20 Oct 2013

Village Development Committees (VDCs) have been encouraged to be innovative and come up with income-generating projects.

Addressing members of Kgalagadi North VDCs, the Assistant Council Secretary for Hukuntsi Sub-District, Mr Bathusi Regoweng, explained that the VDC is a community capacity building programme aimed at improving the socio-economic of the community at grass root level hence they need to be productive and accountable at all times. Mr Regoweng said the VDCs played a crucial role towards the development of livelihoods, particularly in rural areas where unemployment and lack of development was rife.

Therefore, a lot has to be invested in building result-oriented VDCs that would be able to drive developmental projects in the community they serve. He said it should be therefore the responsibility of VDCs to identify possible income-generating projects in their localities that could sustain the VDC and enable their sustainability.

He emphasised that it was important for VDCs to come up with annual plans that would guide them to meet their yearly targets and ensure productivity.

Planning, he said, was an essential component of successful community association management, adding that by holding a planning session at the beginning of the community’s fiscal year or during budget preparation time, the board sets the tone, direction and pace of the community for the year ahead.

He said the planning session is a chance for board members to discuss survey results and outcomes of the meetings and also provide committee members the opportunity to share their priorities for the upcoming year as well as potential items that may affect future year projects.

Further, he pleaded with VDCs to liaise with village leadership such as councillors, village extension teams and dikgosi and should also regularly consult with the community to ensure that activities undertaken reflected the view of the community. ENDS