Annual Report 2009

Practical Action South Asia

Practical Action South Asia's Annual Report for 2008-9, including case studies and financial statements, can be downloaded as an illustrated PDF. Please note that this is a large file and make take some time to download on slow connections.

Download Annual Report 2008-9 (PDF, 29Mb)

Contents

  • Vision & Mission
  • Message from the Regional Director
  • Mitigating floods - a decentralised approach works
  • Ensuring the rights of small-scale fishermen through community based co-governance
  • Community governance: a way towards sustainable development
  • Knowledge products & Resource Centre
  • Practical Action Consulting
  • Our work at a glance
  • Celebrating 20 years in Sri Lanka
  • Independent auditor's report
  • Financial statement
  • Our partners & acknowledgements

Message from the Regional Director

For 20 years Practical Action’s work in Sri Lanka has proven that community centred development has had a lasting impact. Yet over the years we have realised the limitations of the community based approach to achieve sustainable and holistic development. Our experience has shown that actively engaging local authorities rather than only the community leads to a more conducive environment for sustainable local development initiatives.

Contrary to the perception that local authorities are resource-less and powerless, Practical Action believes that informed, empowered and competent local government systems can address resource gaps by effectively mobilising local resources (local stakeholders, local knowledge, assets etc.) using appropriate participatory approaches.

In promoting and advocating for community-centred local governance, our work has poor. Key approaches in this regard have been the decentralised approaches to disaster co-governance and community governance approaches to address infrastructure needs. As a result of these approaches we were able to:

  • Obtain the commitment of various stakeholders including the Government to pledge Rs.32.76 million to implement infrastructure needs prioritised in village development plans in Nikeweratiya and Kotte in Sri Lanka
  • Increase income of over Rs.45 million among 456 farmer families due to irrigation infrastructure that was improved in Sri Lanka
  • Save 1/4th of the Koggala lagoon restoration cost by engaging Coastal Development Authority and University of Ruhuna to submit a proposal worth Rs.11.6 million to the government. This was the result of intense dialogue with the lagoon fishermen and local authorities in Sri Lanka
  • Combine initiatives of the municipal authorities and urban slum communities in Sri Lanka to reduce flood risk in their areas
  • Continue being a key resource person for the Advance Diploma in Local Governance offered by the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance that trained more than 150 key administrative officials from local government this year
  • Incorporate community governance modules into postgraduate courses offered by the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka
  • Build the capacity of 3 Provincial councils in Sri Lanka to initiate their own community governance programmes
  • Convinced the Punjab provincial government in Pakistan that involving community at local and district level is the most effective approach to disaster risk management. As a result, the Punjab Provincial legislators are considering the inclusion of decentralised disaster risk reduction as a recommended approach for effective disaster management in the Province.

Our work has continuously proven that communities can impact local level decision making, and together with the local authorities, ensure that local development plans are implemented and monitored in a responsible and transparent way. The process will enable Local Authorities to be a strong and formal voice for local people’s concerns at the national level.

The case studies featured in this publication are inspiring stories of such change and hope. Thanks to your assistance and involvement, Practical Action has been able to continue to support communities that struggle against poverty and injustice. Let us continue to work together to make a lasting impact on these people’s lives.

Vishaka Hidellage
Regional Director
Practical Action (Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan programmes)

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