2005年-世界发展银行全球_Communities_of_Practice_for_Local_Capacity_in_Central_Asia___The_Community_Empowerment_Network_5页_518kb

Capacity Development Summary: Community Empowerment Network (CEN)

Core Content

The Community Empowerment Network (CEN) was established in 2002 by the World Bank Institute (WBI) and the Europe and Central Asia Region (ECA) to support community-driven development (CDD) in Central Asian countries: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. CEN aimed to build the capacity of communities and their development partners to design and implement more effective CDD projects that address local needs, particularly among the poor.

Main Goals

• Enhance understanding of what contributes to the success or failure of CDD projects.
• Improve access to relevant capacity development materials.
• Strengthen coordination among development partners.
• Promote local ownership and community participation in development initiatives.

Structure and Components

National Networks

Each country has a national partner (a local NGO) that manages the network by:

• Developing annual action plans.
• Coordinating activities.
• Managing funds.
• Reporting on project progress.
• Chairing meetings.

Examples of national partners:

• Kyrgyz Republic: Counterpart Sheriktesh
• Uzbekistan: Business Women's Association of Uzbekistan
• Tajikistan: Counterpart Tajikistan and UNDP Communities Program
• Azerbaijan: Save the Children Azerbaijan and Community Development Center

Each network includes a steering group composed of local and international stakeholders, responsible for approving action plans, budgets, and evaluations.

Regional Networking

WBI facilitated regional collaboration through:

• Monthly videoconferences for knowledge sharing and virtual supervision.
• Annual conferences where country delegations share experiences and plan for the future.
• A regional website aggregating content from national sites and Russian-language resources.
• An e-newsletter to reach those with limited internet access.

Guiding Principles

• Local ownership: CEN stakeholders define priorities and activities.
• Multistakeholder participation: Steering groups represent diverse community perspectives.
• Linkage to World Bank operations: Ensure CEN activities align with Bank country strategies.
• Partnerships: Encourage collaboration with local organizations to leverage resources.
• Informal structure: No membership criteria, special accounts, or by-laws.

Key Activities and Outcomes

Activities That Worked Well

• Public awareness building: TV trailers, radio programs, and print media raised community engagement and confidence.
• Community-to-community knowledge sharing: Field visits led to replication of successful practices, e.g., microcredit programs in villages.
• Local partnerships: Strengthened collaboration between CDD groups and local institutions.

Activities That Worked Moderately

• Government involvement: Limited in some countries due to lack of interest or antagonism toward CDD and NGOs.
• Regional exchange: Face-to-face interactions were more effective than videoconferencing or email lists.
• Linkage to Bank operations: Some partnerships were formed, but integration with Bank projects was not fully realized.

Activities That Did Not Work So Well

• Donor coordination: Competing donor interests remained unchanged.
• Evaluation and indicators: Measuring progress was difficult due to lack of clear indicators.
• Practitioner interaction: International agencies were less involved than local practitioners.

Lessons Learned

• Peer review among countries: Should be emphasized to improve knowledge sharing and learning.
• Focus on local organizations: Local groups are more willing to engage in learning and networking.
• Clear indicators of progress: Essential for maintaining member engagement and assessing impact.
• Flexible contracts and long-term evaluation: Allow for adjustments and measure social capital, not just participation.
• Balance between CEN priorities and Bank strategy: Ensure community ownership without undermining Bank objectives.
• Cost-benefit analysis: Needs further study to determine the value of CDD learning methodologies.

Funding and Support

• Initial funding of $470,000 from Norway, with additional support from Japan, Switzerland, and Turkey.
• WBI managed the project, with local supervision from each country office.

Conclusion

CEN serves as a model for how communities of practice can support CDD in post-communist contexts. While it has achieved some successes, challenges in donor coordination, evaluation, and government engagement remain. These lessons can inform future capacity development initiatives, emphasizing peer learning, local ownership, and measurable outcomes.

References

• Blázquez, Juan Ancín. 2005. "Communities of Practice: WBI Tools for Sustained Learning." World Bank, Washington, D.C.
• Wenger, Etienne. 1998. Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press.
• "The Context for Community Driven Development in Central Asia: Local Institutions and Social Capital in Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan." World Bank, ECSSD, Washington, D.C.
• Community Empowerment Network (website): http://www.communityempowerment.net
• World Bank Institute (WBI): http://www.worldbank.org/capacity