Active Community Accountability Facilitator

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Since 2016, eleven radio stations have been actively amplifying the voices and actions of citizens throughout four provinces in Cambodia. Supported by World Vision’s Implementation of Social Accountability Framework (I-SAF) project, the radio programme is part of the Information for Citizens (I4C) initiative. 

The programme has been created to support local administrations while holding the administrators accountable, ultimately increasing the quality of local services. Additionally, it will positively impact service providers’ behaviour. 

In Siem Reap, the programme airs from 9 to 10 am every Tuesday from February to May. The programme hosts guest speakers including Community Accountability Facilitators (CAFs), who have been trained by World Vision’s staff, and service providers from the Health, Education and Commune Administration sectors. They are invited to share and answer the audience’s questions.

According to the Radio Survey Reports, 30% of audiences in Siem Reap’s communities listened to the programme in 2016. The audience continues to grow and has increased to 40% in 2017.

On behalf of World Vision, we are keen to see them own this project and continue working for positive change.

On May 19th, two speakers were invited to contribute their ideas on the topic of, “Role of Community Accountability Facilitators and Service Providers in Schools.” The speakers were Mrs. Phy Sophea, an active CAF from Chikreng district, and Mr. Sim Leangmeng, School Director in Beng primary school in Chikreng district.

Mrs. Phy Sophea, stated, “CAFs have been selected since 2016 in order to change people’s mindset, encouraging the community to participate and monitor the services within their local community such as commune hall services, school services and health center services.” Then adding, “Through self-facilitation, the community starts changing from knowing nothing to understanding the three important sectors of Health, Education, and Commune Administratio. The people are now aware of their rights and the working standards of each sector.”

Mr. Sim Leangmeng told the audience, “My school has implemented the Social Accountability Framework since 2016. All school budget information has been shared in the school and community’s monthly meeting. In 2017, 90% of students were enrolled in Beng primary school, while the rest of them moved elsewhere.” He continued by stating, “To attract and increase the number of students, we now conduct a School Enrolment Campaign twice every academic year.” He added that, “We also cooperated with the village leaders, writing down the names of children’s families who have difficulties accessing school and education and then visiting them. We then immediately find ways to bring them to school.”

Sophea chimed in to say, “As facilitators, we support School Enrollment Campaigns by seeking funding to run the campaign from our partners such as World Vision. 

Rath Romany, World Vision Siem Reap’s Technical Officer for Social Accountability and Initiative makes it clear that, “We are so happy to see the big impact through our CAFs who have actively worked in local communities. Through their efforts, the services are much improved from supply side.” She continued to say, “On behalf of World Vision, we are keen to see them own this project and continue working for positive change. 

Through the World Vision ISAF project funded by World Bank, 442 Community Accountability Facilitators (CAFs) were recruited and trained to take on roles in changing the way the suppliers work with the people. They will be working with 75 health centers and 171 primary schools in 229 villages of 87 communes which were selected from the four difference provinces, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear and Kampongthom.

More than five million people, especially woman, children, youth, ethnic minorities, and poor people will benefit from the three-year Implementation Plan for the I-SAF project from 2016 – 2018 in 120 districts across 19 different provinces in Cambodia.