Participatory Approach Crucial for Capacity Building

By Zhu Hongbo

A participatory project management training workshop of the Heifer China Sichuan-Chongqing regional program was held in Huashuiwan, Xieyuan Township, Dayi County, Sichuan Province June 5-9, 2005. It was to improve the participants' capacity in participatory project management so as to better incorporate the participatory methodology into Heifer project management. The workshop was sponsored by the Heifer China Sichuan-Chongqing Regional Program Office and assisted by the Dayi Rabbit Raising Association. Totally 45 Heifer staff and project partners from Sichuan, Chongqing, and other regional offices participated in the workshop. Mr. Chen Taiyong, Heifer China Director, Mr. Niwatchai Suknaphasawat, Heifer Mekong Regional Program (MRP) Director spoke respectively at the workshop.

Heifer China Training Officer, Ms. Shao Wen facilitated the workshop. All the participants discussed the participatory approach, learned the correlation between stakeholders and project management, the impact that stakeholders' participation imposes on project management, and practiced using participatory tools of grassroots survey. Integrated with the project implementation, the related departments were trained on project management, financial policy, project proposal submission, progress reporting, monitoring and evaluation, etc. In the end, all project holders worked out their work plan for the next 12 months on the basis of participatory approach and Heifer project management requirement.

This workshop promoted the smooth experience sharing and communication between Heifer China Office and all project holders, improved the participants' capacity in project management, and stimulated their thinking about further development of Sichuan-Chongqing regional program.

(Translation: Tong Xin; Proofreading: Cossy, Zhang Qisan)