Pakistan—Technical Assistance for the Balochistan Community-led Rural Development and Community Empowerment (BRACE) Programme

DAI supported the Government of Balochistan with the implementation of the Rural Development and Community Empowerment (BRACE) Programme. Within BRACE, the European Union (EU)-funded BRACE TA Project supported the Government in reducing the negative impact of poverty and social inequality, empowering resilient communities to actively participate in implementing socio-economic development activities in partnership with local authorities.

The technical assistance for BRACE was complementary to the grant components provided to the other implementing partners, the Rural Support Programme Networks (the Balochistan RSP, the National RSP, and the RSP Network), and in collaboration with the Government of Balochistan, we reached 1.9 million citizens in nine districts in the province—Dukki, Jhal Magsi, Kech, Killa Abdullah, Khuzdar, Loralai, Pishin, Washuk, and Zhob.

The approach of the programme built on the lessons from various EU-funded actions in Pakistan, including the technical assistance for the Community Driven Local Development Programme implemented by DAI in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Video courtesy of Rural Support Programmes Network.

Sample Activities

• Link institutionalized community organizations with the local authorities, thereby enhancing quality, inclusiveness, and equitable service delivery, and build institutionalized community capacity to influence public policy decisions.
• Foster an enabling, community-driven local government and rural development policy and fiscal framework that strengthens the capacities of local governments and authorities to manage and involve communities in the statutory processes of the local public sector planning, financing, and implementation process.

Select Results

• Rural Support Programme Networks engaged with 163,892 households in community organizing activities in nine districts of Balochistan.
• Deployed district coordinators and assistant district coordinators in the nine districts, to facilitate engagement between local officials and the new mobilized community institutions.
• RSPs organized a community management skills training in Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Khuzdar, and Jhal Magsi with women from community organizations.
• RSPs conducted a three-day enterprise development training for women to facilitate them in applying for income-generating grants. These micro-credit instruments disbursed by BRACE help rural women become economically independent by setting up small enterprises, enabling women’s access to markets, and boosting their competitiveness.
• The Technical Assistance District Coordinators and Assistant Deputy Coordinators supported their respective Deputy Commissioners’ offices to conduct a series of with COVID-19 awareness sessions for community members in all target districts.