Sustainable Livelihoods Enhancement and Diversification (SLED)

• Supporting the poor
• Facilitating capacity building
• Building an enabling environment
• Improving market access
3.1 Supporting the poor
The importance of the SLED facilitators taking a more “back-seat” role during the Doing Phase has been
described above. But while this may be regarded as the general rule for the Doing Phase, there will be
exceptions. SLED facilitation teams will find that some groups in the community or area where they are
working will have acquired sufficient momentum, confidence and enthusiasm from the preceding phases to
be able to proceed with limited support and intervention from the team. But for some, and particularly for
poor, marginal and vulnerable groups, the process of taking action will be more of a challenge.
Much of the process in the Discovery and Direction Phases is aimed at ensuring that these groups are able
to participate as effectively as everyone else in the community. However, poverty, and its long-term effects
on people’s confidence, belief in themselves and capacity to take positive action cannot be overcome
quickly.
The poorest groups, such as older people, those suffering from disabilities of one kind or another, widows or
marginal tribal or migrant groups, are liable to need particular attention and support when putting their plans
into action and SLED facilitators need to be aware that there are no shortcuts when dealing with the poor.
They will often require patience and continual support in order to make the changes they have identified and
facilitators will often need to spend a disproportionate amount of time with these groups during the Doing
Phase to encourage them and help them to keep on track. This will often mean going back over territory
already covered during the Discovery and Direction Phases and using this process to reaffirm their
capacities and strengths and helping them to gain the confidence they need.
Photo: Reef gleaning, Lakshadweep Islands, India (© V. Hoon).
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