Reflecting on the Lessons Learned from INSPIRED
Under the INitiative for Sustained Peaceful Inter-ethnic Relations through Economic Development (INSPIRED) project, the Asia Foundation (the Foundation) held a close-up event on ‘Shared Outcomes and Lessons Learned’, via Zoom, on October 15, 2021.
The event was an opportunity for the Foundation and its community-based partners; Group Action for Social Order (GAFSO), Eastern Self-Reliant Community Awakening Organisation (ESCO), Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA) , Sarvodaya, and Good Market, to reflect and share key findings and observations pertaining to the project outcomes and its lessons learned with key government stakeholders and representatives from the civil society.
On this occasion, the Foundation’s Country Representative, Dinesha deSilva Wikramanayake and the Deputy Country Representative, Johann Rebert provided a brief overview of the INSPIRED project. This was followed by a presentation by Kamaya Jayatissa, the Foundation’s Senior Program Manager to INSPIRED, on the importance of establishing an evidence based approach -especially given the evolving socio-economic context in which the project was implemented.
Following the above, community-based partners shared their observations and lessons learned through the project.
Mr. Kamil Imdad, Director of GAFSO who reflected on the introductory trainings provided to community-based organizations (CBOs), commended the process through which all three partners were trained as facilitators in peacebuilding, gender equality, business skills and facilitation skills for ground level workshops. He also noted that the Foundation’s organizational assessment conducted to understand the capacity of CBOs enabled them to improve their own strengths and weaknesses.
Ms. Achala Samaradivakara, Director and Founder of Good Market, also reflected on the success of the program in building both capacity and relationships between communities. Workshops were conducted by the Good Market to help build entrepreneurship skills of project participants on the following topics: material selection, colour matching, labelling and food processing techniques. She noted that the capacity building aspect of the program has enabled participants to enhance their business practices.
Ms. Jinadari Wedamulla, Program Manager at Sarvodaya and Mr. Marino Nivard, Field Officer at ESCO, shared their reflections on how the project strengthened intercommunity collaboration through economic interdependency. Mr. Nivard shared his observations on the seed grants provided to selected participants. He emphasised that the majority of grantees were female business owners. He also highlighted that the outcome has been overwhelmingly positive both economically and socially for the said participants. This was further elaborated by Ms. Wedamulla who observed that as a result of the seed grants, participants were able to further develop their businesses, which in turn led to an economic boost amidst difficult times such as the pandemic and enabled them to create new market linkages. From a social perspective, the seed grants have enabled participants to increase their standard of living and their self-esteem. Ms. Wedamulla shared a story about two women entrepreneurs in Trincomalee and Kantale who have formed a business partnership. Accordingly, a Tamil seamstress in Kantale and a Sinhala shop owner in Trincomalee have partnered together to exchange their products in order that they be sold at each other’s shops. As a result of this partnership, the Tamil seamstress is now able to sell her products in Trincomalee as well as in Kantale and the Sinhala shop owner is able to sell her products at her own shop and in Kantale. This opportunity has enabled both participants to tap into new markets and improve their business.
The impact of public-private dialogues (PPDs) was highlighted by Ms. Chadini Ramanayake, Program Officer at FSLGA and Mr. Manivannan, Commissioner of Local Government – Eastern Provincial Council. Ms. Ramanayake elaborated on the process through which council level business advisory committees were established. She further highlighted that the PPDs were successful in strengthening the involvement of the business community in project locations and in providing recommendations to the Council on Regional Economic Development. Mr. Manivannan emphasised that INSPIRED supported the creation of intercommunity collaboration which was essential given that the Eastern Province has been riddled with fear and distrust among community members over the recent past. He further highlighted that the project helped create an inclusive business environment, develop a strong business community and empowered the business community to bargain with local government authorities.
A brief overview of the lessons learned by The Asia Foundation through the project and the implications for future programming were discussed by Dr. Gopa Thampi, Consultant to the Foundation. He highlighted the success of the public-private dialogues in creating private sector engagement. He also emphasised that INSPIRED was able to achieve horizontal networking among diverse business communities through the PPDs. He identified enhanced inclusion and the provision of social capital as the two biggest gains from the initial run of PPDs. Dr. Thampi also highlighted the implications for future programming. He spoke of the need to build trust in the process undertaken by the project until the practice is embedded in local authority functions, structures and the business community. He also said that there needs to be an economic literacy element in future programs and provide economic incentives of how social networks can translate into economic capital.
The ‘Shared Outcomes and Lessons Learned’ event provided an opportunity for the Foundation’s staff and their community-based partners to reflect on the project outcomes and the implications for future programming. More detailed information on the INSPIRED project, its outcomes along with research material linked to INSPIRED can be found on the project website.
