Challenges Ahead for MS-Zambia Partners

MS-Zambia partners have expressed interest in the Communication for Empowerment concept, saying it was an important tool in the involvement of communities in implementing development programmes.

By Nchimunya Chiyombwe

Communication For Empowerment (CFE) is a development communication approach, which emphasises on a two-way dialogue and consultation with communities, ensuring information interaction between the implementers of development programmes and the targeted communities.

The partners present at the MS-Zambia Annual Meeting observed that the approach was more likely to receive community support and involvement, as its implementation was based on strong community dialogue and participation.

They however expressed a number of challenges, which came a long with the implementation process in their various communities.

Good planning needed

Speaking in an interview in Siavonga during the MS-Zambia Annual Meeting, Phiri Elias Kangachepe of Luangwa District Council, said he had fully understood and appreciated the approach and was prepared to implement it in Luangwa.

He however, said it needed good planning to ensure that it didn’t seem to be an extra activity in the already existing programmes.

He further said it was challenging to implement the approach in the communities due to the different levels of knowledge among the community members.

“For example in the play by Kamoto Theatre Group, we observed that due to difference in knowledge, the various community members react to new information or programmes differently. For CFE, it is challenging because the different people will view you differently as you approach them, in the name of consulting them,” he said.

Mr. Nkoma Andrew, an extension worker with SLAMU, said CFE should be recommended for development organisations, if they were to fully communicate with communities.

However he was quick to point out some of the challenges to the full implementation by the partner organisations.

Culture barriers

“I see the inadequate resources by several organisations as a big challenge. A number of budgets have already been approved and being utilised so I wonder where the resources will come from. I also see some culture barriers coming into play, in that the process demands consultation with all sectors of the community, but we know the low participation of women when it comes to such matters,” he stated.

Network Coordinator for the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction Ms. Besinati Mpepo said she saw the CFE concept similar to the advocacy work organisations were already carrying out except that there was need to scale down the interaction process with the communities.

“The whole concept should not be viewed as something very new. It is just the same as the advocacy work we are doing daily, except perhaps the process demands the scaling down advocacy to communities,” Ms. Mpepo.

MS –Zambia 2005 Annual Meeting was held under the theme ‘Communication for Empowerment,’ in order to orient partner organisations on the approach.

The MS-Zambia Country Office emphasised the importance of Partner organisations’ understanding of the concept as they worked in their various programmes.