The Movement for Community-led Development

The Movement for Community Led Development – Ethiopia was officially launched in November 2021

About MCLD-Ethiopia

Members (as of November 2021)

Proceedings of the launch

Date: 04 November 2021

Time: 9 A.M. – 12: 30 P.M.

Venue: MADO Hotel, Addis Ababa

Agendas of the launching workshop 

1. Welcoming speech and introduction among participants.

2. Presentation on MCLD to participants.

3. Presentation on CLD approach – The case of THP – E.

4. Discussion on the presentations and the launching of the MCLD.

5. Election of steering committee members and Discussion on the way forward.

Agenda 1: Welcoming speech and Introduction among participants.

The workshop started with a welcoming message by Teshome Shibru, Country Manager of The Hunger Project-Ethiopia (THP-E). Teshome noted the purpose and agendas of the workshop that and explained that MCLD is a global movement with more than 70 organizations and in Ethiopia, seven (7) international NGOs took the initiative to launch the movement in Ethiopia. He extended his best wishes for the success of the workshop and thanked all the participants for coming and invited Dr. Negussu Legesse, Executive Director of CCRDA and Chairperson of CSOs Coalition in Ethiopia to make an opening remark. 

Dr. Negussu expressed his gratitude for THP-E for taking the initiative in organizing the launching workshop. He went on to state some of the benefits and characteristics of CLD in that:

• CLD encourages community participation.
• It is a voice for the voiceless.
• It can be useful for building democracy and good governance.
• It can be used to deliver quality and affordable social services. 
• It can be vital in building a resilient community against disasters & emergencies.
• It is basic in community asset building and community leadership.

Dr. Nigussu Legesse: making opening remark to workshop participants.  (Photo Credit: Esete Lakew).

He concluded his speech by welcoming the participants and expressed his expectation of a good deliberation among the participants.

Teshome thanked Dr. Nigussu for the opening remark and facilitated the introduction among participants. 48 organizations were represented by 51 participants on the launching workshop.

Participants of the launching workshop (photo credit: Esete Lakew).

Agenda 2: Presentation on CLD to participants

Under this agenda, the concepts and features of the CLD are presented to the participants by Dereje Adugna, from Habitat for Humanity. In his presentation, he mentioned that CLD: 

• Is a process that works to achieve a systemic change;
• Aims at transformation of the mindset;
• Have principles and values;
• Used to mobilize volunteerism;
• Focuses on strengths and vision;
• Has a multi-sectoral/integrated approach.

Dereje briefing the participants on CLD (Photo credit: Esete Lakew). 

He further explained about the four (4) pillars of CLD framework: 

1. The Mindset: focuses on transforming the mindset of both citizens and the government representatives.
2. Capacity: facilitates processes and provide opportunities for all citizens by developing skills and group formation.
3. Impact: promotes participatory planning, social cohesion and social accountability.
4. Sustainability: advocates resilience building and legal existence.

He concluded his presentation by notifying the participants to take actions together, expand country chapters and advance a shared discourse built on evidences.

AGENDA 3: Presentation on CLD approach – The case of THP-E

Misrak Admasu, R2G Project Manager from THP-E presented a CLD practice to the participants, which is the case of ‘Her Choice’ Project implemented in Ensaro Woreda, Amhara region of Ethiopia. Although the project focuses mainly on girls rights’ and equal access to services, it also involves boys and the community in its implementation. 

Misrak Admasu presenting on CLD approach – The case of THP-E (Photo credit: Esete Lakew).

The project mainly implemented six (6) strategies for its realization: 

1. Investing in girls – mainly focuses on giving training to girls.
2. Keeping girls in schools – by improving girl’s access to formal education, sanitary pad production and utilization.
3. Improve access to youth-friendly SRH services for girls – linkage of the schools to health centers.
4. Improving the economic security of girls and their family.
5. Transforming social norms and traditional practices – through community conversation and events organized for awareness creation.
6. Creating an enabling environment by mobilizing community leaders.

Misrak explained the major impacts brought by the project through these six strategies and THP-E’s community mobilization and mindset change strategy – the Vision, Commitment, and Action (VCA) workshops.

Agenda 4: Discussion on the Presentations and on the launching of the MCLD-Ethiopia Chapter 

After the presentations, Dr. Nigussu and Ms. Tsehay (both from CCRDA) facilitated discussion on the presentations and the following deliberations made by participants: 

• A first speaker participant expressed his pleasure to be part of the MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter launching event and added that his organization is implementing CLD approach in the Ethiopian context. 
• Second speaker participant said that this is a new vision and the approach is more inclusive, in that the movement should be Ethiopian in its methodology to achieve its intended goals and expressed his joy to be a founding member of the movement.
• Likewise, another participant, Kebede Bogale, expressed his appreciation for the presentations and mentioned that CLD is an integrated development approach to strengthen CBO_S and in that we should focus on community empowerment, resilience and commitment. This same view is shared by another member of the workshop as he explained that we should empower and involve the community through developing skills and share experiences among ourselves and in everything we do, and we should be country-wide in our reach.
• Some other participants focused on the need to start with appreciating with what we have as a community and the big issue is to change the mindset of the policy makers about CLD – to have a positive view of the movement.
• Some also suggested the need to encourage volunteerism in the society and involve the community in every activity. The need to work with the media is also highlighted.
• Teshome from THP-E stressed that in light of the launching of the MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter, this forum is intended to check where we are, learn from each other and deliberate on the way forward; and encouraged participants to deliberate on these lines. Similarly, Dereje, from the Habitat for Humanity, appreciated the participants and pointed out the need to come together and agree on the CLD and asked participants to invite other organizations to join the movement and create impact.  

Following the suggestions made by the organizers, participants shared their experiences of implementing CLD approach and their concerns of MCLD in Ethiopia as follows: 

• A participant from the ‘Association for Forced Migrants’ mentioned that their organization works with ‘Idirs’ (traditional CBOs) in its community related works, and as this movement is new, it should be Ethiopian in its methodology in order to achieve its goal. 
• Another participant also stressed that as organizations that are working in the community, we need to recognize the role of the community for solutions to problems arising from the community. 
• A participant from Feed the Children Canada, Mr. Yeshitela, also mentioned his organization’s experience of CLD practice in which targeted communities themselves set their own objectives and develop action plans; and stressed the importance of empowering the community in every development work is essential.
• A participant forwarded his concern about implementing CLD approach. He raised the need for a policy concerning CLD approach and the documentation of CLD initiatives by practitioners. He further argued to avoid relying solely on foreign aid and the need to encourage volunteerism among the community. 
• Mr. Yabsira from Bole Idirs’ Association added on the issue of volunteerism – his association’s experience of using sport to mobilize volunteers was vital to involve the community in the various project initiatives.
• Another participant, Tilahun, also raised his concern about challenges of ‘Movements’ on such issues as child marriage and FGM in the past, and suggested that the MCLD movement must learn from these mistakes as we move forward.
• Sharing his experience, Abraham, from the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Development Commission, said that his organization mobilize the poor women to save money on a weekly basis to become entrepreneurs and train them to apply rotational leadership style.
• On empowering women through CLD approach, a participant from Women International, Amanuel Abera, explained that his organization established an advisory committee from different groups of the community, which also strengthened organizational accountability, thus, facilitating both community empowerment and achieve organizational goals.

As a summary of the discussion, Dr Nigussu appreciated all the participants for sharing experiences and making great suggestions. He further reiterated that the existence of all these different kinds of experiences and challenges of practicing CLD approach proves the relevance of networking among different actors and MCLD in Ethiopia.      

Agenda 5: Declaration of the formation of MCLD-Ethiopia Chapter, Election of Steering Committee members and Discussion on the way Forward.

The facilitator of this session, Mrs. Tsehay, asked the participants to approve the formation of the MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter, which constitute the whole attendees of this workshop as founding members. The participants unanimously expressed their agreement with a huge applause and the formation of MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter declared. She thanked participants and stressed that members of the MCLD must work as a community and devote for the realization of the objectives of the movement.

Upon this, the facilitators briefed about the 7 (seven) pioneering organizations that worked for the last two years to reach this stage and the need for a new steering committee that will represent this large group and take the initiative forward from now onwards. She asked the participants to discuss on the election of the steering committee and the following suggestions made:

• A participant appreciated the work done by the representatives of the 7 pioneering organizations and suggested to retain some of these and only elect the rest from among the larger group. Another participant credited the work that the 7 (seven) organizations did and insists to keep all and elect 8 organizations and create a steering committee of 15 members. Similarly, the idea of increasing the number of steering committee members to 9 is also suggested by one of the participants. 
• Dereje from Habitat for Humanity advised to stick to the 7 member committee for practical purpose of management. Further, Teshome, from THP-E tanked the participant about the compliments and stressed that the role of the seven (7) initiator organizations ends today and now is a time to elect a new steering committee that represent the larger group. Finally, the participants unanimously agreed to form a 7 member steering committee to lead the MCLD –Ethiopia Chapter.
• In this regard, Dr. Nigussu from CCRDA suggested that the new steering committee to include at least three (3) organizations from among the 7 initiator organizations as they have the expertise and experience in dealing with issues related to MCLD. Thus, the idea of retaining 3 members was decided by the majority of participants. Representatives of the seven organizations asked to elect 3 organizations that will continue in the new committee and elected: 

1. THP-E represented by Teshome Shibru,
2. Heifer represented by Getachew Eshete
3. Habitat for Humanity represented by Dereje Adugna  

For the rest of 4 seats in the steering committee, participants requested to volunteer and a total of 8 volunteer candidates registered. An open voting exercise conducted and the representatives of the following 4 organizations elected:

1. Canadian Feed the Children represented by Mr. Gebriel Galatis – 48 votes
2. YCDF  represented by Mrs. Habiba Gashaw – 26 votes
3. Live Addis represented by Mr. Alemayehu Teshome – 24 votes, and
4. Ethiopian Orthodox Church – Development Commission represented by Mr. Haftu Woldu – 22 votes

The new 7 member steering committee members elected the chair and v/chair from among themselves as follows:

1. Teshome Shibru: Chairperson 
2. Mr. Dereje Adugna: Secretary 
3. Mr. Getachew Eshete, Member
4. Mr. Gebriel Galatis, Member
5. Mrs. Habiba Gashaw Member
6. Mr. Alemayehu Teshome Member
7. Mr Habtu Woldu, Member

Members of the new steering committee: (photo credit – Esete Lakew).

Following his election as a Chairperson, Teshome thanked the participants for giving him the chance to serve in the new committee and remarked that the success of MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter shall depend on the commitment of its leadership and the members and asked all to keep the enthusiasm and interest that shown today. He also explained that the Ethiopia Chapter is part and of the community of the MCLD global movement and need to contribute its share of work to put the community in the leadership of its own development. As an immediate way forward, he suggested monthly virtual and/or face to face meetings among steering committee members to discuss and plan the future course of the movement, and thanked the participants for their engagement.

Finally, Teshome asked participants to suggest ideas as a way forward and the following deliberations made:

• A participant congratulated the new steering committee members and suggested that the movement should focus on strengthening the capacity of CSO_S and empower the community to lead their development. 
• Another participant also pointed out that this movement must emphasize on capacity building, nurturing volunteerism, experience sharing, and to ‘Walk the Talk’ through considering the social structure of the community like ‘Idir’ when promoting CLD. 
• Other participants stressed the need to make a concerted effort in realizing the objectives of the MCLD.

With this, Teshome thanked all those who contributed in different ways to the achievement of MCLD – Ethiopia Chapter formation and those who gave their precious time to come and contribute great ideas on the launching workshop and the workshop ended at 12:40 p.m.