Development is a critical aspect of individuals, groups, communities or nations. Community development is even more critical aspect of development as it purportedly leads to self reliance. Huge amounts of funds, time, and resources, just but to mention a few have been continuously channeled towards communities over time in a bid to facilitate community development. Unfortunately, results of such actions and interventions by NGOs, governments and a host of development agencies have so far largely proved elusive. Contrary to NGO expectations and popular opinion, target communities continuously demand, request and expect increased direct support from development agencies. Solving acute community problems and challenges, the focus of most NGO development interventions has been less successful. Target problems have largely graduated and turned to chronic levels. All this is unfortunately worsening against the background of increased donor and NGO support. Deteriorating and widening community challenges are also taking place against general claims by NGOs to the application of community development ideals in communities as a successful development alternative. Contrastingly, rather than being self reliant, communities have become more dependent on donors. In addition, NGO target communities continue to grapple with short-lived changes, limited participation by the majority, reversal of past successes and dwindling self representation and reliance. Inequalities have widened. This is to the detriment of ongoing NGO claims and efforts at promoting community development. Development is a critical aspect of individuals, groups, communities or nations. Community development is even more critical aspect of development as it purportedlyleads to self reliance. Huge amounts of funds, time, and resources, just but to mention a few have been continuously channeled towards communities over time in a bid to facilitate community development. Unfortunately, results of such actions and interventions by NGOs, governments and a host of development agencies have so far largely proved elusive. Contrary to NGO expectations and popular opinion, target communities continuously demand, request and expect increased direct support from development agencies. Solving acute community problems and challenges, the focus of most NGO development interventions has been less successful. Target problems have largely graduated and turned to chronic levels. All this is unfortunately worsening against the background of increased donor and NGO support. Deteriorating and widening community challenges are also taking place against general claims by NGOs to the application of community development ideals in communities as a successful development alternative. Contrastingly, rather than being self reliant, communities have become more dependent on donors.

Development thinkers and practitioners have been pondering over community participation for the last decades. Some even called the 1980s a decade of participation in development discourse while others also view the current decade of social movements, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Community-Based Organizations as a manifestation of organized community participation. The Sangwe Communal Lands is one such area that researchers in the last decades have been pondering over the role of community participation in project sustainability. Likewise this study evaluates the effectiveness of community participation in Sangwe where it has been hypothesized that the current participation discourse has not lived up to its billing of ensuring sustainable projects. The research therefore explores some of the politics surrounding community participation in Sangwe and Zimbabwe at large. From one angle to the other, the research overviews some of the different theoretical orientations, goals, processes and practices that are commonly used but not always recognized to constitute genuine community participation. The research is intended to clarify some of the differences that emerge when projects are designed, and to stimulate discussion about community participation more generally. This study shows that the local communities who in this case are the reason for being of NGOs and their programmes are quite critical in development projects undertaken in their own areas. This to a larger extent determines the success of development initiatives at all levels. Such a scenario calls for a proper sustainable and pro-rural community legal and policy framework as a pre-requisite for sustainable projects. The study further highlights the need for development workers and agents to change their attitude towards communities and their indigenous knowledge systems. They need to co-opt community indigenous knowledge as a system that has a unique contribution to sustainable development. Above all, attitude change is the pillar for the New World System and 21st century development paradigm that respects local values, concerns, culture, and aspirations and that these should be taken on board in the management of development programmes.

The aim of the study was to carry out an investigation into the impact of donor-funded community empowerment projects on poverty alleviation. The data for this study were from the use of triangulation method of data collection which enhanced the assessment of the impact of donor funded community empowerment projects on poverty alleviation with specific focus on selected projects in the Chiredzi district of Zimbabwe. The findings of the study show the need for adoption of empowerment inclined practices by the local NGOs. There is need for community involvement in decision making, project ownership, and clear lines of communication with the NGOs, among others. However the findings also show the strength in linking project members with relevant institutions, and training, in order to ensure sustainability of community projects in ensuring community empowerment towards poverty eradication.

The chief purpose of this study was to determine the role of the rural communities in the food security initiatives of the government in alleviating food shortages in the Marange communal area of Mutare district in Zimbabwe. The focus was on local community empowerment; ownership of food security initiatives by the communities; communities‟ independent analysis of needs and priorities; their involvement in designing food security programmes and the role of the government in linking with the communities. The data was gathered using a case study research design with the qualitative method being the main research approach. The primary data was obtained from focus group discussions held in three wards of Marange area and some in-depth interviews conducted with selected key informants. The findings indicate that the government designs food security strategies without considering the input of communities. The communities are introduced and expected to adopt these pre-conceived food security plans at the implementation stage. The results also show that poor community participation in the food security initiatives of the government, specifically during the initial stages, is a significant contributing factor to the continual shortages of food in the communal lands of Marange. It is the view of this study that unless community input in decision making at the planning and designing phases is given preference in the food security interventions of the government in rural Zimbabwe, food security will seldom be achieved. While the government has a significant role to play in food security measures, such interventions can make an important contribution if the use and development of community participation is made central to food shortage alleviation strategies. The principal conclusion of this study is that if food security is an intended ultimate goal in rural Zimbabwe, the communities must participate fully in the conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the government-initiated food security programmes.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

Institute for Rural Development / MRDV

Since the mid 1970s there has been an increasing effort to adopt community participation as a necessary instrument for people driven development. NGOs and governments have come to use this participatory approach not only to empower local people, but also to give them a platform to plan and implement their own development projects. However in Zimbabwe, the government has failed to fund most projects and it has created a gap for NGOs to provide most, if not all services in rural communities. NGOs have been seen as better institutions to facilitate development projects and to engage local people to actively participate in development issues. Community participation is a central component in development projects as the projects respond to the people’s needs and that local people are in full control and ownership of these projects. This study is an assessment of community participation in NGO development projects in Zimbabwe. The study investigates the extent of community participation in development projects and it is guided by the Participatory Development (PD) theory. Research findings reveal that community participation is minimal in development projects of Bulilima and Mangwe districts in Zimbabwe. Local people are just passive participants of the development projects who are told what to do. The local people’s contributions and influences are sidelined in the planning and decision-making processes; instead these are made by the rural elite who plan and make decisions on behalf of the local people. It is the view of this study that the purpose of community participation is to create opportunities for local people to participate in planning, decision making, implementation, allocation and distribution of resources. The development projects should be responsive to the people’s needs. Similarly, participatory development just like community participation is a process whereby communities are given the opportunity to determine their future in terms of their needs and resources. In this regard, it is relevant that rural communities actively participate in planning, decision making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. By so doing, the projects become not only successful but also sustainable.

In today‘s changing demographic, economic, political and environmental context the livelihood strategies developed by the rapidly growing older population deserve particular attention. Lack of support by the state coupled with economic crises and decreasing family availability has meant that older people are increasingly expected to find their own means of support into old age, develop their own strategies and rely on their own resources. Heterogeneity in old age means that while some older people are amongst the most vulnerable and socially down and out, others have accumulated resources that enable them to implement diverse and enterprising livelihood strategies to maintain their wellbeing in old age. This study uses an explorative approach in its quest to understand the various livelihood strategies of the elderly. In-depth interviews and life histories have been utilized as data collection instruments. In addition to this inductive and qualitative research approach, the dissertation uses the sustainable livelihoods framework to examine the different kinds of livelihood strategies employed by the elderly in Mubaira to stave off poverty in old age in the absence of social security systems. A comparative analysis with other regional countries reveals that old age pensions have been able to reduce poverty at old age significantly. By engaging in different livelihood activities, in the absence of old age pensions, the elderly in Mubaira community in Zimbabwe have been able to make a living. Agriculture is the dominant activity the aged people engage in as they try to avert food insecurity. Besides agriculture, aged people diversify their livelihoods through self employments that add income value to their households. The impact of cash and non-cash remittances has seen aged people being able to buy basic goods and a few essentials. Although the state has been dysfunctional, civil society has stepped in to address the livelihood challenges faced by the aged population and in v particular to provide an alternative solution to the needs of the elderly people within the sustainable livelihoods framework which remains one of the most important models for the analysis of rural livelihoods. Through the livelihoods approach‘s vulnerability approach the study also analyses the various impacts affecting the attainment of sustainable livelihood outcomes. Through the utilization of the livelihoods framework in addition to the qualitative research methodology as indicated above, the study found that livelihood activities of the aged require a stock of capital assets which include natural, human, physical, social and financial capital. The life histories of the aged in Mubaira revealed that through the years the aged did accumulate various assets that assist them even now. As the life course perspective suggests events in earlier life do have a bearing on later life, access to a range of capital assets helped old aged people in Mubaira to fully engage in livelihood strategies that ensured their survival and escape from poverty.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study represents an analysis of the role of civil society organisations/non‐governmental organisations (CSOs/NGOs) in building human capabilities through knowledge construction. It assesses the effectiveness of community publishing in building human capabilities under challenges they face in the environment they are operating in. The complex environment CSOs/NGOs are operating in is dealt with. It will be demonstrated that CSOs/NGOs give marginalised communities, especially women, children and the disabled, a platform where they can organise themselves and give them an opportunity to influence policy and development of their community. Community development has many interpretations. This study focuses on communities as central agents responsible for their own development. When communities participate in their own development, they are engaging in an educational process which is both formal and informal in nature. The education process helps them to understand their situations better. This type of education called ‘popular education’, is based on the belief that people involved in the process have important knowledge that they have acquired from their experiences in life and the education they receive mainly consists of dialogue between different knowledge sets that they possess. In the process, when people participate actively in the development of their communities, a sense of ownership is developed. For the purpose of designing the study, observation of the direct involvement of staff from local government, Africa Community Publishing Development Trust and partner organisations as well as working with communities from Shamva, Umzingwane and Buhera provided the basis. It is noted that party politics affects the development of a CSO/NGO sector that is capable of building human capabilities. It is, therefore, clear that government should create an enabling environment that is free from violence and rule of law should be respected as this helps CSOs/ NGOs to implement capability building programmes conducive for all communities to participate in the development of their areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ontleed die rol van burgerlike organisasies/nie‐regeringsorganisasies (BOs/NRO's) in die bou van menslike vermoëns deur middel van kennis konstruksie. Die studie beoordeel die effektiwiteit van die gemeenskap uitgewery in die bou van die menslike vermoëns en die uitdagings wat hulle in die gesig staar in die omgewing waar hulle hul bevind. Die komplekse omgewing waarin BOs / NRO’s hul bevind word inmiddels behandel. BOs/NRO's gee gemarginaliseerde gemeenskappe veral vroue, kinders en gestremdes 'n platform waar hulle hul self kan organiseer en gee hulle ' n geleentheid om beleid te beïnvloed en hul gemeenskap te ontwikkel. Ontwikkeling van die gemeenskap het baie interpretasies. Die studie fokus op die gemeenskappe as sentrale agente wat verantwoordelik is vir hul eie ontwikkeling. Wanneer gemeenskappe betrokke is in hul eie ontwikkelings proses, neem hulled deel aan ’ n opvoedkundige proses wat van nature beide formeel en informeel is. Die opvoedkundige proses help hulle om hul situasies beter te verstaan. Hierdie tipe van Onderwys genaamd "gewilde onderwys", is gebaseer op die oortuiging dat mense wat betrokke is in ‘n proses belangrike kennis besit as gevolg van persoonlike lewenservaringe, die opvoeding wat hulle ontvang bestaan hoofsaaklik uit dialoog tussen die verskillende kennis stel dat hulle besit. Wanneer mense aktief deelneem in die ontwikkeling van hul gemeenskappe, word 'n gevoel van eienaarskap ontwikkel. In terme van die ontwikkeling van die studie het die direkte betrokkenheid van die personeel van plaaslike regering, ACPDT en vennoot organisasies asook die werk met die gemeenskappe van Shamva, Umzingwane en Buhera die basis gevorm van die studie. Politieke partye beinvloed die ontwikkeling van die BO/NRO‐sektor en dit stel hulle in staat om menslike vermoëns op te bou. Die regering moet 'n instaatstellende omgewing skep wat vry is van geweld en waar die oppergesag van die reg gerespekteer word. Dit sal BO’s/NRO's help om vermoëns bouende programme te implementeer wat gemeenskappe die geleentheid sal gee om deel te hê aan die ontwikkeling van hul gemeenskap.

Institute of Rural Development / PHDRDV