Cambodia Community Outreach Project (CCOP)

Duration

Eleven years (September 1991 - March 2002)

Donors

USAID

Overview

Prior to 1991 NGOs did not play a significant role in Cambodian society and were virtually nonexistent during much of its contemporary history. Cambodian NGOs have made significant progress since that time and Pact has contributed to this progress. Beginning in 1992-93, against the backdrop of the United Nations Peacekeeping mission, elections, and repatriation of refugees, many NGOs began to form. Using an NGO "incubator" approach, Pact was the first international donor to provide assistance to newborn organizations, provide training and mentoring, technical support and direct grant assistance to Cambodia's first generation of NGOs. Today over 400 Cambodian NGOs work throughout the country. This increasingly strong and responsive local NGO sector contributes significantly to Cambodia's development and its civil society.

As the NGO sector has evolved so has its needs. A recent multi-stakeholder review of the sector recently identified demand for more sophisticated capacities and knowledge. Specifically, NGOs now seek increased skills in resource mobilization and in the creation of sustainable organizations, along with the improvement of relations between government and NGOs at the national and local levels. Stakeholders, on the other hand, want to strengthen their understanding and use of participatory concepts and advocacy, improve communication between constituents, NGOs and local authorities, become more self reliant and refine their decision-making processes. (could you not combine ngos and stakeholders? - or clarify distinction of stakeholders)

Approach

Pact initially focused on human resource and organizational development with objectives focused on developing and strengthening the role of Cambodian NGOs in the reconstruction and development of their country. Achievement of objectives were largely met through training and mentoring many local NGOs in participatory management, planning, communication, program development, financial management and community development. The program also provided intensive follow up support and funding to the most promising groups to undertake and manage program activities. In addition, Pact provided funding support to eleven U.S., Cambodian-American and international PVOs spell out and explain .

Achievements

• Provided financial support to 45 local Cambodian NGOs and associations working in community development, ,micro-credit, human resource development, health education, birth spacing, HIV/AIDS awareness and human rights. Since receiving Pact support, all of the Cambodian NGOs have attracted additional funding and technical support from other sources and continue to provide community-based services in over 200 villages in seven provinces, as well as in Phnom Penh.

• Assisted six Cambodian-American grantees to localize their programs. Three of these grantees are acknowledged to be among the strongest Cambodian NGOs in their provinces, one is positioning itself as a local training organization specializing in community participation in development, one is providing training in basic management and another is continuing to provide training to social workers.

• Assisted in the formation and development of support organizations, networks and coalitions, including the Federation of Cambodian NGOs, the Local NGO Forum, and local initiative support groups in Battambang, Kampot and Kompong Thom.

• Founded and participated in activities of the Cambodian NGO Support Network, an informal network of NGOs with a common interest in the development of the Cambodian NGO sector. The network organized a series of partnership workshops to bring together Cambodian NGOs, international NGOs and donors to identify and discuss critical issues in effective partnerships.

• In partnership with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, helped 16 Cambodian NGOs increase technical knowledge and skills to carryout effective HIV/AIDS education activities.

• Facilitated a shift in NGO program strategies and activities from direct services to community mobilization and empowerment.

• Supported a pilot program for flood mitigation in three provinces in collaboration with the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Pact provided funding for the CRC to train 75 Red Cross volunteers in community-based disaster preparedness volunteer training program and coordinated NGO participation in local projects initiated by these trained volunteers.

• Developed a training curriculum in "community development/community organizing" with a local partner community development training institution. The training was provided by a local NGO support organization to all Pact partners working in community development.

• Conducted non-partisanship workshops for CNGOs, Provincial Election Committees and local authorities in 16 provinces. These workshops assisted participants to understand the importance of non-partisanship, formulate strategic responses for maintaining non-partisanship in the post-election environment and acquire knowledge on the future of decentralization in Cambodia.

• Developed a "Community Participation Assessment Tool" that was used to help CD/NGOs evaluate the quality of the participation they engendered in community-based activities.