Local infrastructure plays an essential role in the ability of rural people to improve their
income, food sufficiency and access to outside markets and services and ultimately to
improve their livelihood. Thus, communities frequently forward demands for support for
the construction or the repair of rural infrastructures while offering substantial
contributions from their side. The ability of communities to take forward their own
initiatives is limited by two main factors: access to local technical expertise for design
and construction and lack of resources to purchase external materials.

LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT (LILI)

The Local Infrastructure for Livelihood Improvement Project (LILI) capitalizes on experiences with the successful community based trail bridge building of Helvetas and SDC and the piloting of a small demand-led rural infrastructure project (formerly known as Demand-led Rural Infrastructure at Local Level) of Helvetas. It intends to enable rural communities to build and sustain their infrastructures while strengthening local organizations to provide the necessary support services to communities.

OUTCOMES

• Communities build and manage in an equitable way reliable farmer managed irrigation schemes and appropriate public rural infrastructures.

• Capacity of technicians, local institutions and organizations for constructing local infrastructure is enhanced.

PRESENT STATUS

• A pilot phase was conducted in 2004 and 2005; the 1st implementation phase of LILI is from 1st August 2006 to 31st July 2009

• Pilot phase for LILI confirmed a high demand for rural infrastructure, a willingness of people to contribute resources and the viability of the local service provider concept

• The focus of LILI is on small irrigation schemes below 25 hectares, rural marketing and collection centres of agro-forestry products and rural service centres for health and education

• Demands for more than 205 community infrastructures have been brought forward by communities, most of these being irrigation schemes

• 5 infrastructure projects have been completed and 24 projects are under construction

• On-the job training for more than 18 local service providers in 6 districts
   

PARTNERSHIP

• User’s Groups take lead and are the main implementers

• Local Service Providers (LSP) provide support to User’s Groups, and are undergoing capacity building by LILI

• External Service Providers provide expert support to LSPs and enhance their capacity; they
  advise on more complex infrastructures

• Local bodies of government as coordinators and facilitators

FUNDING

CHF 924,000 from SDC and CHF 913,000 DFID contribution to HNCP for the first implementation phase 2006 - 2009.

Contact Details

LILI
Birendranagar, Surkhet, Nepal
Phone: + 977 83 520124
E-Mail: lili@helvetas.org.np