1. Implementing Rural Community
Development (RCD) Projects
Presented by
Stephen O Akinbile
(Program Director)
Community Planning and Development
Initiative (COPAD)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
November 2015

2. Implementing Rural
Community Development
(RCD) Projects
The Goal
To empower rural communities to find solutions
to their socio-economic problems within their
communities through the mobilization of both
internal and external human and financial
resources.

3. Objectives of RCD Projects
 To facilitate communities mobilization and
help to find solutions to local community-
based problems through development
projects and practical trainings.
 To establish a comprehensive structure to
facilitate Community Active Groups
continuous activities and overall
development.
 To reduce employment rate though wealth
creating projects.

4. Objectives of RCD Projects Contd.
 To encourage the mobilization and to
maximize the usage of the community
natural/agricultural resources.
 To facilitate a network of collaboration
and synergy between communities at
regional/municipal/national Govt. levels.
 To improve the social-economic life of the
target beneficiaries.

5. Examples of RCD Projects
 Road construction to the village
 Building of Health care centre
 Building of Schools/Community centres
 School supplies/provisions
 Building of Tourist centres
 Provision of clean water
 Vaccination program
 Pass-on-the gift projects
 Relevant manufacturing factories
 Capacity building/literacy programs

6. RCDP Implementation Stages
 Conception
 Acceptance
 Planning
 Implementing/Community participating
 Monitoring/Evaluation for Impact
indicators
 Sustainability/Continuity

7. Project Conception stage
The Change idea
might come from:-
 The NGO/NPO
 The Government
 Village leaders
 Village native abroad
 A strong Community
need.
“Please note that this list is not exhaustive”

8. Project Acceptance Stage
 Involve Community
Leaders.
 Consider their Norms
and beliefs.
 Create Ownership
mindset in them.
 Can they participate?
 Will the project be
sustainable?

9. Project Planning Stage

10. Project Implementation Stage
 Community participation
 Stakeholders involvement
 It’s a bridge.

11. Monitoring/Evaluation Stage

12. Project Sustainability

13. Principles for Sustainable
Development:
 External intervention should focus on
HELPING local people find local solutions
to local problems instead of CREATING
solutions for them, and FACILITATING
activities rather then DOING them.
 Resources can be both internal and
external, but external resources must be
accompanied by corresponding internal
resource and investments.

14. RCD Projects Challenges
 Sustainability of the projects
 Cultural barrier
 Selfish desire
 Illiteracy
 Lack of Common goals
 Religious barrier
 The motives of the projects
 Capital issues from the Funder(s)

15. Conclusion
 Rural community development programs require
long time commitment and significant resources.
Lasting change within communities takes time -
the development of communities is a long term,
continuous process.
 Community involvement is very crucial.
 Make sure you delivered the message and make
yourself clear before community gets the financial
support.
 Use any available resources already developed by
your predecessor and/or the community people.
 Community Active Group formation is an ongoing
process and requires professional approach from
the initiators.

16. Key Terms
 NGO/NPO/RCD/MDGs
 Impact Indicators
 Funding Agencies
 Poverty Alleviation/Reduction
 Focus group
 Community Participation
 Endo/Exogenous development
 Community Capacity-SWOT
 Capacity building
 Sustainable

17. Thank you
for
listening!
Any Question?