The Community Organizers Training was implemented in Ratanakiri province. They didn’t have one central learning place, so they had to move from community to community to conduct the training.
Initially, the training was conducted for 5 days a week, but later on it was only 4 days a week because limited time participants could spare for the training. The following are the achievements, lessons learned and challenges of the project.
Initially, the training was conducted for 5 days a week, but later on it was only 4 days a week because limited time participants could spare for the training. The following are the achievements, lessons learned and challenges of the project.
Achievements
Community Organizing Training (COT) was established since 2005
supported by RNSP, VFI, and collaborated with PACOS, Malaysia but now COT was run by ICSO.
pilot project was implement at Ratanakiri province, Oyadav district
COT was process in 9 months
All focal trainees are Jarai IP
Four staffs play the importance role to supported COT team (two IPs and two Khmer)
First week we strengthen related:
1- Theories
2- Session plan
3- Training method, lead and manage training course
4- How to lead and facilitation community dialogue
5- Logistic management
6- Team work
Second week
Training at the field for 5 day
After training, Focal Trainees make extension/community dialogue with community with support from ICSO’s staffs
Monitoring & Evaluation
After each training, we have evaluations and make observations on the conduct of the training.
Report
Observe
Quarterly review
Reflection
Lessons Learned
Exchange experience between communities and community relevance to livelihood
Share experience together related to the problem and solution.
Share experience relevance to advocacy activities among the communities.
Develop support system
Focal Trainees participate in advocacy activities
Focal Trainees extension to their community
Solving problem on the land using
Facilitate among communities to solve problem by them self
Have IP trainers
Network with PACOS and AIPP
Network with some NGOs
Exchange experience with another province/country
Challenges Faced
Problem of land use between communities and communities (boundary)
Land conflict with outsider
Illegal logging
Forest and land concession
Some local authorities are too strict and follow to the government administration procedure, so this is disturb to the activities of Focal Trainees
Focal Trainees low education
Some local authority didn’t allow Focal Trainees to extension at the village. They have restricted implementation at the local level saying that the project doesn’t have permission to implement at the local level
Chang the training officer
IPs trainers staffs low capacity and skill to transfer to Focal Trainees
Specific Experience in the field:
Women with women
Women in Cambodia are involved in domestic work. They do not have the courage to express their thoughts and give comments. Women have had limited opportunities to receive education and knowledge. Men also do not value women’s work or their decisions. There is a problem with domestic violence. Women usually have fewer opportunities than men. Yet women’s work is more demanding than men’s work. We deal with this by strengthening women’s capacity separately from men during the first phase, and build their power separately. We also train men on gender issues. During the second phase, we work with men and women together to develop plans for the community.
Dealing with authorities
Some authorities do not support the trainings, nor do they support problems solving within the community. Many authorities do not want to coordinate with us, and just follow the government instead. Some authorities do not think about the community benefit, and work instead with brokers and ‘bad’ people in the community. They are giving programs to the community. They do not provide much information to the communities. Local authorities at the village and commune level have limited capacity and lack initiative in social development. The solution is to increase coordination and collaboration with all levels of authority and to increase their capacity. If the government doesn’t join the activity, we try to ask them to join and strengthen our relations with them.
Logistics and materials
Money for the travel is not enough. Travel and food rates are sometimes less than in the market. We lack funds for the use of equipment such as generator and video player. The solution is to explain the usefulness of the training to the trainees, explain the policies related to financial support to all, rent generator and video from NGOs.
Traditional Leaders/Village elders
Village elders have limited understanding of Khmer and lack confidence. The young people are less afraid to speak out. They have a low level of formal education. The decisions of the elders are often ignored by modern authorities. Sometimes they are easily influenced by dealers and ‘bad’ people. The solution is to have indigenous staff that speak the local language; invite elders to join meetings, workshops, forums, and trainings; and to have workshop reflections on and review the role of elders.
Continuing the network
Review selection criteria of local network people. Have a good selection process.
Guide and explain regarding roles and responsibilities.
Provide training and build self-confidence. We need to think about the encouragement system.
Exchange experience (eg meetings, workshops, forums, field trips) as part of systematic way of working, especially in ICSO
Provide incentives and support to trainees and network.
Have transparency.
Have a monitoring and evaluation system.
Have clear strategies for the long term and short term.
Do planning with the community.
Support community networks to organize into strong and daring peoples organizations. Support the initiatives of the people’s organizations.
We need to create a learning center.
Community Organizing Training (COT) was established since 2005
supported by RNSP, VFI, and collaborated with PACOS, Malaysia but now COT was run by ICSO.
pilot project was implement at Ratanakiri province, Oyadav district
COT was process in 9 months
All focal trainees are Jarai IP
Four staffs play the importance role to supported COT team (two IPs and two Khmer)
First week we strengthen related:
1- Theories
2- Session plan
3- Training method, lead and manage training course
4- How to lead and facilitation community dialogue
5- Logistic management
6- Team work
Second week
Training at the field for 5 day
After training, Focal Trainees make extension/community dialogue with community with support from ICSO’s staffs
Monitoring & Evaluation
After each training, we have evaluations and make observations on the conduct of the training.
Report
Observe
Quarterly review
Reflection
Lessons Learned
Exchange experience between communities and community relevance to livelihood
Share experience together related to the problem and solution.
Share experience relevance to advocacy activities among the communities.
Develop support system
Focal Trainees participate in advocacy activities
Focal Trainees extension to their community
Solving problem on the land using
Facilitate among communities to solve problem by them self
Have IP trainers
Network with PACOS and AIPP
Network with some NGOs
Exchange experience with another province/country
Challenges Faced
Problem of land use between communities and communities (boundary)
Land conflict with outsider
Illegal logging
Forest and land concession
Some local authorities are too strict and follow to the government administration procedure, so this is disturb to the activities of Focal Trainees
Focal Trainees low education
Some local authority didn’t allow Focal Trainees to extension at the village. They have restricted implementation at the local level saying that the project doesn’t have permission to implement at the local level
Chang the training officer
IPs trainers staffs low capacity and skill to transfer to Focal Trainees
Specific Experience in the field:
Women with women
Women in Cambodia are involved in domestic work. They do not have the courage to express their thoughts and give comments. Women have had limited opportunities to receive education and knowledge. Men also do not value women’s work or their decisions. There is a problem with domestic violence. Women usually have fewer opportunities than men. Yet women’s work is more demanding than men’s work. We deal with this by strengthening women’s capacity separately from men during the first phase, and build their power separately. We also train men on gender issues. During the second phase, we work with men and women together to develop plans for the community.
Dealing with authorities
Some authorities do not support the trainings, nor do they support problems solving within the community. Many authorities do not want to coordinate with us, and just follow the government instead. Some authorities do not think about the community benefit, and work instead with brokers and ‘bad’ people in the community. They are giving programs to the community. They do not provide much information to the communities. Local authorities at the village and commune level have limited capacity and lack initiative in social development. The solution is to increase coordination and collaboration with all levels of authority and to increase their capacity. If the government doesn’t join the activity, we try to ask them to join and strengthen our relations with them.
Logistics and materials
Money for the travel is not enough. Travel and food rates are sometimes less than in the market. We lack funds for the use of equipment such as generator and video player. The solution is to explain the usefulness of the training to the trainees, explain the policies related to financial support to all, rent generator and video from NGOs.
Traditional Leaders/Village elders
Village elders have limited understanding of Khmer and lack confidence. The young people are less afraid to speak out. They have a low level of formal education. The decisions of the elders are often ignored by modern authorities. Sometimes they are easily influenced by dealers and ‘bad’ people. The solution is to have indigenous staff that speak the local language; invite elders to join meetings, workshops, forums, and trainings; and to have workshop reflections on and review the role of elders.
Continuing the network
Review selection criteria of local network people. Have a good selection process.
Guide and explain regarding roles and responsibilities.
Provide training and build self-confidence. We need to think about the encouragement system.
Exchange experience (eg meetings, workshops, forums, field trips) as part of systematic way of working, especially in ICSO
Provide incentives and support to trainees and network.
Have transparency.
Have a monitoring and evaluation system.
Have clear strategies for the long term and short term.
Do planning with the community.
Support community networks to organize into strong and daring peoples organizations. Support the initiatives of the people’s organizations.
We need to create a learning center.
