SIRP fact box
- SIRP is implemented through a consortium structure consisting of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Action Aid/Myanmar (AAM), Knowledge and Dedication for Nation-building (KDN) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
- The consortium is funded under the European Union’s Aid to Uprooted People funding mechanism and is led by NRC
- 90 participating villages: 30 villages in Kayin State, 30 villages in Mon State and 30 villages in Tanintharyi Region
- Estimated 140,000 beneficiaries across the South-eastern Region of Myanmar
- The total budget for the project period is USD 9,400,000 from 2013-2015
Southeast Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project
In order to address some of these challenges, NRC has in cooperation with other non-governmental organizations formed a consortium and established the South East Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (SIRP). The aim of SIRP is to build capacities of IDPs, refugee returnees and their host communities by bridging relief and development interventions in cooperation with local communities and local government actors.
The consortium is led by NRC and the project is in the process of implementing a range of coordinated activities in 90 targeted villages in Mon and Kayin State and in the Thanintharyi Region; all with the aim of empowering the communities and to improve access to basic education, primary health care, sanitation facilities and livelihood options.
The selected villages in SIRP are conflict-affected villages with a peace process underway, they are poor and remote with a significant number of IDPs and/or returnees with limited access to government social services and with a limited presence of other actors engaged in community development. SIRP partners have ensured that the selected villages for project implementation are located in both government and NSA-controlled areas. Based on participatory planning processes and community mobilization, needs in the 90 targeted villages are identified and responded to through focused development plans at community level. SIRP will then develop and implement coordinated activities in correspondence with the needs identified.
Community leader explains village map to his villagers. Photo: NRC/Myanmar
Village Development and Fellowship Training
“I really had no idea what development was before I attended this training. I was there because I was selected as a representative for my village. Through the training I’ve learned that we can be the change makers and that we can create our own destiny”
These words come from 18 year old Saw Aung Naing Tun, from a small conflict-affect village in rural Kayin State. Saw Aung Naing Tun is one of 30 selected participants who has attended SIRP Village Development and Fellowship Training in Kayin State. These trainings consist of skills development and capacity-building in the following areas: community development principles and practices; conflict management and peace-building; rights-based approach development; gender awareness and community mobilization; the role and responsibilities of civil society, etc.
Like many youth in Kayin State Saw Aung Naing Tun has also suffered from the consequences of the long-term conflict. He is the only person in his village who has achieved Grade 11, but he, as others youth in his community, had to leave school in order to support his family. After he was chosen by his village to join SIRP, he now has a leading role in the mobilization of his community members and has the chance to influence the village development process in his community. U Nay Myo Aung, the village leader from Saw Aung Naing Tun’s village explains his experience with the training provided to Saw Aung Naing Tun: “After coming back from the first round of training, he changed a little bit. He hosted the community mass meeting to explain to us about development and our village development plans. (…) When the second round of training finished, he was exceptional. I’ve learned that youth can be unique and precious if we craft them systematically”.The village leader also appreciated the new skills the participants had developed and stated how the training has contributed to improved co-operation in village affairs. This is one example of how one of the objectives of SIRP activities has played out: youth, especially from remote and conflicted-affected areas, have been trained to upgrade their skills and knowledge so that they can actively facilitate community participation in local development processes.
Saw Aung Naing Tun is not alone and several of the youth, who make up the 90 community mobilisers and 180 community volunteers participating, have been provided with skills, tools and knowledge to become considerable resources in their communities for further community-led development and peace-building. As Saw Aung Naing Tun puts it: “It’s the right time, we all need to start as we are many steps behind everybody else. I can guarantee that I’ll still support my village and share my knowledge to the others, even after the SIRP project ends".
