Two members were visited within the first quarter of 2007 namely DHRRA Malaysia and InDHRRA. The main objective of the visit was, after the formal mandate from the assembly in 2006, to share the strategic plan to a broader stakeholder of each DHRRA (staff and Board) the AsiaDHRRA strategic plan and generate deeper understanding and commitment from them to integrate or carefully locate the thrusts of the network in their respective organizational plans. This process is critical on the assumption that much of the strategic plan will be made operational on-ground through the work of its partners.
The orientation session was most welcomed by the staff of the Community Center Project who will be transiting from being project staff of ERA Consumer to becoming either or both staff and member of DHRRA Malaysia. Most of the staff gained confidence in their being part of the DHRRA knowing that they belong to a bigger family of DHRRAs. They plan to undergo a follow-up membership meeting and a strategic planning session to firm up their organizational plan, alongside the network’s plan. The three-day session also covered a sharing of their roots of involvement in social development work, as part of their understanding of the “DHRRA spirit”, and as input to a team-building session. A brief orientation on social enterprise was also made to expand their prospects for the community centers in the long term.
Binadesa / InDHRRA underwent an organizational re-structuring in compliance to the new law governing NGOs in Indonesia. Along this, Binadesa now has 3 organs in the foundation: Board of Founders, Board of Trustees and Board of Management. The new law does not permit an English name as well as the use of the word “secretariat” thus its General Assembly decided to adopt a new name – Bina Desa Sadajiwa.
In March, AsiaDHRRA facilitated a participatory / peer assessment of the organizational growth of Binadesa based on an agreed tool developed by AsiaDHRRA. The assessment showed that Binadesa is on Level 3 (niching Stage). Given said level of development and the current organizational plan of Binadesa, several areas of cooperation were identified. Key among these was the work along small enterprise and marketing development. With Dwi Astuti as a member of the AsiaDHRRA ExeCom, Binadesa is also expected to play anchoring role in its policy advocacy especially on food security and platform building with the fisherfolk sector.