on Culture & Development - Seameo-SPAFA

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○Networking benefits derived from the workshopswas an observation frequently made by theparticipants:“This valuable training can be used and practiced inthe workplace as well as to develop community,and networking with all stakeholders such asgovernment, INGO, LNGO, grass roots level andprivate sectors”“I found this kind of intensive training useful forinteraction and setting a country-wide network”“The workshop gives new guidelines intransforming development programmes to becomesensitive in cultural needs and to strengthennational or regional networks”133The networking concept and an increased sense ofsolidarity bought about by ‘strength in numbers’was, to some extent, an unexpected positiveoutcome. Many participants thought the problemsthey were experiencing were unique to them. Manydid not realize they had colleagues in the samecountry, let alone the same town, that they couldturn to for advice and support. Many did notappreciate that their own concerns and opinionswere valid. The following two comments are quiteilluminating: