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Capacity BuildingCEDAR believes that local partners, organizations and peoples are suitable candidates for facilitating long term sustainable development. With support and training, they can better care for vulnerable groups and respond to the needs of their communities.

Yunnan, China AIDS in Yunnan, China is always under a spotlight. Education on prevention and AIDS care are CEDAR’s key work in that province. In 2010-11, Yunnan team conducted 5 workshops on HIV awareness & care with pastors and church leaders on prefecture and county levels. We put more effort in rural areas, reaching out to minority ethnic groups, where HIV/ AIDS knowledge lags. 14 AIDS prevention workshops were offered to the grassroots churches and with the Lisu, Jingpo, Wa, Yi and Miao communities, training 840 people in total. The participatory workshop is combined with Bible studies, where participants were directed to reflect on their faith and change their attitudes. For the purpose of capacity building, CEDAR encourages churches to reach out to communities in making needs assessment and action plan. After training sessions, more than 90% of participants claimed they will no longer fear or discriminate against people living with AIDS. Over 95% said they would practise what they learned, including prevention and AIDS care. They believe the church will be renewed and transformed through community outreach. Rev. Li, one of the participants, were so impressed with the skit based on the story of the Prodigal Son, saying, ‘Even

our Heavenly Father does not blame or discriminate against AIDS affected persons. How come we cannot do so? Church should express love and concern to them, like the father opening his arms.’

Training is only the first step for mobilising churches to serve the community. Since the project started in 2007, CEDAR has encouraged 26 local churches to initiate community project in response to the needs and situations of the communities. Together with their local governments, disease control centres and schools, Baoshan and Gengma churches, organised anti-drug events to promoted HIV/AIDS prevention and care to their local communities respectively.

Sichuan, ChinaDisasters destroy everything in a flash, take away life and property. Emergency relief is of course the first priority, but long term and systematic disaster management and risk reduction work are more important. Disasters take place frequently, and poor communities always take the first hits and recover last, being trapped in a vicious cycle. CEDAR firmly believes that the best policy is to promote disaster prevention awareness and increase resilience against disasters among the poor.

The devastating Sichuan earthquake on 12 May 2008, is still fresh in most memories. Whilst helping the communities in reconstruction and rehabilitation, we need to build up their capacity on disaster resistance. CEDAR trained more

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than 40 NGO workers and social work placement students, as well as 24 teachers from 3 schools, who can then pass on their knowledge on disaster preparedness to the communities.

Take the disaster preparedness training for development agencies as an example. By introducing different disaster models, trainees are able to understand the linkage between the destructive power of a disaster and the vulnerability of the community. Through employing different kinds of participatory disaster risk assessment tools, trainees and villagers learn to assess, plan and evaluate the need and development direction of the community. After receiving the training, development worker Zong-Ping returned to his community and helped set up a disaster preparedness committee for identifying potential disaster risks. ‘Together we made a disaster map, marking high risk zones for mudslide, landslide or forest fires. The map will be posted in the community for raising awareness among residents.’

Northern ThailandBesides building up a partner’s capacity, CEDAR also supports partner’s programs for community capacity building. The migrant workers ministry in Northern Thailand is one example. In recent years, the Golden Triangle Area experience rapid growth., International trade is flourishing among neigbouring countries and much infrastructure construction is underway. A large number of migrant workers fill the tremendous need in the manufacturing and construction industries. These

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labourers, however, suffer from oppression and exploitation with no where to turn. Wage arrears are commonplace; Changing job is next to impossible without working permit; and their children are detained because of population policy. With such poor labour policies and rampant corruption, it is not easy for churches and NGOs to minister amongst migrant workers. To tackle the dilemma faced by migrant workers, CEDAR’s partner Mekong Minority Foundation (MMF) in Northern Thailand believes that it is more effective to teach migrant workers ways to protect their own rights besides providing financial assistance. In order to reach these migrant workers more effectively, MMF has been attempting to use radio broadcasts to promote their rights.

Thamin from Myanmar dreamed he could better his family’s livelihood. He crossed the border to Chiang Saen to join other migrant workers. He first worked at a dockyard but his meagre wage was eaten up by the broker and the corrupt police. Without a working permit, Thamin always worried that he might be arrested and deported. With the help of MMF, he learned to legally apply for a work permit and to protect his rights. ‘Now, I am working in a rubber plantation with better working conditions. My application for a work permit is nearly finished. Thanks to MMF’s assistance. I am confident I can protect myself with the rights I learned about.’

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