The project’s goal was to cultivate the values and principles of human rights and good governance among marginalized groups in Plateau State in order to ensure the development of sustainable livelihoods among the community groups.

One of the key premises for the project was that communities can only develop meaningful and sustainable life systems if they are given the opportunity to participate in their own development; such developments also partly depends on the recognition and guaranteeing of their rights by appropriate organs of society. ‘The promise and the dividends…’ therefore developed objectives relevant to the goals above. Some of these objectives were:

• To conduct training workshops on advocacy for CBOs in demanding services from the elected and in ways of mobilizing human and material resources for political participation.
• To train CBO representatives on democracy monitoring.

To make use of drama performances as tool for outreach to encourage discussions, debate and dialogue on various social and political issues in the new dispensation.

Locations

• Bassa and Bokkos LGAs in Plateau state, Nigeria.

Sector/Area

• Governance, Community Development.

Sponsor

• Nigeria Governance Fund (DFID).

Outcomes/Achievements

1. The project helped to raise the political awareness of the groups from Bokkos. They therefore became active in the political process (electing people into political offices in the LG elections, coordination of campaign activities of the aspirants they believed would fight for development to come to their communities).
2. They developed such support on a quid pro quo. This is why the CBOs built pacts with politicians so that they could hold them accountable if they are voted into office.
3. They had enlarged their membership by encouraging more women and young people to join. They gave the role of advisers/trustees to the elders of their communities. In general, the CBOs in these LGAs have more visibility than before.

Project Files