foundation for Ecological Security,
restored fodder production on a common grazing land plot, which dramatically helped the
community improve the major economic and subsistence activity of animal husbandry.
The conduit for this success was the development of locally accepted institutions to guide
behavior, specifically regulations on the common grazing land plot to reduce overgrazing
and encroachment. The process of creating institutions also extended to other areas of
community life, helping the community create more social cohesion by including women
and members of lower castes in decision-making processes and developing incentives for
universal primary education. The Foundation for Ecological Security project in Sanjadika-badia allowed a community that was struggling to take the first steps towards
sustainability by focusing on specific activities that were meaningful to the community,
generating incentives for collective action and implementing work that could be managed
by community members after the project's conclusion.
The major findings from the Nyumbani Village case study indicate that it is
making headway in achieving its specific goals. Operated by a Catholic organization,
Children of God Relief Institute, Nyumbani Village is a fusion of humanitarian relief for
the 'lost generation' of HIV/AIDS victims and principles of sustainability. Currently,
Nyumbani Village is providing basic needs and education to approximately 300 Kenyans
who existed previously at the brink of despair and destitution. Also, members of the
surrounding community have been given the opportunity to receive employment and
skills for microenterprise and dryland farming, which are notable achievements. In terms
of sustainability, Nyumbani Village has made significant early steps and is pioneering
how to merge sustainability with its other goals related to humanitarian relief. - Global Environmental Management
Education Center |
Language
en_US |
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources |
Type of publication
Thesis |
Format
application/pdf |
Repository
Wisconsin - Minds @ University of Wisconsin
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