DOCKDA Rural Development Agency: 1994–2004 Celebrating Ten Years of Rural Development DOCKDA 10 year report 1 A Decade of Democracy 2 Globalisation and African Renewal 2 Rural Development in the Context of Globalisation 3 Becoming a Rural Development Agency 6 Organogram 7 Indaba 2002 8 Indaba 2004 8 Monitoring and Evaluation 9 Donor Partners 9 Achievements: 1994–2004 10 Challenges: 1994–2004 11 Namakwa Katolieke Ontwikkeling (Namko) 13 Katolieke Ontwikkeling Oranje Rivier (KOOR) 16 Hopetown Advice and Development Office (HADO) 17 Bisdom van Oudtshoorn Katolieke Ontwikkeling (BOKO) 18 Gariep Development Office (GARDO) 19 Karoo Mobilisasie, Beplanning en Rekonstruksie Organisasie (KAMBRO) 19 Sectoral Grant Making 20 Capacity Building for Organisational Development 27 Early Childhood Development Self-reliance Programme 29 HIV and AIDS Programme 31 2 Ten Years of Rural Development A Decade of Democracy In 1997, DOCKDA, in a publication summarising the work of the organisation in the first three years of The first ten years of the new democracy in South Africa operation, noted that it was hoped that the trickle-down coincided with the celebration of the first ten years approach of GEAR would result in a steady spread of of DOCKDA’s work in the field of rural development. wealth to poor people.1 In reality, though, GEAR has South Africa experienced extensive changes during failed the poor. According to the Human Development this period, some for the better, some not positive at Report 2003, South Africans were poorer in 2003 than all. A central change was the shift, in 1996, from the they were in 1995.2 Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) to the Growth, Employment and Redistribution Strategy Globalisation and African Renewal (GEAR). In short, GEAR was aimed at freeing the Since the adoption of GEAR, South Africa has become market, encouraging greater investment in industry and a participant in global structures and is required to modernising the economy. Ultimately, it was argued, adhere to the rules of a new economic order, regardless the poor would benefit from a trickling down of benefits. of the impact on the national economy. Recent The change in economic policy was, in part, the result research3 highlights some of the consequences of of pressure from both South African big businesses globalisation: and global institutions such as the World Bank, the • Over 600 000 jobs have been lost between 1996 and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the emerging 2001 and approximately 50% of the workforce is now World Trade Organization. engaged in informal work. Global Context 3 • Twenty-two million people live in poverty, with an on the brink of civil war prior to 1991 to a functioning average income of R144 per person per month. democratic state in 2004. In addition, its track record of democratic practices has helped to establish South • There are high levels of inequality in South Africa: Africa as one of the leading countries in Africa. the poorest 40% get less than 3% of the national income while the richest 10% receive over 50%. In this context, South Africa and other African countries have invested in initiatives that would lead to the Unlike many African countries, South Africa was not renewal of the African continent and the development a recipient of World Bank and IMF loans prior to 1994. of the continent as a global player. To this end, the Nevertheless, the impact of these global creditor New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) institutions in Africa was felt across the continent, was established. South African President Thabo Mbeki including South Africa. Along with the provision of contributed enormously to the founding of NEPAD, loans, both institutions required that recipient countries which was adopted in 2002 in Lusaka, Zambia. In the apply a series of structural reform measures collectively same year, the initiative for a United Africa (UA) was known as the Structural Adjustment Programme. These launched to promote co-operation among African measures included a raft of ‘development practices’ that nations and to establish itself as a counterpart of required developing countries to open their monetary the European Union (EU). It is thus appropriate for exchange markets, relax trade regulations, engage DOCKDA to study and analyse these new developments in export-led economic growth, reduce government to find a way to enable the rural poor to determine their expenditure and encourage privatisation.4 Added to this own destiny. mix was the diversion of government spending on health care, social welfare and education to, for example, the Rural Development in the Context of ‘modernisation’ of the army and the development of Globalisation mono-agriculture in place of food production for local markets and local consumption. In keeping with global and regional changes during the last ten years, DOCKDA too changed – from a micro- In 2002 The Economist considered Africa to be a funding organisation to a rural development agency ‘hopeless continent’. This followed years of referring to active in the Northern Cape and Western Cape and Africa as a ‘basket case’, a continent beyond remedy, to in a small part of the Eastern Cape. The development be written off.5 Jo Randriamaro6 puts it like this: ‘Africa’s model DOCKDA evolved is one of decentralisation, development over the past two decades has taken place with independent development centres (DCs) being against the background of WB- and IMF-style “structural established in the rural areas. This maximises adjustment policies”.’ DOCKDA’s ability to make a developmental impact in rural areas. DOCKDA’s model has been replicated by The transition to a post-apartheid government in 1994 other Catholic based rural development organisations in led to, among other things, South Africa’s integration South Africa. with the rest of the continent. Now, South Africa is regarded as one of the most respected nations in Africa The Catholic character of DOCKDA has served as because of its peaceful transformation from a country an ethical keystone upon which its approach to 4 Ten Years of Rural Development development has been based. In understanding the Margaret Legum utilises the concept ‘international nature of this character, it is useful to distinguish re-localisation’.8 It is an attempt to describe a change between ‘having’ and ‘being’. Pope Paul VI explained the in direction – from centralisation of economic forces difference between ‘having’ and ‘being’ as follows: ‘To to decentralisation, using modern technologies and “have” objects and goods does not in itself perfect the global support to do that. This is in line with the ethos human subject, unless it contributes to the maturing of ‘being’, and complements attempts to find ways in and enrichment of that subject’s “being”.’7 which globalisation could be employed for the benefit of humanity as a whole. DOCKDA and its partners are committed to an ethos of development that restores ‘being’ and thus the dignity The idea of re-localisation includes an emphasis on of the poorest of the rural poor. In this, DOCKDA’s the promotion of local and regional socio-economic philosophy is consistent with the church’s doctrine of development to enable local people to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves. This approach ‘community serving humanity’. is at the core of DOCKDA’S vision of a thriving Globalisation can no longer be ignored. As the South infrastructure of rural development organisations African government is committed to the regulations of capable of serving surrounding communities and global institutions, globalisation affects us all. Thus, it is assisting them to find effective solutions to meet their necessary to take a new approach to local development. basic needs. DOCKDA 10 year report 5 DOCKDA1 Micro Funding Project was established in The new governance structure was unique as the focus 1994 to deliver donor funding to micro-projects in rural was on co-management, which saw DOCKDA being areas. Right from the beginning it aimed to service rural managed by both a Management Board and the rural- areas and organisations that were too remote to benefit based organisations with which it worked, now known from development initiatives in and around larger rural as development centres. towns. The board and the development centres played an The first allocation of funding was made to five rural equally important role in making decisions about the projects in August 1994. Half a year later, an evaluation allocation of funds and the development of sectoral and of DOCKDA indicated that the organisation had capacity-building programmes. By 1998, DOCKDA had successfully managed to maintain a rural bias in its consolidated its grant-making approach by targeting work. specific sectors. These were employment and job creation, skills training, empowerment of women, Two years later a new governance structure was health, and education and training. proposed. The organisation accepted the proposal to establish a General Committee, a Trainer’s Committee In 2001, following a baseline study conducted in 1999, and an Allocation Committee. The latter would make all an early childhood development (ECD) programme final decisions regarding allocations. was initiated. DOCKDA selected four ECD partner 6 Ten Years of Rural Development In collaboration with other service providers, DOCKDA established an early childhood development programme in 2001. workshops that enriched the development centres and other projects. Becoming a Rural Development Agency With the adoption of a more expansive focus on development, coupled with a deepening of its experience in rural work, DOCKDA grew into a rural development agency, with two regional offices, one in Cape Town and one in Kimberley. With the establishment of an office in Kimberley, DOCKDA could profile itself better in the Northern Cape, network with other organisations and strengthen existing relationships and build up new ones. The governance structure was changed to enable rural voices to be heard more prominently.