SUNGI

	Sungi Development Foundation, Pakistan
Keywords:	Community Development, NGO, Integrating Participants, Water, Forestry
Location:	Pakistan
Time Frame:	1989 ongoing
Relevant items:	- Training and educational initiatives
	(other topics and examples)

Problem overview:

Training and educational initiatives: The Sungi Development Foundation has an objective to increase the capacity of local communities through training programmes in order to achieve equitable and sustainable use of natural resources.

Background in summary:

Forming the Sungi Development Foundation: The Sungi (Partner) Development Foundation was formed following the devastating floods of 1992 in the Hazara region of northern Pakistan. By mobilizing the deprived and marginalized members of society, Sungi endeavours to create an environment in which they may transform their lives through the equitable and sustainable use of natural and human resources.

Sungi seeks to achieve this through two major components of its programme:

1. Community-based development programmes including training and action research
   
   
2. Advocacy.
   
   

Accomplishments:

• Sungi has started or strengthened more than 150 men's and women's village organizations,
  
  
• Primary training has been given to over 2,000 community members,
  
  
• More than 500 farmers have received training in agriculture, forestry development, sericulture, horticulture, animal husbandry techniques and small enterprise/local craft development.

Future programmes: Sungi, with its partner VOs and WOs, has planned and implemented over 80 irrigation channels, link roads or footbridges, and other small infrastructure schemes aimed at environmental rehabilitation, improvement in the quality of life and the raising of farm incomes.

See document in full

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
2	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	2	Cost efficient.
2	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		1	Participation of the community
3	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	2	Participation of resource owners/users
3	Socio-cultural adaptability.	2	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
2	Level of development adaptability.	-	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
2	Style of government adaptability.	2	Ability to attract political interest/support
2	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	2	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example: Training and educational initiatives: This is a good example of how communities respond to a need, especially when they are affected. The integrated approach adopted is encouraging, with particular emphasis being given to women. However, it may be necessary to also initiate action to solve the larger problem of flood prevention. It is useful to analyse how community development programmes and advocacy support each other in the "Sungi process" as exemplified in Sungi's natural resource management programme. Sustainability of the project: Adaptability of the project to other situations: This is but one example of hundreds of small, self-start NGOs that have made astonishing progress for Sustainable Development. They can begin spontaneously anywhere providing there is a core nucleus of dedicated people motivated by high moral standards Process of decision making and implementation: Cost efficiency:

Documentation:	Literature or other written project review references Full Analysis of the Sungi Development Foundation People's Participation for Community Development, ESCAP, Bangkok 1996 ESCAP HRD Award.
Source of Information:	People's Participation for Community Development, ESCAP, Bangkok
Contacts:	Sungi Development Foundation No 1743/C, Civil Lines, Abbottabad, Pakistan Telephone: (92-5921) 34414; 34750 Fax: (92-5921) 31726 E-mail: mail@sungi.sdnpk.undp.org
Submitted by:	ESCAP