Capacity building
DMCDD understands capacity building as: The acquisition of skills that increases the liberty of action of the individual and of the organisational context of which the individual forms part. Through capacity building, the individual should acquire competences empowering him or her to stand up for their own and other people’s rights, not least the rights of the weakest.
Capacity building must be aimed at grass-root groups and grass-root leaders since these have the potential to lead the way for the development in the local community and in some cases also in the national community, and at strengthening church structures serving the poor. Capacity development may consist of e.g. basic reading and writing skills, basic trade- and accountancy skills, leadership and network building, primary health care and education.
The development of individuals’ competences is perceived as taking place at the following levels:
- Organisation capacity development includes efficiency and transparency in the administration, a higher degree of informed participation of members – both men and women, and increased quality and independence of the individual work branches and institutions, e.g. health- and educational institutions.
- Sector capacity development includes a higher degree of integration and coordination between the traditional church structures for health and education and the governments’ efforts with the twofold purpose of avoiding parallel structures and stimulating the government to assume greater responsibility in the social sector.
- Capacity development of local communities is a matter of empowering each citizen to gain more control and influence on own life conditions. This could for example include increased job opportunities through entrepreneurial skill training and/or access to credit and capacity building of traditional health workers.
Download DMCDD's Capacity Building Policy here.
