From Dependence to Dignity: Lessons from Local Ownership to Achieve the SDGs

By Jason M. Lo Hog Tian, Mena Uchendu-Wogu, and Diep Nguyen, University of Toronto

Recognizing the need for partnership to achieve the SDGs, SDG 17 strives to “encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.” To facilitate partnerships most effectively, the idea of localizing projects and interventions has been commonplace and increasingly referenced as a goal by many aid agencies like the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Localization – when aid and development projects are carried out through local organizations – has the transformative power to drive success in humanitarian and development aid and can significantly improve the cost effectiveness of an intervention. Closely related to localization, community ownership measures the involvement, active participation, sense of responsibility, and decision-making autonomy that community members and local organizations have in a project or on an intervention.

Because local organizations have organic links that deeply connect them to the community, localization and community ownership are symbiotic concepts. We refer to this symbiosis as local ownership. It’s a concept that is both valued and studied, and as researchers at the Reach Alliance, we found it to be a crucial component in achieving the reach of the SDGs.

The Reach Alliance is a network of institutions pursuing knowledge creation to achieve the SDGs through student-led research on interventions to reach the hardest to reach. Four case studies in Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, and Rwanda explore community ownership and localization. Although these projects were diverse in partnership, implementors, goals, and funding, one thing stands out from their different implementation of localization and community ownership. At its core, community ownership and localization are not just about participation. Instead, they refer to a significant shift in decision-making autonomy whereby it arises from the grassroots level. By fostering a sense of ownership, communities become active agents of change rather than passive recipients of humanitarian aid or social services.

The qualitative insights from these case studies demonstrate the transformative power of community-driven initiatives. In Kenya, Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest demonstrate how community ownership fosters continued commitment among villagers to participate in the project and contribute to its success actively. These initiatives leveraged partnerships with government and research institutions to develop local, sustainable mangrove forest management capacity, including conservation, reforestation, and data collection training. In collaboration with researchers, the community experimented with different irrigation techniques – such as digging dikes and building trenches – to support the growth of mangroves. Thanks to their dedication and hard work, mangrove seedlings are now flourishing in the area.

The Hariyo Ban “Green Forest” Project in Nepal illustrates how community ownership ensures that interventions are grounded in local realities, priorities, and cultural contexts. Through the Community Learning and Action Centers (CLACs), the project tapped into community members’ deep knowledge and lived experiences, particularly women and marginalized groups, to design interventions that address their most pressing challenges. A CLAC member shared how “[b]efore, women were not allowed to speak … but now, women are empowered; they can speak in front of everyone and share their problems.”

In the Philippines, the Alliance of People’s Organizations Along the Manggahan Floodway (APOAMF) Low-Rise Building Project (LRBP) exemplifies how community ownership promotes more equitable and inclusive processes. The project, which aimed to provide safe, climate-resilient housing for informal settler families living along the Manggahan Floodway, was made possible through the community’s participatory and women-centered leadership, strong cross-sectoral partnerships and networks, and the community’s built and inherent resilience. APOAMF co-created a multi-step iterative ‘People’s Plan’ supported by community members but not approved by the government for on-site relocation. Undeterred, they explored near-site and in-city relocation options, conducting land research with support from Community Organizers Multiversity. After negotiations with the National Housing Authority (NHA), an agreement was reached to commence construction on the low-rise building project. By actively involving community members through their People’s Plan, APOAMF ensured that marginalized voices were heard, and benefits were shared fairly. As one resident remarked, “[t]he participatory approach fostered a strong sense of ownership of the building process among the residents.”

The Umurenge Saving and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) program in Rwanda demonstrates how community ownership is critical to building resilience and self-sufficiency. By providing tailored financial products, promoting a culture of savings and investment, and building local capacity, SACCOs have empowered Rwandans to manage their own financial futures. A SACCO member testified, “SACCOs are valued so much in rural areas… women are more involved in business because of government structures that favor women, that is, women’s co-operatives.”

When communities have the skills, knowledge, and resources to lead their own interventions, they are better equipped to adapt to changing circumstances, overcome challenges, and seize opportunities. However, to truly mainstream localization, there needs to be a scaling up of community ownership and localization of interventions. We hope that the lessons from these case studies will accelerate the spread of this practice in the development sector:

The Hariyo Ban project showed that there needs to be collaboration with diverse sectors, including grassroots communities, local and federal government agencies, international non-profits, and civil society organizations (CSOs), which can help establish critical community-based and local-level interventions. Similarly, the Mikoko Pamoja and Vanga Blue Forest mangrove conservation projects in Kenya demonstrate the power of community ownership in supporting communities to drive their own development, utilizing partnerships among the state, academic, and international sectors.
A second crucial lesson involves embracing more participatory, bottom-up approaches to development. The APOAMF Low-Rise Building Project in the Philippines exemplifies this principle by actively involving community members in designing and implementing the LRBP through their People’s Plan. Women made up over 70% of APOAMF’s leadership council and played a crucial role that their community appreciated. The project’s success was attributed to collaboration with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the NHA to provide technical support, build capacity, and ensure the community’s fair influence on the LRBP’s execution. APOAMF demonstrated deep resilience and dedication, with leaders’ commitment of over 13 years stemming from a passion for housing justice and collective well-being. Stakeholders must trust in communities’ wisdom and create enabling environments for their leadership to thrive – in this case, showcasing the power of marginalized members in participatory processes against eviction. APOAMF fostered their resilience by being vulnerable with each other, earning and giving trust, establishing effective lines of communication, sharing a collective vision, and developing leaders from within.
Technology also presents exciting opportunities for scaling the impact of community ownership. The Umurenge SACCOs program in Rwanda showcases how digital platforms can help connect communities, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster financial literacy. By leveraging mobile apps and social media, communities can amplify their voices on a global stage and enable more efficient and transparent monitoring and evaluation of interventions. This empowers communities to track progress and hold stakeholders accountable.

Ultimately, the strength of localization and community ownership lies in the ability to empower communities to take control of their own narrative, experiences, and development and chart their own path toward a more resilient future. However, despite the mainstreaming of localization, local organizations currently receive only about 2% of donor funding. There also remain significant challenges to implementing community ownership. More than 35 international organizations, including Oxfam and CARE, have signed the Charter for Change to commit to increasing localization and community ownership in their projects. More participation is required to ensure proper scaling of localization, community ownership, and the fulfillment of the SDGs, especially SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals).