Summary
This project encompasses strengthening sustainable development in five communities in the Bermejo Field, Ecuador, by means of a Project Advisory Board (PAB). The PAB is made up of members of the community and acts as an external advising entity. It represents the interests and expectations of the community, and decides which social projects will be carried out.
The main problem we identified was poor management among the people with regards to the promotion of sustainable development throughout the communities. Also, due to the technical limitations that arose in accurately implementing projects and that the projects were executed in isolation, without the help of the community, we saw a decrease in financial income. As a result, the community members lost motivation, and neglected their projects and crops because of the low profitability.
In order to create the PAB, we identified community leaders from among families that managed the project. Each leader was trained in leadership and organizational skills, management and productive project management.
Following this, the trained leaders were appointed as members of the Project Advisory Board through community meetings. Then, the leaders, together with the community, drafted a regulation to determine the structure of the PAB and another for the presentation of projects.
The Project Advisory Board identified action areas as opportunities of intervention from which it would form programs. These action areas were: Education, Culture, Health, Environment, Social Inclusion and Sustainability. The Project Advisory Board executed 5 action areas; with 11 lines of intervention, corresponding to 13 programs with 28 projects, obtaining 23 components.
The Project Advisory Board (PAB) strengthened and increased the efficiency of the communities; thereby, improving the quality of life of the people and allowing them to partake in decision-making processes. As a result, the community members are able to have greater control over their lives in the long run. Sustainable development community projects and programs are what contribute to strengthening the viability of the community in the long term.
