NPA in Myanmar

NPA established an office in the capital of Myanmar, Yangon in 2004.  The programme has focused on addressing the land and resources thematic, adapting to the situation and the possibilities within the country, by providing support to the activities of local partners in the rural areas of Kachin and Shan State. The partners have, in addition to supporting projects aimed at increasing food security, managed to incorporate measures of capacity building and empowerment of project or development groups in their work. Their awareness building and the use of participatory methods encourage people to work together in groups, to discuss and define problems, root causes, opportunities and possible solutions.  The partners’ activities also include skill training, for example, project proposal writing, thus increasing the target groups’ possibility to influence their own life in a positive manner. The emergence of civil society spaces in the war-torn communities where most of NPA’s partners are acting must be seen in the broader context of enormous underdevelopment, a situation that is not addressed either by the central government or the ceasefire groups controlling the semi autonomous areas defined within their ceasefire agreements.

 

In addition to supporting local partner projects, NPA has implemented several capacity-building workshops, seminars and coaching sessions for all the partners in Myanmar.  NPA has also maintained the close relationship and support to GRET, a French organisation with more then 10 years history in Chin State. The project approach, supported by NPA, makes use of the same participatory methods as local partners, promoting an active citizenry through the building up of farmer groups in Northern Chin State. 

 

NPA will, in 2007, continue to support the projects of the local partners.  Further capacity building will be provided to local organisations working in Myanmar in the field of rural development and agriculture. The cooperation with GRET will continue and the cooperation with the Metta Development Foundation, one of the few registered local NGOs with the capacity to work in a number of States and Divisions, will be strengthened with support to refine their project and further develop the participatory methods employed for activating civil society and strengthening community-based development.

 

NPA’s activities in Myanmar are funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs