By BENARD NANDE
DONOR-FUNDED projects are tremendously helping to improve lives of the people in rural communities in many parts of the country. This has been revealed when announcing a total of 39 projects in various sectors funded under the Australian Development Aid (AusAid) program through the Community Development Scheme (CDS) initiative at a value of K1.4 million since 2003.
Through this initiative, grants are provided to groups for various projects at different amounts depending on the type of projects and their activity plans. This includes project sectors in economic, health, education, churches, agriculture, tourism, SME activities, fishery, poultry and piggery.
The donor funding is channeled through the CDS which is further allocated to its recommended core project agents called the Eastern Southern Highlands Community Development Association (ESHCDA) to implement projects on the ground.
The ESHCDA has its executive board members and committees appointed across the province with different background knowledge and technical skills to roll out the donor funded projects.
This group members have gone through refresher trainings organised by CDS on project design, appraisal, monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning and organisational management. These skills and knowledge imparted to the ESHCDA members to successfully run the programs in line with guidelines and objectives of donor agency schemes.
Most communities received these projects benefited well. Some projects still exist today and are continuing to survive while some got bogged along the way due to circumstances beyond our control such as natural disasters.
This donor funding scheme supports and complements district budgeted projects creating a boost in service delivery in the communities. This programs specifically identify and target the rural communities directly for the benefit of the target communities. The ESHDCA team has opened its doors for consultations with each District Development Authorities (DDAs) in the province for partnership to deliver projects to the communities.
For this year, the CDS coordination team in the highlands region is rolling out its field assessment on existing funded projects. In SHP, the ESHCDA members have started off their field assessment starting last Sunday (18/01/25). Due to financial constraints in getting most logistics, the ESHCDA members scheduled one week to visit eight (8) project sites in the province.
According to the ESHCDA Chairman Keith Paya, the urgent visitation of selected project sites this week has been affected due to lack of financial support from districts administration as districts were consulted for seeking support for effective movement in carrying out the assessment.
He further stressed that this initiative is for supporting the districts to bring extra funding from donor partners to boost project funding to each district and as this is a worthy cause to support the ESHCDA.
“Last week Friday only Imbongu DDA came forward to provide support for logistics during the assessment period,” he added.
The chairman explained and outlined the schedule for the team to follow and pay visits to the eight sites in the plan, “First site visit according to schedule started on Sunday last week for West Kongo Youth Group for a Lucas Mill project value of K43, 000 at Polgopo village in Ialibu Basin LLG, Imbonggu District.
Tuesday for Pangia District for two projects; one is a bakery shop for Malau Women’s Group value of K41,000 and a coffee project for Tole Youth Group at Marapini village in South Wiru LLG value of K35,000.
Wednesday for Koali-Lombo Cultural Centre value of K41, 000 at Koali-Lombo village, in Kagua Erave District. Thursday for Ipilawe Youth Group Training Centre at Kirene village in Ialibu, Kewabi LLG value of K37, 000.
Saturday for Mendi/Munhiu District for three water supply projects for Upper Mendi LLG; Birop, Kumane and Rakenda villages value of K40, 000 each.”
The ESHCDA team members are grateful for opportunity given again this year by their Highlands Coordination Team Leader for CDS, Francis Kup for the first part of the assessment program.
The ESHCDA team members are committing their time and effort to meet their one week schedule despite challenges of lacks in funding and expecting to compile a good report and send it back to CDS soon.
