Poverty-alleviation communication practices of the Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization (JeCCDO) in Negede Woito community, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Sub-Saharan African countries, particularly Ethiopia, grapple with persistent poverty despite extensive efforts from numerous NGOs. This study focuses on the Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization (JeCCDO), an NGO with over 35 years of experience in Ethiopia, to analyze its communication practices within poverty alleviation initiatives. The research aims to understand how JeCCDO's communication strategies influence its effectiveness and sustainability. The study highlights the complexity of defining poverty, acknowledging economic definitions alongside psychological and cultural dimensions prevalent within the Negede Woito community. The paper's central question explores whether JeCCDO’s communication practices effectively address the multifaceted nature of poverty in the community and what challenges impede progress. Effective communication is deemed crucial for the success of development interventions; therefore, the study investigates whether JeCCDO's communication aligns with established participatory communication principles.

The literature review explores the roles and challenges faced by NGOs in poverty alleviation efforts. It examines the historical context of NGO involvement in Africa, highlighting their contributions and limitations in achieving sustainable development. The review emphasizes the importance of participatory communication in development projects, citing various theoretical frameworks and case studies. Key themes include the importance of community participation throughout all stages of a project, the integration of indigenous knowledge, the limitations of top-down approaches, and the need for context-specific strategies. Scholars such as Altafin (1991), Brown (1985), Chambers (1997), and Gumucio Dagron (2001) are referenced to support the argument for participatory approaches that prioritize local empowerment and ownership.

This study uses a qualitative research design to gain an in-depth understanding of JeCCDO's communication practices in the Negede Woito community. A case study approach was adopted, focusing on JeCCDO's capacity development program within the community. Data collection involved purposive sampling, targeting three groups: community development workers (JeCCDO staff), members of the Negede Woito community, and organizational documents (website and annual reports). Data gathering methods included in-depth interviews with JeCCDO staff (45-60 minutes each), focus group discussions with the Negede Woito community (1 hour 40 minutes), and document analysis of JeCCDO's materials. The interviews and FGDs, conducted in Amharic and translated to English, were thematically analyzed, revealing key themes related to community needs, development practices, indigenous knowledge, communication systems, community participation, and factors influencing development. The thematic analysis facilitated the answering of the research questions.

The study revealed a significant disconnect between JeCCDO's stated goals and its actual communication practices. While JeCCDO promotes participatory communication and a social enterprise model, the Negede Woito community had minimal involvement in project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The community's prioritized needs (housing, security, education) differed from the projects implemented (water infrastructure, short-term training). Despite JeCCDO's financial contributions, the community experienced persistent poverty, reflecting unmet psychological, social, and political needs alongside the material poverty. The project's interventions, like urban agriculture and livestock initiatives, lacked contextual understanding, leading to inefficiencies (e.g., providing livestock to those without proper housing). Indigenous knowledge and skills were not effectively integrated into projects; for instance, community members’ traditional handicrafts were neglected in favor of short-term training with low sustainability. The study highlighted discrimination and political instability affecting the community, further hindering progress. The study demonstrates the lack of participatory approach in JeCCDO's project with failure of building project in a specific location because the community was not consulted on its location and usage.

The findings challenge the assumption that simply providing material resources equates to successful poverty alleviation. The study emphasizes the critical role of participatory communication and context-specific approaches. The limited community participation and the misalignment between the community’s felt needs and JeCCDO's project priorities highlight the limitations of a top-down model. The persistent discrimination and political instability affecting the Negede Woito community reinforce the need for a holistic approach to development, encompassing social, political, and economic factors. The study’s implications extend beyond JeCCDO, highlighting the need for a critical evaluation of communication practices within the broader NGO sector. The mismatch between intentions and outcomes highlights the importance of genuine participatory processes in community development projects.

This study demonstrates that material aid alone is insufficient for successful poverty alleviation. JeCCDO's efforts, though beneficial in some ways, lacked a truly participatory approach, resulting in limited impact. Future research should explore more effective participatory communication strategies within similar contexts, potentially examining different models of community engagement and the role of power dynamics in development projects. Addressing systemic issues of discrimination and instability is crucial for any sustainable poverty alleviation strategy.

The study's focus on a single NGO and community limits its generalizability. The findings might not be representative of all NGOs or all communities in Ethiopia. The research relied on qualitative methods, limiting the possibility for quantitative analysis of impact. The reliance on translation from Amharic to English could introduce some level of interpretative bias.