Voluntary Service and Community Participation in Peri-Urban Development : Appropriate for CARE Zambia, Appropriate for CARE International?

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In the search for effective means of promoting Third World poverty elimination and the participation of citizens in national and global governance, local projects can serve as incubators for developing international policy. This dissertation contains a reflection on one such experience in PROSPECT, a peri-urban community development project of an international NGO, CARE Zambia. Zambia is currently undergoing IMF and World Bank stabilization and structural adjustment progams, and attempting to reverse a decades-long economic decline. PROSPECT encourages residents participation and voluntary contributions of time and resources, to promote capacity-building and sustainability, while PROSPECT provides capital funds and technical assistance for water projects and other interventions. Despite intial agreements, some residents have requested that CARE also provide financial and other 'incentives', a practice found among some other local and international organizations. PROSPECT is now reviewing its policy, and this dissertation documents this review, examining the appropriateness of the content and process of the policy. Research conducted by CARE staff and external researchers shows that most residents find the approach reasonable, especially women, and they display a sense of ownership and willingness to undertake new projects. Following a participatory policy workshop, residents’ leaders have agreed to voluntarily invest their time until their community-managed schemes provide funds to enable performance-based incentives. This will require accountability to and broader awareness among residents, and ensuring coherence between contributions and benefits, especially for women and the poorest. Meanwhile, leaders are developing their capabilities and gaining confidence, and are increasingly brought into local and national fora of governance. After having evolved over time within a four-year learning process, we are currently formally writing PROSPECT's policy, and working on policy coordination with government agencies and NGOs. At the same time, as PROSPECT is a pilot urban project for CARE International, the model is currently being adapted to other countries, including the policy on voluntary service and communtiy participation.