Strengthen Local Capacity in Sustainable Development

By Titima Wanwilaiwan, 1st year MDP Student

Time flies, and I have finished my field placement with the Blossom Project with ADRA Vanuatu. I learned a lot about the livelihoods and the situation of Indigenous peoples in the South Pacific.It has been a great experience for me to work in field of development in a diverse cultural setting. 

Community Elder carving a traditional boat

One of the lessons I learned is that relationship building is the most important element. Relationships built on mutual respect must be at the foundation of development goals; in fact, I would consider it as the golden goal. Regardless of the politics and where the money comes from for the development projects, mutual respect and sincere collaboration is at the core for sustainable development. I am grateful for the insights I gained in my MDP Indigenous Evaluation course, because I was able to see the value of humility as an essential part of intercultural communication and learning.

As I mentioned in the first blog, I spent a lot of time out of working hours weaving myself into the Ni-Vanuatu culture so I could learn more about their values, and understand how they look at and find solutions to different problems. For example, tackling complex issues like domestic violence, it is hard to use the ‘Gender Equality’ framework applied in a Western context, since the cultural context of Vanuatu is quite different. Therefore, imposing foreign values onto the local people could result in more conflict within the community. That is not to say that the serious problem of domestic violence should not be addressed; however, careful consideration of the community values regarding gender roles and expectations must be acknowledged, and included in any plan or strategy. In my observations, I noted that the local staff of the Blossom Project does an excellent job utilizing and building on the capacity of local people and communities. It is important to support and enhance local capacity and move away from reliance on outside sources and expertise.

One excellent example of local cultural values is in their marriage ceremonies, where both men and women play important roles. I attended a wedding ceremony in Vanuatu and observed that a wedding is regarded as two families bonding, and not only the two people. This bond is a valuable social structure that provides a protective system and support network for the two families. During the ceremony, women were honored for their importance to family and community life, and given a place of honor and respect.

Preparing handwoven wedding mats for Bride's family as show of unity and respect between the two families

Another way to build on local capacity is to support the community care model for children rather than the orphanage model. In Vanuatu, there are no orphanages, and no tradition of legal adoption. Instead, members of the child’s extended family take on the parenting role, and provide the care and love. Imposing a formalized legal adoption and child welfare system would not work because it would be resisted by the population. In contrast, the community care model could be promoted and supported. 

Therefore, I would like to end my field placement with the idea of ‘Accentuating Positive Practices’ in the upcoming project activities. I have seen many inspiring examples of resilience and strength in the Ni-Vanuatu community, and I believe that they deserve the right and the opportunity to practice self-determined development.

I have learned so much, but there is still more to learn. Again, thank you ADRA Vanuatu, ADRA South Pacific Office and the MDP program of the University of Winnipeg. It has been a tremendously meaningful experience.

ADRA Vanuatu staff & ADRA South Pacific trainer at Emergency Response Training Workshop, Titima (far right)

Building Healthy Family Relationships in the Pacific Nation of Vanuatu

By Titima Wanwilaiwan, 1st year MDP student

My field placement this year is with the Blossom Project of ADRA Vanuatu, a non-profit organization, located in The Republic of Vanuatu, an island nation located in the South Pacific, and a three-hour flight from Sydney, Australia. The country only gained its independence from the British and the French in 1980 and has become popular among luxury tours and tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America.

A small island near Espiritu Santo showing traditional livelihood practices

Vanuatu is comprised of more than 80 islands, 65 of which are inhabited. It is one of the Pacific Island countries that is prone to natural disasters, such as cyclones, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The people of Vanuatu move a lot among the islands to avoid natural disasters, visit family, education, employment/ economic and tourism development opportunities.

The Blossom Project is a pilot project, that started in response to the high rate of domestic violence, youth pregnancies, and abandoned babies. Initially, the project started with the Gender Needs Assessment in 2013, and it works with young students in school, communities, as well as with parents and teachers. The project was expanded to include sexual offenders for more effective results. Prevention activities aim to enhance healthy family relationships to tackle violence against children, especially girls. My role with ADRA Vanuatu was to support the Blossom Project in developing the plan and activities for Phase II to tackle these issues effectively. 

Women from Tangoa community presenting their discussion on community values

In order to do the work properly, I needed to understand the context and the complexity of the island community in Vanuatu. I examined urban and rural livelihoods, community-based food systems, health and wellness, and other important factors such as gender roles and responsibilities, tourism and the legacy of colonialism.  I also observed and participated in project activities, including planning a community survey.

One example of the project activities that I participated in was the training on domestic violence prevention at the Low Risk Detention Centre. The training is part of the rehabilitation program for the inmates who will soon return to their communities.

I am so thankful that ADRA Vanuatu and the MDP program allowed me to practice my skills in the field and learn about the ongoing work to prevent child sexual abuse, domestic violence and youth pregnancies in the Ni-Vanuatu community.

 

Off to do a training workshop on domestic violence prevention at a prison. (L-R) ADRA Program Director, Blossom Project Manager, staff member from Finance team, Titima, and 3 trainers.