Community-driven change (CDC) in Africa and India illustrates the transformative power of empowering local communities to lead their own development. By fostering self-determination and leveraging local knowledge, CDC initiatives create sustainable and equitable outcomes. This research, conducted by The Bridgespan Group, provides valuable insights for funders and organisations to support and enhance community-led transformations.
Purpose and audience
This research aims to address the fundamental need to shift from traditional top-down development paradigms to community-driven approaches. It focuses on understanding how building the power and assets of communities leads to lasting and equitable change. The primary audience includes funders, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) that are encouraged to adopt CDC methodologies to empower communities and enhance their self-determination.
Problem addressed
The research seeks to tackle the persistent issue of development projects failing to achieve long-term sustainability and equitable outcomes. By empowering communities to identify, design and implement solutions for their challenges, CDC ensures that the solutions are relevant, accepted and maintained by the community members themselves.
Summary
CDC initiatives demonstrate that empowering communities to lead their development results in sustainable and equitable outcomes. By enhancing community power and assets, CDC creates a foundation for lasting change. Funders and organisations are encouraged to support these initiatives, ensuring that the necessary conditions and flexible funding models are in place to facilitate successful community-driven development.
Methodology
Approach: The research employs a comprehensive, mixed-methods approach to gather evidence on the impact of CDC initiatives in Africa and India. The methodology includes:
Literature scan: A thorough review of existing literature to understand the definitions and frameworks of CDC and to identify organisations implementing these approaches in India and Africa. This step identified nearly 100 organisations practising CDC.
In-depth interviews: Conducted over 60 interviews with NGO leaders, funders and community stakeholders to gain insights into the application and impact of CDC approaches.
Focus group discussions: Organised discussions with NGOs and CBOs in India and Kenya to delve deeper into findings, particularly on equity and the enabling conditions required for CDC to thrive.
Surveys: Partnered with six CDC-implementing organisations to survey approximately 800 households across Kenya, South Africa and India. The survey aimed to gather data on community power and assets, equity and inclusion, and enabling conditions for the CDC.
Key Findings
Empowerment and self-determination
CDC initiatives significantly enhance community empowerment and self-determination. Communities reported substantial improvements in their ability to lead and manage their development projects. Key insights include:
• Increased community involvement: Communities that adopted CDC approaches showed high levels of participation in development activities. For instance, OneVillage Partners in Sierra Leone reported that 81% of community members contributed to community development projects.
• Enhanced leadership: CDC fosters the development of local leadership, enabling community members to take charge of their own development. This leads to sustainable and resilient communities.
Enhanced access to resources
CDC initiatives help communities secure resources from nonphilanthropic sources and government benefits, enhancing their capacity to address local challenges.
• Access to financial services: Organisations such as SPECTRA in India facilitated women’s groups to access bank credit and improve their livelihood options. This has led to significant economic empowerment for women in these communities.
• Government benefits: CDC approaches increase community access to government services and social security schemes, ensuring a broader range of support for marginalised populations.
Holistic development
CDC promotes a holistic approach to community development, addressing multiple needs simultaneously, such as health, education, sanitation and livelihoods.
• Comprehensive planning: The Swades Foundation’s village development plans in Maharashtra, India, exemplify how CDC enables communities to address a wide range of needs through integrated planning and local governance structures.
• Improved living standards: Communities involved in CDC initiatives reported improvements in various dimensions of wellbeing, including health, education and income levels.
Inclusivity and equity
CDC initiatives shift social norms to elevate the voices of marginalised communities, fostering more inclusive decision-making processes.
• Elevating marginalised voices: Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program in West Africa has significantly increased women’s participation in community leadership and decision-making.
• Gender equity: CDC approaches promote gender equity by ensuring that women and other marginalised groups have a say in community development initiatives.
Social norms and mindset shifts
CDC initiatives lead to significant shifts in social norms and mindsets, promoting equity and inclusion.
• Changing perceptions: Programmes like Tostan’s have successfully shifted community perceptions regarding gender roles and education, resulting in more equitable community practices.
• Increased community cohesion: CDC fosters a sense of unity and collective responsibility, which is essential for sustaining development efforts.
CASE STUDY
Swades Foundation in Angrekond Village, India
The Swades Foundation’s work in Angrekond Village showcases the power of CDC. By installing household water taps, they freed up significant time for women, who then formed self-help groups and started income-generating activities such as kitchen gardens and a dairy business. This holistic approach addressed water, sanitation and livelihoods, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of CDC.
Conclusion
Implications and recommendations
The findings from this research underscore the transformative potential of CDC approaches in fostering sustainable and equitable community development. Key recommendations for funders and implementing agents include:
- Invest in CDC initiatives: Funders should prioritise investments in organisations that facilitate community leadership and self-determination.
- Supportive ecosystems: Creating a supportive environment with strong social cohesion and access to resources is crucial for the success of CDC initiatives.
- Flexible funding models: Providing multi-year, unrestricted funding allows implementing organisations to be adaptive and responsive to community needs.
The research highlights the importance of CDC approaches in achieving long-term, equitable development. By investing in community leadership and ensuring supportive ecosystems, funders can play a crucial role in enabling communities to become architects of their own futures. The findings and recommendations provide a roadmap for scaling CDC initiatives, ensuring that development efforts are both impactful and sustainable.
Find out more
- Link to report: https://www.bridgespan.org/insights/community-driven-change-africa-and-india
- Contact information: info@bridgespan.org
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2024 (27th edition).
