From 13^th to 17^th September, the summary conference and training seminar of Shaanxi Community-Driven Development (CDD) Extension Pilot Project was held in Xi’an under the promotion by the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and support from Plan China. The conference was attended by 130 people including representatives of the major partners-- Fan Zengyu, the Director of the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, Mark Leighton, the Country Director of Plan China, Guo Hanwen, the Director of Shaanxi Poverty Alleviation and Development Office, and experts on studying and evaluating CDD Pilot Project, project implementers, government officials from counties operated Phase Five Project of the World Bank Programme.

At the opening ceremony, Mark Leighton, the County Director of Plan China said, “The CDD Pilot Project has come to an end which was implemented in Shaanxi under the cooperation of Plan China and the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. The project not only provided enlightenment for the establishment of a new poverty alleviation model but also provided new thoughts for the elimination of poverty of children through the combination of Plan China’s Child-Centered Community Development concept, which further promoted the friendly partnership between Plan China and governments at all levels and poverty alleviation offices as well. The exploration and attempts in different project fields, areas and mechanisms by us different organizations will better and perfect the development of CDD project and will make great contribution to the poverty alleviation service and children’s development.”

Fan Zengyu, the Director of the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, and Guo Hanwen, the Director of Shaanxi Poverty Alleviation and Development Office expressed in their speeches that the Shaanxi CDD Extension Pilot Project has strode a firm step for the Chinese government’s efforts to explore the community-driven poverty alleviation model and set a good example for the further improvement of Chinese poverty alleviation mechanism and efficiency. Mr. Fan Zengyu emphasized, “Hereon, on behalf of the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, I wish to express our earnest gratitude to the Shaanxi Poverty Alleviation and Development Office and Plan China for their support in these years.”

When sharing the experience of the CDD Pilot Project, Zhao Shengli, the CDD programme consultant in Baishui Office emphasized, “Three principles have been consistently followed through the implementation of the CDD project: stick to the CDD project manual; respect the villagers’ rights on decision making as the major partner of the project and always standardize staff’s work.” According to Zhao Shengli, the consistent work style ensured that in the final evaluation of the effectiveness of the CDD project, 100% of the villagers believed it was necessary to conduct the project and 93.5% of the villagers were satisfied with the results; 91.8% of the invested families participated in raising fund and 92.5% of them contributed labor. 

Briefing on the CDD programme and the extension pilot project:

In July 2005, the World Bank and the Foreign Capital Project Management Center of national Poverty Alleviation and Development Office formally signed the cooperative agreement and implemented the CDD pilot projects in Guangxi, Sichuan, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia. Through the implementation of these pilot projects, they explored the community driven poverty alleviation and development approach to further perfect the poverty alleviation and development mechanism in China and improve the efficiency of poverty alleviation and development work. At this stage, Plan China had the honor to participate in the pilot project in Baishui County of Shaanxi Province as an international non-governmental organization, and undertook the training, instruction, assistance and monitoring work in accordance with the CDD Pilot Project Operational Manual, which achieved a better accomplishment in Baishui CDD project and acquired the affirmation of the senior management of Foreign Capital Project Management Center, World Bank and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. In October 2007, for the further experiment with CDD approach and concepts, Plan China signed a formal agreement with the Foreign Capital Project Management Center, and worked together on the CDD extension projects in Baishui County and Pucheng County of Shaanxi Province.

The CDD project combines the international grants and governments’ funds to improve the situation in deprived areas in three aspects. First of all, the small infrastructure and public service quality improvement project was implemented. Through the road constructions and water supply system projects in 25 communities in Pucheng and Baishui, the situation of unsubstantial infrastructure in communities was improved. Second, the community development fund project was implemented. About 45 community development funds were founded in Pucheng and Baishui to guarantee the economic development of communities. Thirdly, the natural resources protection and water, environment and sanitation project was implemented. Through the implementation of water supply, sanitary latrines, community drainage, greening and garbage disposal, community members’ awareness on the protection of natural resources and health was raised, and the situation of natural resources and environmental sanitation in communities were also improved. The CDD project is a meaningful exploration of new poverty alleviation approach. Through integrating Plan’s approach of Child-Centered Community Development, the project provides new ideas for Plan’s work on eliminating poverty. And the project also promotes a positive partnership with governments at different levels.

In the project RMB 22.5million has been invested, among which, Plan donated RMB 7.5 million while the government invested RMB 15 million.