Decentralisation

The national government of Angola has begun decentralising the country. DW and a coalition of national NGOs have become the primary partners to manage a national campaign that encourages participative planning and increased local initiatives.

LUPP (Luanda Urban Poverty Programme) is a coalition of 4 organisations (DW, One World Action, CARE, Save the Children) that work in collaboration with the Angolan government and lo0cal civil society organisations to meet its declared goal in its Poverty Reduction Strategy, of halving the number of those living poverty, presently 68%, by 2015. Collectively these organisations offer an innovative, community-based approach to poverty reduction, where partnership between state institutions, community-based organisations, and international organisations is the basis for development.

LUPP History
LUPP has been financed by DFID, the UK government’s Department for International Development, through three distinct phases since 1999:

• LUPP1 (concluded in 2003, focused on strengthening capacities of local community organisations in the areas of service and livelihood
• LUPP2 (concluded September 2006) shifted the programme’s focus from service provider to policy influencer
• LUPP3 currently shares services and viable project blueprints with the government and continues to engage positively with emerging opportunities in a country experiencing great change after decades of devastating military conflict.

LUPP Projects

• Participative planning in Sambizanga
• ADOs (Area Development Organisations): Participative urban planning
• Sustainable services for small business development
• Forum for Municipal Development in Kilamba Kiaxi (FMDKK): A platform for collaboration between government, citizens, service providers, private sector and civil society
• Community childcare centres for poor urban families
• Community-based microfinance (savings and credits)
• Citizen participation and local responsibility (Hoji Ya Henda, Luanda)
• Community-based water management

LUPP Results:

• DW’s post war mission has been to introduce reforms that strengthen the functional capabilities of local government, in order to better respond to the needs of the poor and encourage community participation in development
  
  
• The development of a set of ‘good practice’ tools that have been tested and proven through LUPP, that are presently being scaled up and put into practice through Government and programme of other development partners
  
  
• The Ministry of Urbanism and Environment, the Ministry of Energy and Water and the Provincial Government of Luanda, monitor urban poverty and replicate models provided by LUPP for the community management of urban service providers
  
  
• The Urban Poverty Network, tied to the National Urban Forum, was created. Representatives meet regularly to define advocacy strategies for three aspects of urban poverty: basic services, municipal planning, and participative government

For more information on LUPP please visit www.luppangola.org

One of the key challenges for post-war Angola is to support the ability of state and civil society to work together in order to address social and economic issues related to poverty. Enter the Municipal Development Programme.

In 2006, MDP was born out of a nationwide decentralisation campaign led by the Angolan government and influenced by the successes of the Luanda Urban Poverty Programme (LUPP) a partnership between Development Workshop and three other NGOs, CARE, One World Action and Save the Children. Though LUPP focused on Luanda, the program’s objectives and results (capacity-building of local organizations, good governance training, municipal planning, and development of basic service delivery models) were in line with the government’s forward vision for the country.

Development Workshop, and its NGO partners  therefore adapted a similar formula to five other municipalities. Funded primarily by Chevron, USAID, and LKI, the trio aims to facilitate community and local government collaboration in the areas of participative planning, project implementation and discussion of community issues.

As MDP is a consortium of three NGOs, each works in one of the five municipalities (hyperlink to the below). Development Workshop’s efforts are focused on two, high conflict-risk but resource-rich areas of Angola, one rich in diamonds (Chitato), one rich in oil (Cabinda). Both of these pose a new challenge for DW and have significant potential growth in the areas of development and local government involvement. Nonetheless, DW needs to confront the serious problems related to these extractive industries and ensure the economic inclusion of local communities.

Results to date

• Dialogue between community and local government - government representatives and community leaders engage regularly in discussions through workshops and forums coordinated in each of the 5 municipalities
• Training - both community groups and local government employees have received a number of trainings given on good governance, local planning, organization etc.
• Project Implementation – communities have earmarked target projects for immediate implementation
• Local municipal planning – communities have begun working with local government to develop concrete plans for the future

Municipal profiles (hyperlinks to PDF for each)
Andulo
Cabinda
Chicala
Chitato
Cuito Cuanavale

For more information on MDP please visit www.mdp-angola.org

Created in 2006, PARCIL originated from a decade of DW-funded projects in local communities. Today, PARCIL has evolved to promote community participation in the decentralisation process through partnering with government in social infrastructure rehabilitation. PARCIL’s goal is to implement three guiding principles at the local level: community participation, project ownership and community empowerment. These will provide future case studies for local communities to leverage with the government.

PARCIL currently manages over 30 projects and operates in 17 out of 18 Angolan provinces. PARCIL partners with associations, local NGOs and church networks to encourage decentralisation.

PARCIL STRATEGY:

• Act as a service provider, financing projects that improve community infrastructure. Projects may include: construction and rehabilitation of schools, medical centres, latrines, fishing boats, corn mills, and vocational schools
• Assist community in developing network
• Hold forums where government, service providers, private sector and local organisations discuss community rehabilitation
• Encourage local capacity building