The Adventists Development Relief Agency (ADRA) says a total of 39 integrated Village Development Plans (VDP) are expected to be developed following a two week training undertaken in Cakaudrove as part of ADRA Fiji’s Yadrayadravi Accountability and Monitoring Programme.
The three-year pilot program, which ends in November, is aimed at improving capacities of community-based organizations in Fiji in order to foster governance and accountability, in alignment to the Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness.
Funded by the European Union and implemented by ADRA Germany through ADRA Fiji, the project will also help realize the iTaukei Affairs Board’s aim to have VDPs developed in all 1071 villages in Fiji.
“We are glad to be working closely with ADRA Fiji in this project as we are working on developing Strategic Development Plans for all 1071 villages across Fiji as it will directly impact the lives of the people,” said iTaukei Afairs Board director Operations Livai Siga.
A total of 134 integrated VDPs are expected to be successfully developed at the end of the project as well as the establishment of over 134 Community Budget Monitoring Committees to support village headmen in overseeing the implementation of VDPs.
Dawa village clan leader Ilaitia Ganita said he was looking forward to reaping the benefits of the training.
“I have been involved in a lot of trainings before but they cannot be compared to this one as it has more meaning and we can easily relate to it,” he said.
“From this training, we have been able to identify our weaknesses, not only in the traditional leadership, but also in our collaboration with the church and Government.
Yadrayadravi Accountability and Monitoring Project Manager Pauliasi Tuilau said they were advocating the impact of the principles of effective leadership, accountability and transparency in the communities.
“This is an empowerment programme to actually build this network from the village level to the district level, then to the provincial level and on to national level – ensuring that communication flows all throughout in order to improve the way plans are carried out in the communities,” Mr Tuilau said.
The project was implemented in 2018.
