Working method
Chakana works with several strategies for a successful execution of projects.
1. Durable and structural
a. Strategy of ownership
We only start a development project when we receive a request from a community, and when this community can prove that the inhabitants are willing to paricipate in the project. We expect the villagers to do the construction work - in case there is any to be done - and we expect them to be willing to learn how they can continue the project after Chakana has pulled out of it. In the end we stimulate and facilitate the villagers to take responsibility of the project themselves.
b. Strategy of cooperation
By working together with local, regional and national partners in both Bolivia and the Netherlands, we hope to achieve more sharing of knowledge and a bigger network. Thus we can work on durable development in a more efficient way. Also Chakana wants to contribute to more attention in the Netherlands for the difficult circumstances the highland Indians are living in. We work with the Bolivian regional authorities, with other NGO's, with Dutch churches, companies and schools and with local partners in Bolivia. Our wish to work together with regional authorities in Bolivia, originate from our concern about the inefficient or even non-existing spending of governmental funds. These funds are meant for rural development, but don't reach their destination because of ignorance and corruption. Last but not least our strategy of cooperation aims at working together with volunteers, students, partner organizations and financial partners.
2. Responsible
a. Strategy of Cultural Conservation
We want to carry out our agro-ecological projects keeping in mind the cultural and social context of the traditional Indian communities. This means that each and every project and each and every method of training has been designed based on the cultural structure of the community. We take into account the traditional rituals and cosmology as much as we can, including the formal and informal division of power, the traditional division of work between men and women, daily working patterns and so on.
b. Strategy of Gender Equality
Both men and women are involved in the projects. This means we aim at reaching equality of men and women where oppurtunities and rights are concerned. Representatives of both sexes take part in committees responsible for a part of the project. Of course we are aware of the different notions existing in these communities concerning masculanity and femininity. The traditional cosmology tells us about duality and complementarity between men and women, although both have different responsibilities and have power in different areas. Nevertheless, in daily practice the social and political space of women is very small, and the man-woman situation unbalanced. For more information about this issue, read our board member Heidi van Hoof's publications. Concluding: although we respect the traditional division of work, we at the same time stimulate the participation of women in community business.
c. Strategiy of Ecological Durability
In executing our projects we pay a lot of attention to the condition of the agricultural land, to the local environment and to the direct and indirect consequences of our interfering in the natural environment. We do this by using organic fertilizers, growing traditional highland vegetation, limiting the cutting down of trees to avoid erosion, stimulating the plantation of trees and teaching villagers about ecological durability.
d. Problem diagnosis
After we have received a request from a cummunity to set up a project, we carry out an independent social-economic analysis, in order to be able to determine the problem. Does the request of the community express the real problem? In some cases it appeared that there are better ways to accomplish durable development. When a community agrees, and the inhabitants are obviously prepared to participate, the project set-up can be started. This strategy also means that we never, for instance, will set up an electricity network in a community where no-one will ever be able to pay for the costs. Unfortunately these things occurr in the reality of development work...
3. Efficient, transparant en direct connections
a. Our overhead is very small. We use a fairly low amount of money for keeping the organization up and running. All employees in the Netherlands work on a voluntary basis, board members pay for their own tickets to Bolivia, administration costs are kept as low as possible, project materials are purchased against the lowest possible price.
b. We guarantee highly qualitative reports, clear and critical evaluations and financial transparancy.
c. Chakana is a direct connection between sponsors and the indian communities.
