Community-based Trainers at the hearth of sustainable livelihood in Nias

ACTED is implementing a project aimed at restoring and developing the agricultural and fishing sectors in Lahewa district, Nias. Like many livelihoods initiatives, the project will replenish communities’ supply of goods such as seeds, tools, fishing equipment and boats. But what is unique about this project, however, is its use of community-based volunteer trainers to transmit knowledge to programme beneficiaries. This innovate methodology will help to ensure that communities have a sense of ownership of the project and that skills transfer is sustainable.

Based on the livelihoods needs of the 24 targeted villages, the project has three components, all of which use volunteer trainers to pass on the acquired skills to their community members. The fishery programme trains marine carpenters in fisheries techniques, engine installation, boat maintenance and critically, boat building. The learning group programme involves the facilitation of learning groups, where beneficiaries are trained in the management of household and business finances, the benefits of group work and credit union formation. The third component, agricultural skills training, focuses on better production methods for vegetables, cacao and rice.

Choosing and training volunteers

Marine carpenter trainees were selected based on their roles in the community as boat builders with a great deal of fisheries experience but the selection of volunteers for the two other arms of the project occurred differently. In partnership with local government officials, ACTED facilitated 24 village elections to select the 96 volunteers that would lead the agricultural and learning group trainings (48 volunteers each). All were very eager to begin training and learn the new skills they would soon pass on to their peers; but for all volunteers, the first task was to take a Knowledge, Aptitudes and Practices (KAP) survey to assess their baseline level of skills. For example, given pre-project assessments, it was not surprising to find that agricultural knowledge was quite low for the agricultural volunteers. Indeed, the use of community-based trainers requires a large initial investment as intensive training may be necessary to bring volunteers’ skill level to a point where they can comfortably and capably teach others.

Currently, all volunteers are undergoing thorough Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions which involve instruction on facilitation and the specific program skills they will transmit to beneficiaries (either agricultural or learning group topics). Agricultural volunteers also conducted two field visits to other livelihoods initiatives on Nias to see firsthand some of the tools and techniques learned in their training sessions. Not only did these visits result in increased understanding of the techniques’ benefits, it also developed the confidence of staff and volunteers in the practices they would soon teach to others.

A rewarding experience ensuring sustainability

The use of community-based volunteers has so far been a rewarding experience for ACTED and the communities involved. Agro-volunteers have recently started training beneficiaries in the community demonstration plots (known as Farmer Field Schools) where ACTED is growing rubber, cacao, rice or vegetables. So far, feedback has been wholly positive and beneficiaries are appreciative of the natural feel of these ‘living classrooms’. From a programme perspective, the benefits are two-fold. This large pool of community-based trainers allows ACTED to offer many more training sessions than would be possible if only ACTED staff were used. But most importantly, the use of community-based volunteers helps to ensure the sustainability of the intervention: volunteers will be able to informally follow-up training sessions with their community members during everyday community life…

FLASH NEWS / ACTED INDONESIA participated in the Disaster Risk Reduction Month on the disaster-prone island of Nias

In partnership with other NGOs, ACTED Indonesia facilitated celebrations commemorating Disaster Risk Reduction Month on the disaster-prone island of Nias. Events included an awareness workshop and several competitions that tested and refined participants’ emergency response skills. These events are part of a larger movement promoting effective disaster response and preparedness on Nias of which ACTED is engaged.

Category: News on December 23rd, 2008