WHO Decisions - Targeting Recipients

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Note 2 Purpose 3 Time 4 Participants 5 Materials 6 Process 7 Debriefing 8 Source

Note

This activity is divided in two parts. The first part focuses on identifying criteria used to target aid recipients and how targeting can exacerbate conflict. The second one focuses on how to do better with targeting. You can facilitate both parts in one session or distribute them in two separate sessions during the workshop.

Purpose

To explore how decisions about who should receive aid can affect dividers and connectors between groups; To learn how to do better with targeting aid.

Time

90 minutes for both parts of the process; more if necessary.

Participants

At least three participants.

Materials

• Flip chart papers;
• Markers;
• Blank index cards (you can prepare these by flipping an A4 paper twice and cutting it in four parts; better using thick paper);
• Pencils.

Process

FIRST PART

I) Introduce the activity with a short presentation on WHO, WHAT, HOW and WITH WHOM programming decisions, focusing on the first WHO decision – who should receive aid. In order to prepare your presentation you can use Anderson, Mary. B. (ed.), Options for Aid in Conflict: Lessons From Field Experience, Cambridge: CDA Inc., 2000, http://www.cdainc.com/publications/dnh/options_for_aid_in_conflict_lessons_from_field_experience.php pp. 20-21.

II) Divide the plenary in work groups of 3-5 individuals. Groups’ task is to answer the following questions:

• What are the criteria that are used to target aid recipients, according to your experience (identity, political, geographical, ..)?

• According to your experience, in which ways decisions about who should receive aid can increase inter-group divisions and exacerbate conflict? What are the side effects of these decisions on who gets aid – and who doesn’t get it?

You can write the questions on a flip chart paper, so that all participants can read them.

III) Distribute flip chart papers and markers to work groups and ask them to take note of their findings. Assign sufficient time and start group work.

IV) After group work, return to the plenary and ask each group to present their findings to the plenary. If needed, you can contribute to the discussion by introducing findings from the manual Options for Aid in Conflict, (Anderson, Mary B., cit., pp. 21-25).

SECOND PART

V) Distribute one blank index card to each participant. Assign the task: to write down an idea/strategy for doing better with targeting aid – i.e. avoid exacerbating conflict and increasing inter-group divisions and, possibly, mitigate conflict and improve inter-group connections. Ask participants to write only on one side of the card. Assign sufficient time (3-5 minutes can be enough).

VI) Then ask participants to stand up, turn the side of their cards containing ideas/strategies down, and start switching cards with other participants. Note that participants should not be able to see the written side of the card during switches; they only have to keep on switching the cards.

VII) After 20-30 seconds ask participants to stop switching cards. Make sure each one has one card.

VIII) Invite them to form pairs. The pairs’ task is to read the idea/strategy on each card and assign a score. In order to do so, each pair has a total of five points that can be distributed between the two cards.

Example: A pair likes one of the ideas (cards) much more then the other. They assign 4 points to this idea and only 1 to the other. They could also assign 5 to one idea and 0 to the other; or 3 to one and 2 to the other.

IX) Then repeat the VI and VII step of the process and have pairs distributing points between the two cards.

X) Repeat the procedure again for three more rounds (switching, pairs, scoring).

XI) Return to the plenary, each participant having one card. Announce that now you are going to identify the ideas and strategies that have been rated better. Ask participants to calculate the total score on the cards they have.

XII) Start counting down from 25 and ask participants to stand up when the number equates the score of their card. Invite this participant to read the idea/strategy on her card to the rest of the plenary. Write it down on the flip chart as the first idea/strategy.

XIII) Continue counting down and repeat the procedure of the XII step until you identify the top 3 (or 5 or 10) ideas/strategies. Comment on these and invite participants to discuss. If needed, you can integrate this list with findings from the Options Manual (Anderson, Mary B., cit., pp. 25-30).

XIV) Possibly, follow up by writing down the list of ideas/strategies and distribute it to participants.

Debriefing

Not needed.

Source

The background content materials for this activity are from Anderson, Mary. B. (ed.), Options for Aid in Conflict: Lessons From Field Experience, Cambridge: CDA Inc., 2000, http://www.cdainc.com/publications/dnh/options_for_aid_in_conflict_lessons_from_field_experience.php pp. 20-30. The second part of the process is adapted from an activity originally designed by Thiagi: Thiagarajan, Sivasailam, Design Your Own Games and Activities: Thiagi’s Templates for Performance Improvement, San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2003, pp. 89-90.