Community Development
Historically, most communities in Ghana are perpetual and passive recipients of donor largesse irrespective of the level of need and relevance. As a result, there is a plethora of failed projects. DSC has come out with a solution to this problem by facilitating a participatory needs assessment and helping the communities to package and prioritize their needs. Also important is creating job opportunities for people living in rural areas to prevent them from moving into urban areas for “mirage” jobs.
The key focus areas for community development are:
- Facilitating Participatory Needs Assessment (PNA) for communities.
- Establishing and providing support to community resource management committees or Zonal/Area Councils that will develop community development plans, prioritize projects and manage implementation.
- Designing and implementing community development programmes for the extractive industries with full involvement of affected communities.
- Supporting communities to mobilise resources – internally and from without, to support and facilitate the implementation of their development plans and projects.
- Facilitating the establishment of District Human Development Trust Funds.
- Building the capacity of Assemblymen to better appreciate their TOR and help them to be more effective in their assigned role.
- Developing policy advocacy to build capacity to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people and communities we serve.; and
- Harvesting indigenous knowledge to help meet the broader objectives of society, while its protection encourages the maintenance of traditional practices and lifestyles.
DSC has varied experience in planning and implementing community development interventions in the extractive (Minerals, Oil & Gas) industry both in Ghana and Nigeria.