Myanmar, National Community Driven Development Project I

General Objective:

The wider objective of the project was to support and enable poor rural communities to benefit from improved communication and access to local and government services, within the context of the National Community Driven Development Project.

Specific Objectives:

The specific objectives were:

1. To provide institutional support and technical assistance to the township offices of the Department of Rural Development of Chaungzon, Bilin and Paung townships in Mon State, Shwegyin Township in Bago Region and Tanintharyi township in Tanintharyi Region.
2. To provide technical assistance to the village and village tract level to familiarize communities with participatory approaches in the process of establishing inclusive village and village tract project development committees.

Results:

The results of the project are:

• Training plans developed
• Township-specific information dissemination and outreach strategy developed
• 165 community and technical facilitators trained on the community project cycle, gender, social accountability and grievance handling, financial management, procurement, and M&E
• Technical facilitators trained on sub-project technical design, cost estimation, social safeguards implementation, and construction supervision and management
• Village tract , village committees and village volunteers trained on the community project cycle, gender, social accountability and grievance handling, financial management, procurement, M&E, sub-project technical design, cost estimation, social safeguards implementation, and construction management and supervision
• Village Tract Development Plans (VTDPs) completed in all five townships in accordance with the provisions of the Operations Manual
• Village tract sub-committee trained on finance
• Social audits of satisfactory quality completed in all village tracts in all five townships

1. Assisted township DRD offices in planning, implemented and monitored project activities in the townships in line with the implementation guidelines in the project Operations Manual and directions received from the union office.
2. Provided institutional support, capacity development and technical assistance to the township DRD offices in the implementation of the project, including providing data for the project’s Management Information System (MIS) and tracking and reporting on performance indicators and project progress.
3. Recruited and trained community facilitators to assist villages and village tracts in the preparation and annual revision of development plans, the approval and implementation of sub-projects, and the organization of annual social audits;
4. Recruited and trained technical facilitators to assist village level committees in sub-project technical design, cost estimation, environmental and social safeguards implementation, and construction management/supervision;
5. Supported the empowerment and leadership of village communities in social assessment participatory planning, implementation and supervision of their village plan;
6. Assisted village tract project support committees to manage project funds in a transparent and accountable manner;
7. Supported DRD engineers and village level committees for the preparation and technical design of sub-projects, including procurement and the identification and adequate mitigation of potential negative environmental and social impacts;
8. Supported the township DRD offices in adapting project information materials to local context and ensuring wide outreach to and communication and consultation with local stakeholders;
9. Supported the grievance handling system in line with the provisions of the operations manual.

Staff:

Name of staff provided by VNG International:
– Mr. Martin de Graaf, International Community Driven Development Specialist (7 months, freelance)
– Ms. Anne-Marie Schreven, International Community Driven Development Specialist (17 months, freelance)
– Mr. Ruud Corsel, International Community Driven Development Specialist (12 months, freelance)
– Ms. Mariolein Coren, International Community Driven Development Specialist (17 months, freelance)
– Mr. Salai Aung Myint, National Program Advisor (24 months, freelance)
– Mr. Ngwe Htay, National Program Advisor (29 months, freelance)
– Ms. Yin Min Phyu, Senior Financial administrative officer (46 months, freelance)
– Ms. Su Pan Aung, HR and administration officer (50 months, freelance)
– Ms. Aye Myat Su Kyi, Finance and administration Assistant (53 months, freelance)
– Chris van der Valk, Senior project manager (10 months, permanent)
– Irene ten Teije, project manager (9 months, permanent)
– Myrte van der Spek, junior project manager (
– 5 key experts (192 months, freelance)
– 42 Community and Technical Facilitators (966 months, freelance)
– 5 key experts (120 months, freelance)
– 16 Community and Technical Facilitators ( 368 months, freelance)

Staff provided by Loka Ahlinn Social Development Network:
– 15 Key Experts (576 months)
– 123 Community and Technical Facilitators (2760 months)