Geo-Development Strategy

In PIA's quest to fulfill our mission "to 

facilitate a process that will enable the communities to accept responsibilities, to explore possibilities & take action to improve their standard of living in a continuing and independent basis through transparency and accountability" we have developed what we now term as a "geo-development strategy".

The "geo-development strategy" comprises of an adaptive management process for community development, the development of a communication strategy that includes a community e-participatory website and the solicitation of volunteerism and co-investment. We describe the "geo-development process" as a process that "seeks to empower the community to be stewards of their geographical characteristics". The strategy's process encourages the community to reconnect with their geographical characteristics of their community; i.e. their environment, history, culture, aesthetics and the well-being of the people, through the rediscovery of their assets. This also entails their assessment of their assets and the development of a management plan that enhances their capacity to sustain and enhance their assets. The process also suggest that the community focus on developing a plan that would build self-reliance and promote interdependence. 

In the strategy we have addressed the community's need to understand the undertaking and their power to steward their assets. In the inception of the 'geo-development strategy' there should be a three day orientation session on good governance; "Citizens' Rights to Development" as a prerequisite to embarking on the 'geo-development process'. PIA collaborate with the Agency for Rural Transformation (ART) for the delivery of good governance education. ART's Executive Secretary has been trained to deliver a good governance education program, as documented in the Commonwealth Foundation's, Citizens' Education for Good Governance Action Learning Guide. 

The good governance education helps the community understand their;

• rights and responsibilities when it comes to development,

• the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders 

• and the actions they can take to ensure the good governance of their affairs and a collective and as individuals.

We found the need to include in the geo-development strategy a mechanism of support and capacity development. The support mechanism is a combination of programs geared at community's development and support. PIA has formulated "Maroon Projects", as a program that would provide community development guidelines and support. We have used Grenada's culture of maroon which is the communal work and celebrations to give ownership and prospective for the community's buy-in.  "Maroon Projects" comprises of the following components:

• Community development online process

• e-Participatory community management website

• Local student and research/education travel volunteer 

• CSR and sustainable co-investment  

• At the end of the geo-development process component the community would have finished an analysis of who they are and where they would like development will go. 

• They can now report on the outcome of the process on the open and transparent community planing and management website platform.

• Through PIA's Maroon Volunteer program the community can solicit the assistance of students (both local and foreign) as well as CSR and group assistance.

• Through PIA's Sustainable Co-Investment program community, groups and individuals can build a relationship that promotes growth and poverty reduction.