Community mobilization in Aghavnasdzor
Duration of the case: 3 months (summer, 2005)
Prepared by: Dina Manukyan,
"Millennium" Association for Education and Research, Armenia
December 2005
Abstract
This case describes a community mobilization process example which was undertaken in
Aghavnadzor village, Armenia in summer 2005. This case has been chosen by us with the purpose to
show how important the first step is in the process of community mobilization.
In this case, in a community with very low level of civic participation and activity of the citizens, the
choice of the right fist step has served as the trigger of display of activity and has helped group of
activists to gain trust of a community members and having consolidated efforts to solve independently
using internal resources of a community, a number of problems and to build self-confidence in the
community.
Background
Aghavnadzor village is disposed in Vayots Dzor Province, in the Southern part of Armenia.
The basic kind of work of the population in this region is rural economy, mostly viniculture. Vayots
Dzor region owing to fruit-bearing ground always was one of the richest in Armenia.
After change of regime all infrastructure has been destroyed and all objects of communal significance
fell into decay. Owing to fruit-bearing ground, to a favorable climate and advanced agriculture the
region has quickly become well off, but it concerned only to economical well-being of the population.
A few large wine-making companies and other processing factories were opened in region that has
given to peasants a commodity market. Thus the population of village becomes rich enough, but the
village itself as a community is in decline: there is no infrastructure, the objects of communal
significance, such as the school, sports complex, palace of culture, roads, etc. are in a sad state or
simply are absent. Inhabitants of village are basically concerned about crop problems. As to problems
of a community, then inhabitants expect that they to be solved by external forces, by intervention
from the outside or by the state as it was during the communist regime.
During last 2-3 years in the given region and in Aghavnadzor in particular, various programs aimed at
mobilization of communities and increase of level of civic participation and activisation of youth have
started to be realized by a number of the international organizations. Within the framework of
program Youth and community mobilization implementing by AED/USAID the youth club has been
created in Aghavnadzor. It was supposed, that this club will carry out various civic initiatives and will
mobilize a community for the solving of problems of village. But as it very often happens in Armenia,
the club had formal character and was focused not on the solving of problems of a community but on
the requirement of the donor.
About the organization
Name: "Millennium" Association for Education and Research
The organization has wide experience of work with communities and in particular with rural
communities. Since 2001 our organization has implemented a large number of programs and
conducted trainings with community activists, heads of communities, local government
representatives and women active on the community level, youth and other groups.
For more detailed description of the projects visit our website: www.millennium.am
The goal
Within the framework of program Youth and community mobilization implementing by AED/USAID
with the purpose to build capacity of the youth club and to facilitate some local initiative the training
on “Community mobilization through asset mapping” has been ordered to our organization.
Intervention description
During training the problems of community have been discussed.
Such questions as absence of places of cultural, absence of employment of youth and the ensuring of
free pastime, i.e. a football field unsuitable to the use, the nonfunctioning palace of culture, an
infrastructure of a community, etc. have been raised.
Repeatedly the opinion sounded, that all specified problems demand external intervention such as
both display of initiative and financing, and without it the problems cannot be solved.
It has been casually mentioned by participants that during last year there were some fatal cases from a
sting of the snake as there was no serum in ambulance station of village.
During training the needs of community have been discussed by the members of youth club, the
internal resources were assessed and the plan of action was made directed on the solving of some of
them. It was figured out that the solution of some problems is possible in some extent without
attraction of financial assets. At any stage the certain sums were required which considerably
decreased in comparison with the initial sums by means of attraction of actives of community (such as
a labor force, technical equipment etc). But money was still necessary for the solving the problems,
for example, such problem as restoration of football field because it was impossible to do it without
purchase of seeds for lawn sawing even if all other measures on restoration could be made without
money. The idea to collect this money among inhabitants of village has been discussed. But all the
members of club have unanimously expressed their opinion that in spite of the fact that any family
can allocate the some sum but nobody will do it.
During the training trainees - member of youth club (age 14-22 y.o.) expressed opinion that although
they are willing to do something useful for the community, but they can do nothing since they have no
any authority and nobody will take them seriously.
It was offered by trainers (representatives of “Millennium”) to begin the work on mobilization of
community with something small but very concrete and useful for whole community. Such issue can
be the one which was mentioned by training participants occasionally but it seamed to be the most
urgent one as it touched all members of community and everybody is directly interested in its
solution. The training took place in June and vintage was coming. All farmers remembered the
experience of the last year when there were some fatal cases from a sting of the snake as there was no
serum in ambulance station of village. Via discussion trainers brought participants to the idea of
solving this problem by the means of the youth club. And if the football field, the palace of culture
and similar objects were not so urgent for inhabitants of community, then the problem of serum
absence was an obvious threat to all inhabitants of the village as all the members of community are
involved in the field works independently on age and sex.
So, at the end of the training by youth club members it was decided to lead the process of resource
mobilization for purchasing the serum. The community meeting had been carried out by the members
of club with the assistance and consultations of experts of “Millennium” during which the members of
community had reminded the cases of the last summer when 3 persons were died from a sting of the
snake. They have discussed that similar can happen with everyone as while as there will be no serum
in ambulance station of village and nobody is insured from similar.
Technical aspects such as the price of serum (which made quite a big sum for the community) have
been presented to the community. But who will buy it, who will be responsible for it storage, etc. was
not clear.
Then, together with the members of community the approximate sum has been calculated for each
farm and the decision was made by all the community, that it is quite possible to collect such sum and
to buy the serum.
Results
Gathering of money and purchase of serum was carried out by the members of youth club.
The report on collected sum and expenses has been posted up at the building of village mayor.
Serum has been placed in ambulance station and all summer inhabitants of village felt them insured
from an accident.
This initiative had its consequences:

the members of youth club have gained the trust of the community members

youth club members built self-confidence, they believe in themselves

more and more young people express their will to become members of youth club

local authorities promised to support the youth club in all its activities
During the meeting of the youth club which had been facilitated by representative of “Millennium”
was worked out the strategic plan of the youth club for the next year.
The next problem which the youth club was going to solve was football field renovation.
As one of the most essential problems in community was already solved by young people, the
inhabitants of village with the big trust have considered this initiative and have provided
comprehensive support, i.e. gave agricultural machinery, helped to plough the ground and collected
money for seeds. Sowing is planned for spring of 2006. More over the newspaper consecrating life of
community began to be issued by the members of youth club and inhabitants of village buy it and read
with the pleasure.
Lessons learned
1.
One more time we became sure that usually donors are trying to mobilize the community
without assessing the real need and taking into consideration capacity of the community this as a rule
brings to creation of formal structures such as CAGs1, clubs, etc. which exist only on the paper. Their
“activism” lasts as long as there is some donors support. Only the detailed and careful study of the
situation in the community/context can help to avoid this kind of formalism and assure certain
sustainability of civic activism.
2.
Even if there is done careful study and needs assessment it is very important to priorities the
issues and start the process of mobilization around the issue which is the most urgent one, touched
all members of community and everybody is directly interested in its solution. If in the case described
above we would start to mobilize community with other issue, probably the results would be not so
positive. It is always better to start with something small and concrete rather to target difficult
problems even if they are urgent and important. The solution of a small problem is very visible and
can be a solid base for gaining the community trust.
3.
It is very important to select proper timeframe. In the case described above the time was very
favorable for mobilizing the community around serum absence problem, because of coming vintage.
The same issue in the same community in the winter time wouldn’t be so urgent and wouldn’t have
the same uniting effect.
4.
All the process had strong psychological effect; people saw how they can solve their own local
problems themselves, with the resources of their own community. This is something they would
remember for the future, creating a long-term positive effect on the development of their
communities.
Contacts information
1
Citizen active group
The case was prepared by Dina Manukyan leader of the trainers group of “Millennium” Association
for Education and Research. For your questions and comments please fill free to contact Ms.
Manukyan at:
24 d, Baghramyan ave
Yerevan, 375010, Armenia
Tel: (374 10) 58 45 71 Fax: (374 10) 646351
cell: (374 93) 561887
Email: dina@millennium.am , office@millennium.am