Local people’s participation in reconstruction [Archives:2007/1075/Community]

By: jac radfani
[email protected]
Local people's role in this issue is very important point that has been ignored by a lot of people nowadays, instead of giving it the most of their care and interest. Therefore, societies in any part of the world can't prosper without their own people's efforts as well as awareness, and by these few lines I want to highlight this subject if I am not objected by a lot of those who oppose me in this point of view.

First of all reconstruction is not an easy matter that could be achieved in a day and a night, but it's a long term process that demands a lot of time, it may last decades, if not hundreds of years, to do something appreciable or valuable that all its benefits go back to the society itself.

Starting From this viewpoint, I personally think that we as Yemenis should give our country something in return, and according to the proverb saying “life is giving and taking” – a truth that could be seen very clearly.

Yemen is our homeland that needs our help, our co-operation, and also our thinking so that it can face any difficulties in its practical future life. In fact, anything challenges it means a direct dare to our future in general.

As we know, many people help their countries in many different ways; economically, politically, technologically, etc, we should do the same. Therefore, our government should ensure the local communities' involvement in the implementation of its development projects in order to promote political and economic stability in Yemen during this critical time.

For sure, I, and you, know and hear that indicators from around the world have shown that development agencies which don't listen to the experiences and concerns of the local populations failed in their planning though they had invested millions of dollars in projects.

However, when local communities are engaged in planning projects, correspondent to their self-described needs, important socio-economic benefits become apparent in remarkably short time. And, the examples of how others sacrifice for their own countries with all their best are uncountable, this small column is not enough to talk about a one single story of them, any way, I am not going away from our point of view, but I believe the solution to this issue is very simple that is, in my personal viewpoint, the following:

In most cases, people from local communities have to establish associations to create and manage projects beneficial to their entire areas.
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