The National Community Driven Development Project (NCDDP) – Rakhine State, a project implemented by the Department of Rural Development (DRD) has enabled poor rural communities to benefit from improved access to and use of basic infrastructure and services through a people-centred approach and to enhance the government’s capacity to respond promptly and effectively in a crisis or emergency. The project empowered villagers to manage and participate in their own development through these means: i) financing community-identified rural infrastructure investments; (ii) strengthening the capacity of communities in partnership with local authorities to effectively identify, plan, implement their development priorities; and iii) facilitate the participation of the poor and vulnerable, both women and men, throughout the project cycle at the community level. ASI managed the NCDDP project and provided technical advisers on the ground to help manage and facilitate the project.

What the project has achieved so far / intends to achieve:

• The project financed technical assistance and institutional support by embedding community and technical facilitators into the project. The facilitators supported capacity development such as bridging a greater community and government participatory process at the township, region, state and union levels.
• The project improved access to infrastructure including building better roads (earth, gravel and concrete roads), concrete bridges, community halls, football fields, dug wells, and drainage system.
• ASI together with the Township DRD has facilitated the conduct of around 3,500+ village meetings, with an average participation rate of 85%, of which around 48% have been women. These include around 1200+ village meetings to identify priority needs and solutions.