Padek’s work is guided by our current ‘Strategic Plan 2013-2016.’ The current Plan started in January 2013 following a 6-month transition period from the previous strategic plan. The current Plan was developed following an external evaluation of our ‘Strategic Plan 2009-2012.’ It also involved consultation with core donors, staff, senior management and the Board of Directors.
The Strategic Plan outlines the work we will do over the next 3 years. All ASUs and Program Units (Central office) carry out an annual review and evaluation of activities under the Strategic Plan. Annual implementation plans are also developed by each Unit and are aligned with the overarching Padek Strategic Plan.
The current Strategic Plan 2013-2016 is our sixth strategic plan.
In the first Plan (1994-1996) Padek focused our efforts on:
• Assistance to the agriculture sector
• Attention to the vulnerable position of women
• Importance of developing human resources
• Importance of human rights
• Preservation of natural resources and protection of the environment.
Padek’s institutional objectives at that time included: Organisation Building, Capacity Building, Social Justice and Economic Development. During this period Padek gained experience in community development and sustainable agriculture.
The second Plan (1997-2000) focused on the following development issues:
• Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation
• Food Security
• Gender
• Organisation Building
• Education and Culture
• Environment
• Health
• Capacity Building
During this period Padek’s work built on the previous Strategic Plan, but greater emphasis was also given to gender issues. Working closely with our core donor (Oxfam Novib), Padek worked to increase staff skills in gender issues and to incorporate sustainable gender mainstreaming in every aspect of our work.
Following a mid-term review of Strategic Plan 1997-2000, Padek adopted a specific model for community development called ‘Padek’s Integrated Community Development Model’ (PICDM). PICDM was adopted in 1999 and drew on best-practice experiences of the ASUs. Since then PICDM has been a key component of our strategic direction and organisational objectives, including the 2001-2004, 2005-2008, and 2009-2012 Strategic Plans.
PICDM sought to address basic needs (such as livelihoods, food security, health and education) and to improve living conditions. It focused on the formation of three development groups – the People’s organisations (known as Self Help Groups), the ‘expert’ groups (in agriculture, livestock and agriculture for example), and the Village and Commune Development Committees (VDCs and CDCs). Under this approach, Padek also focused on building and strengthening civil society organisations, known as Commune Community Based Organisations. By strengthening these organisations, it was hoped that they would acquire the skills and expertise to become sustainable and to meet the needs of their local community.
In our most recent plan (Strategic Plan 2009-2012) Padek’s goal was ‘to empower disadvantaged people to improve their quality of life in a sustainable way through building and strengthening civil society organisation’.
This Plan focused on four main objectives:
• organisation building
• food security and income generation
• education and culture
• health
For more details on the ‘Strategic Plan 2009-2012’, please click here.
An evaluation of the Strategic Plan 2009-2012 was carried out in December 2012. Its recommendations included revising Padek’s strategic direction, particular our focus on PICDM. Given the changing socio-economic and political conditions in Cambodia, PICDM was no longer considered the best model for community development.
Under our new Strategic Plan 2013-2016, our program approach is now based on a process of involvement, co-operation and networking. Our work focuses on four key components:
1. Savings Communities
2. On-farm and off-farm livelihoods
3. Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
4. Governance and program management
For more details on the ‘Strategic Plan 2013-2016’, please click here.