© 2012 Rey Ty

Critical Reflections on Development, Conflict

Transformation & Peacebuilding Community Projects

© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey TyWhich Community?

• Not in your own school• Not in your own community,

esp. if rich

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Donor Driven?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Blind Obedience?

To Whom?

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Donor’s View: “Gotcha!”1. Implementing partners are

problematic2. Put partners on notice: policing3. Foreign country director or evaluator:

interviews & quantitative data 4. Time to “bring down the hammer” &

“whip the partners into shape”5. Pre-conceived expectations &

scathing & strongly worded criticism

Source: Jennifer Lentfer. how-matters.org.

© 2012 Rey Ty

Who Are the Experts?

1. Foreign funders?2. Implementers?3. Local community? © 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Need An Honest Conversation about…

1.Aid2.Corruption3.Colonialism4.Neo-

colonialismSource: Jennifer Lentfer.

how-matters.org.

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Service Providers-Driven?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Who Benefits?• Does the project

make you happy & proud?

• Or does the project respond to community needs & problems?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Who Benefits?• Funder?• Implementer?

• Community or Partners?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Community Involvement in Planning?

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© 2012 Rey Ty© 2012 Rey Ty

Community involvement in implementation?

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Age Minors must have parental or guardian’s consent & work with adult leaders.

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Urban Bias?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

What about rural areas?

© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Tyindigenous people?

Did you include

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Ordinary folks?

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Consult communities?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Vertical Relationships with1.Donors?

2.NGOs?

3.Communities?

4.Social movements?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Agenda

1. Self-governance?

2. Dialogue with people in the community?

3. Justice? © 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Your Focus?:Absence of

war or physical

violence= Peace?

Work for Negative

Peace© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Injustice (including Poverty) = Structural Violence

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Your Focus?:

Work for Positive Peace

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Identity Politics = Symbolic

Violence© 2012 Rey Ty

Your Focus?:

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Dialogue for What?1. Truth?

2. Forgiveness?

3. Amnesty?

4. Justice?

5. Friendship?

6. Reconciliation?

© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Reconcile with whom?1. Ethnic

groups?2. Torturer?3. Corrupt

officials?4. Killers?5. Police?6. Military?

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Legitimacy Deficit?© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Speak truth to power

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Charity:Enough?

That’s all?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Community Empowerment

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What about the environment?

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Linkages

1. Civil Society (Community, NGOs, social movements, academics)

2. State (enlightened public officials)3. Humanitarian organizations4. Rebels © 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Capacity Building?

•Unleash it!

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Source: Jennifer Lentfer. how-matters.org.

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Humility

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Build strong relationships w/ grassroots organizations

• 1. Listen actively & openly.• 2. Put local ownership first.• 3. Bring honesty,

trustworthiness, integrity... and doubt!• 4. Assume the best first. • 5. Be curious.

© 2012 Rey Ty

Build strong relationships w/ grassroots organizations

• 6. Practice self-reflection first.• 7. Make time your friend.• 8. See organizations as living

systems.• 9. Expect and use language and

culture differences.• 10. Encourage, encourage,

encourage!

© 2012 Rey Ty

Build strong relationships w/ grassroots organizations

Source: Jennifer Lentfer’s Re-posting this series from the early days of how-matters.org. Adapted from: The Barefoot Collective. (2009). The Barefoot Guide to Working with Organizations and Social Change. Cape Town: Community Development Resource Association. www.barefootguide.org

© 2012 Rey Ty

The End

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Thanks!

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Thank You!

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Critical Reflection

1. What is your critique?

2. What are your recommenda-tions?

© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty

Critical Reflection1. What is your critique?

2. What are your recommendations?

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www.slideshare.net/reyty

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www.youtube.com/reyty2

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© 2012 Rey Ty

Critical Reflections on Development, Conflict

Transformation & Peacebuilding Community Projects

© 2012 Rey Ty

© 2012 Rey Ty