World Bank Document

percent of the development bud- developing world involve build- As people become more mobileget. The Tanzanian government ing such things as wells, schools and the cash economy more widetypicallyprovides construction and health clinics. But they do not spread, the strength of traditionalmaterials for projects, and the stop there: in many countries local self-help efforts may wane. Butlocal communities provide the people provide food and housing instead of providing resources inlabor. Self-help organizations exist for primary school teachers. It is kind, local communities can raisein many developing countries: one more difficult, however, to mobilize money (through local taxes orexample is Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya sustained support for recurrent charges) to support their efforts.Shramadana Movement (see box.) costs than for one-time efforts, such Like other forms of self-help, thisMost self-help projects in the as construction projects. can be stimulated by matchinggrants from the central govemmentin support of locally initiated andSelf-help in Sri Lankamanaged activities. In Kenya, forFrom small beginnings in 1958, the week leadership training course. On their example, the government assistsSarvodaya Shramadana Movement now return they beganforming what Sarvodaya harambee (self-help) projects thatemploys some 6,000 full-time workers calls the "social infrastructure"-groups meet official guidelines. But slugandreaches more than 10 percent of the for mothers, farmers and so on. Repre- gish administration in centralcountby's rural population. It has full- sentatives from each group made up thescale programs in some 300 villages, but Village Reawakening Council, which has agencies can suffocate local pariciisactive in another 2,500. It has organized initiated various productive activities, pation and self-help-enthusiasmeduca-ion, health, nutrition, sanitation such as growing bananas and passion and initiative may wane if deciandhousing; set up agricultural and fruit as cash and food crops, and set up sions take too long or promisedhandicraft programs; and is starting to a cooperative store, assistance does not arrive on time.promote other small-scale rural industries. In the community center built dur-The village of Panakura, in the poor ing the Shramadana camp, one of the Self-help is not always the righthilly district of Kegalle, provides a good Sarvodaya trainees has helped the mothers answer. In education, for example,example of the Movement's work. Simon organize a community kitchen and day- local financing can lead to such anJayawickrama had graduated from care center. Here young children are uneven distribution of qualifiedPanakura'sprimary school andwasdoing taught about health and hygiene, and teachers, books and equipmentwell in the secondary school two miles are vaccinated by a visiting governmentaway; then he had to drop out in the health worker (who received part of her as to intensify the inequities thetenth grade to help support his family. training from Sarvodaya). The school- country is trying to reduce. North-Through his former teacher and the local age children's group is responsible for a eastem Brazil and northem NigeriaBuddhist monk, he made contact with garden that helps to supply the community provide two cases in point. In boththe Movement; with the help of the local kitchen, and for keeping the community regions, low incomes partly explainSarvodayaworkersinnearbyAtulugama,center clean. The local Buddhist monkSimonbeganworkingamongstPanakura's took a four-month course on village why the wages and quality of81 families. After intermittent visits over development at the special Sarvodaya teachers fall below the nationala two-week period, a first Shramadana training school for monks. average; they also partly explainworkcamp was organized-to build a As well as extending its coverage, the the low enrollment rates in theseroad to the village. A second camp began Movement is improving the follow up to regions. If local economic andbuilding a community center-both proj- the initial Shramadana workcamp phase, social rogress lags well behindects chosen by the villagers themselves. to prevent backsliding. Although the s g gThe Sarvodaya Movement provided long-term effect of Sarvodaya's work the national average, financial andcement, reinforcing rods and skilled remains to be properly evaluated, most technical assistance from the cenlabor.For 15 weekends, 80 percent of the observers have been strongly impressed tral government will be crucial.villagers put in 6-8 hours of manual labor by the way it has involved people ina day. With the help of 100 young workers development. It has attracted widespreadfrom Sarvodaya groups in other villages, international support. Developing administrativethey established a community kitchen How much has all this cost? The strengthswhere everyone pooled and prepared Sarvodaya budget for 1979-80 was $2.3their food; took part in community medi- million, an average of less than $1,000 Institutional constraints are in manytation, singing, dancing and other cultural per village assisted. Voluntary labor and cases at least as serious a barrieractivities; and held two daily community otherpayments inkind contributed manymeetings (called "family gatherings") times that amount. Of the cash budget, to human development as shortwhereeveryone, young and old, had an some 80 percent came from international age of funds or lack of politicalopportunity to discuss their problems assistance (both private and official), 10 support. Effective administrationand ways of solving them. percent from Sri Lankan donations and usually requires more than theFollowing the workcamps, Simon and 10 percent from the sale of commodities efficient working of official bureau-10 others went to the Sarvodaya regional produced in Sarvodaya's training farmstrainir.g institute at Kegalle for a two- and schools. cracies; it depends on such factorsI as the availability of middle-level75