Key elements: Vision Community Leadership Generosity Community Transformation

Untouchable - Dalit people : 20% of India’s population below the bottom rung of the caste system two-thirds illiterate and landless discriminated against -denied legal rights, beaten up Community Transformation - Southern India

Untouchable Occupations: wood gatherers quarry workers scavengers handle dead bodies night cart operators bonded labour Community Transformation - Southern India

Womens Development Resource Centre: works with women, families & communities supports communities to take action supports communities learning from experience, and leading change themselves Community Transformation - Southern India

Impact: access to the system - housing, water, schools, electricity, roading building wealth - micro-credit, and credit union - Women Labourers Bank for enterprise development participating in society women stood for local government at the end of 2006, literacy levels increased “Now We Are Fearless” Community Transformation - Southern India

Key elements: vision authentic voices – at the heart of community whole community - landlords, local government collaboration systems change for lasting impact Community Transformation - Southern India

To achieve sustainable change communities have: partnered with land owners, city and state government, businesses, trade unions built a movement for change Community Transformation - Southern India

Funder : has been supporting for ten years supported and resourced communities to work at their own pace and with own priorities supported sytems change for lasting impact helped make connections with others on a similar path shared the vision Community Transformation - Southern India

Community - Southern New Zealand

The people of the Waiau Valley 2001 census – 1,326 people 1996 census – 1,550 people 1996 census – 11% Mäori

Voluntary work in Waiau Valley (source: MAF 1998) 82% of population involved in voluntary work An average of 533 hours voluntary work per person per year 93 community groups to be sustained by fewer than 1,550 people

The legacy of the 1980s -1990s The demise of the forestry industry The centralisation of government services The closure of post offices, banks, schools etc The removal of managers & professionals, and their skills The increase in farm size The increase in off-farm employment (esp. for farm women) A declining population Means fewer people with less time each

Waiau Valley community groups Voluntary work in this community is responsible for: The local schools, via BOTs, PTA, etc Provision of a medical and hospital trust Emergency services such as Fire, Ambulance, Search and Rescue, Community First Response Community facilities such as halls and playgrounds Community Board decisions on rates and other Council issues Sports, arts and recreation and their social and health benefits Economic initiatives such as scenic routes and the Hump Ridge Track

And what of the Waiau community’s future? Failing community infrastructure Closure of services Increasing social fragmentation People living in disconnected isolation ‘Ghetto’ phenomenon of poverty and disenfranchisement in rural towns Continuing depopulation Young people seen as a problem and ‘at risk’

Or… Resilient vibrant community Sound community infrastructure Social cohesion and connectedness New enterprises contributing to healthy economy Opportunities for young people to achieve their potential

The role of philanthropy? Philanthropy can support community by: Taking care to build rather than undermine the social capital in a community Making things easier (not harder) Contributing vision and generosity Offering advocacy and support Listening to the ‘Authentic Voices’ Fostering collaboration Facilitating useful links to the wider picture

In the absence of concrete support for the complex human process of engaging with, and mobilising communities, the new philanthropists may find that the lofty goals they have set themselves are beyond their reach. New York Review February 15,2007

Parachuting cats into Borneo! In the early 1950s, the Dayak people of Borneo suffered an outbreak of malaria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had a solution: to spray large amounts of DDT to kill the mosquitoes that carried the malaria. The mosquitoes died. The malaria declined; so far so good. But there were unexpected side effects. Early on people’s roofs began to fall down on their heads. It seems the DDT had also killed a parasitic wasp which controlled thatch-eating caterpillars. Worse, the DDT- poisoned insects were eaten by geckoes. The gekoes were eaten by cats. The cats started to die, the rats flourished, and the people were threatened by outbreaks of typhus and plague. To cope with these problems, which it had itself created, the WHO was obliged to parachute 14,000 live cats into Borneo. Operation Cat Drop, now almost forgotten at the WHO, is a graphic illustration of the interconnectedness of life, the importance of starting with community knowledge and creating collaborative solutions … and what happens if you don’t.