MENARID: Turning Impossible into I’MPossible

Have you ever pondered about little postage stamp? Inconspicuously stuck on the corner of the envelope, it provides the impetus to keep moving until its job is finished and envelop is reached to its destination. The tiny, insignificant postage stamp demonstrates us what is possible to achieve if we stick with our job with conviction, commitment and perseverance.

This was reiterated on 14^th April, 2014 when Mr. Hossein Tavakoli, local community representative from Asfij village in Bahabad, Iran informed Provincial Governor’s office in the meeting that how the MENARID project made his dream true which he saw long before.

I remembered the difficult time two years back on 28^th February, 2012 when I was trying vigorously to defend the project at the same hall/venue. There was a serious concern on the MENARID success, and I was asked to convince the provincial officials on why the project should continue. Nobody, including the then National Project Manager (NPM) was convinced that MENARID concept of integrating bottom-up and top down approaches can be possible in Iranian context. The onus to prove this came on me as I had led the Project Design. The MENARID project team made it possible with their perseverance, patience and commitment. 

I am jotting down what Mr. Hossein and other people said in that meeting to the decision makers:

“I believe the success in community centred approach. Raising awareness and empowering community – this is what MENARID project is doing. It is following my dream which I saw 35 years before (during Islamic revolution)” (Mr. Hossain Tavakoli, Community Leader, Asfij Village, Bahabad, Yazd province)

“We believe that MENARID project has been able to create confidence among us that “we can stay”. Young people had been deserting the villages, earlier” (Mr. Sheikh Nadar, Community Leader, Kamkuiyeh village, Bahabad, Yazd)

“It was first time that locals are taken seriously and involved in the project management. In previous, we were always told by the government what to do. Now, they trust and work with us” (Ms. Sultana Panal, Vahdabada village, Bahabad, Yazd province)

The provincial government in Yazd and Kermanshah are now proposing to replicate MENARID project learning to other townships in their province as well as to other provinces in Iran. When they asked me I shared my vision in the meeting that MENARID aims not only to make their provinces as leader in government led community development approach in Iran, but putting Iran as a leader in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region for government led community centred development.

I know this time people will believe me.The steps have already been taken in this regard. Recently, representative from ICARDA (International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas) visited MENARID project sites in Iran, and was very impressed with its progress. He has put a team to collect best practices which can be replicated in other MENARID countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. More information on MENARID is available at https://menarid.icarda.org/Pages/About-MENARID.aspx)

Long way to go, but the journey has started and we have taken the baby step. There will be more ups and down, but the team has confidence and definiteness of purpose of achieving the vision.

I see my role as that of postage stamp, giving impetus to ensure MENARID project is on the way to achieve the vision, and then dissociate myself, once it is ensured that it will continue to move towards demonstrating and supporting other countries in following its approach.

Jitendra Sinha (15^th April, 2014)