Experience working with Communities on PA(TFCA) Governance: Opportunities and Challenges

APRIL 2010

The Kuru Family of Organizations

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BokamosoBokamoso

The structure of the KFO

Independent and Interdependent organizations

Komku Trust Komku Trust

TOCaDI TOCaDI

Gantsi Craft Gantsi Craft

SASI SASI

Kuru D’kar Trust

Kuru D’kar Trust

SAaC Pty Ltd

SAaC Pty Ltd

Letloa Trust Letloa Trust

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Where do we find the San of southern Africa?

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San communities reached by KFO

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WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF KFO IN WORKING WITH SAN COMMUNITIES• To provide the San with the advice, education and training to:

• Know their rights and be able to fight for them

• Run their own organisation and participate fully in decision making and management of their Organization

• Work with dignity and respect for their own unique culture and identity alongside others in the broader Botswana society

• Develop economic alternatives for their community as well as sustainable and culturally accepted modern skills for their survival in the modern world.

• Promote cultural expression and pride in own identity, as well as provide educational grounding through mother tongue education

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SUCCESSES AND EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES ON PA GOVERNANCE

Strong Involvement: •Ownership of Management plans. Strong support for initiatives and strategies•Less resistance to implementation.•Participation in decision making and structures

Other stakeholder involvement:

Government departments and other institutions eg BTB, wildlife, etc District and tribal authorities and law enforcement

Tsodilo proposed developments NOT generally done in ungazetted settlement

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SUCCESS AND EXPERIENCES…cont..

•Traditional Knowledge on San culture including:

Art and craft making.(the art depicted on the Tail of BA was made by An elderly San woman)

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SUCESSES AND EXPERIENCES ..cont.

•Enabling environment to practice traditional culture for income generating and cultural tourism including

•Traditional fire making (project that is becoming common during corporate retreats)•Traditional healing dances.

Other traditional knowledge and cultural activities including:

Bow hunting Tracking and tour guide (accredited certificates in tour guide)

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Naro Language Project

•Bible translation into Naro•Training component: Literacy classes in Naro language (crash course, advanced, and teacher training)•Community literacy classes in different settlements

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Naro Language Project Publications:

•Naro Nxara monthly newsletter•Annual Naro Calendar•Daily Manna, monthly•Flyers, banners, posters on HIV/AIDS•Various other literature

The project also provides support to further development of materials in other unwritten San languages.

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Development of traditional knowledge in Craft making, Dancing Attire, and Baskets product ranges

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• Community Trusts are able to stand firm in face of pressures

• - San now have some support from other groups :

• Collaboration with government ministries, departments and other stakeholders has improved and now work as development partners

 

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OPPORTUNITIES…. 

• Closer collaboration with Government ministry, departments, other NGOs and stakeholders leading to:

• Creation of and an environment that supports a greater diversity of livelihood options.

• NGOs complements efforts of govt..Less mistrust between government and NGOs, particularly in natural resource conservation, enterprise development, health and equality.

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Opportunities ..contin..

• Creation of empowered, independent communities who know their rights, options and potentials and how to achieve them.

• Increase financial sustainability of target groups due to products access to buyers and creation of employment opportunities for local communities

Vast area, sparsely populated, mobile target groups, high poverty, alcohol abuse, limited communication (radio), language barriers

National IEC (information, education, communication) does not reach rural area groups physically nor contextually

Health systemsContemporary life affecting San culture: Health, HIV/AIDS, TB, nutrition and gender issues.

Mobile clinics visit irregularly; lack of comprehensive health services to Ghanzi farms, and surrounding rural areas

Weak coordination, monitoring and supervision of rural area health facilities—supplies/medications run out, patient follow up poor

Use of the Kgotla system – community meetings- not always reflective of the views of less dominant groups

Development - advantagesImproved opportunities (employment, training)

Availability of more resourced people with varied skills

Developed infrastructure ie roads, schools, closer government facilities and services

Skills and knowledge transfer

Better services ie shops, banks, hotels etc

Improved village economy

Development – disadvantagesStretching of resources meant for few people

Overcrowding leading to possible competition of resources and conflict

Increased crime ie theft, robbery

Abuse of local communities by more dominant groups – leading to teenage pregnancies, drug trafficking

Further marginalization of local communities. No protection

DEVELOPMENT VS COMMUNITY RIGHTS

National Development sometimes leads to dispossession of land by communitiesUnder the Tribal Grazing Land Policy 1975, large tracks of land were allocated to cattle ranchers who received exclusive lease rights to the grazing land

No alternative land set aside for people living in the land allocated to cattle ranchers

World bank estimates about 28,000 poor people living in rural Botswana displaced as a result of the TGLP

Over 4,000 mainly Bushmen/San communities moved to new settlements ie West and East Hanahai. Others remained and worked as farm workers

2009 Revised Remote Area Development Programme tries to address some of the disadvantages faced by communities particularly the San and correct some of the historical injustices

DEVELOPMENT VS COMMUNITY RIGHTS

CKGR established in 1961 to protect wildlife showcase how human can co-exist with animals1985 Government determines that community lifestyles no longer consistent with the objectives of the reserve and decides to relocate residents leaving within the reserve to outside settlements

Majority of residents relocated around 1997 to 2001. Few however remained in the reserve.

2002 Government terminated provision of essential services inside the reserve leading to San who remained in the reserve taking government to court

2006 High Court held the applicants were deprived of possession of land which they lawfully occupied

Intervention of International groups with own agendas and interests which often does not advance the cause of the San

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KFO Recent Milestones

• Community Development policy agreed with Deebers for exploration activities in areas where San communities have presence or heritage.

• Establishment of the San Leadership Development Programme to enhance San leadership and develop San Managers who are able to take positions of responsibility both within and outside KFO

• Establishment of cooperation with University of Botswana and University of Tromso in Norway as well as the Smart Institute Organization dealing with Oborigins in Australia

• Establishment of the Centre for San studies at University of Botswana which will official be launched on 19 April 2010

• Agreement with Private sector Organization to market San Arts and Crafts products at OR Tambo Intl Airport ahead of FIFA World Cup 2010

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The ‘un-reached’ San

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Thank you !