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Rural transport creates access to services
and markets for people. It is a catalyst for rural economic
development as rural-urban linkages provide people with new
opportunities for employment and enterprising initiatives. The
development challenge is to enable socially and economically
disadvantaged people to be prepared for the emerging
opportunities and to get equal benefit.
RURAL ACCESS PROGRAMME (RAP)
Implemented in collaboration with WSP and
GEOCE The Rural Access Programme uses a “transport-plus”
approach to rural road construction. Roads are built through
labour-based technologies by Road Building Groups, comprising of
the poorest families in the community. These families generate
income from the works. They are further supported for productive
investment of
their savings into new income generating opportunities for the
post-construction period. The engineering expertise is provided
by WSP and GEOCE while Helvetas Nepal focuses on the livelihood
enhancement.
OUTCOMES
Better road access to services and markets
along more than 300 km of roads in four districts of the eastern
hills. Socially and economically disadvantaged people benefit
equally from improved access along the road corridor.
PRESENT STATUS
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More than 700 Road Building Groups (RBG)
formed from among the poor people along the corridors
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More than 14,000 workers from the RBGs
earn income for 3-5 month per year from construction works
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Non-physical barriers to access are
addressed through advocacy and empowerment of RBG-members
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Support for saving and credit management
among RBG-members
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Advise and support to RBG-members on
income generation through farming or non-farming activities
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Local initiative fund supports
communities, in particular RBGs, to get access to technical
advise and services for initiating income generation
opportunities
PARTNERSHIP
Implemented under a consortium approach led
by WSP, a private international engineering company.
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RBGs provide road construction labour
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Local Road User Committees (LRUC) and
Local Road Coordination Committees coordinate works
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Private engineering companies provide
technical expertise
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Local NGOs form RBGs, support LRUCs and
facilitate the capacity building and socio-economic
development of RBGs
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DDC and DoLIDAR/MoLD coordinate at
district and national levels, respectively
FUNDING
Funds provided by DFID to WSP. Helvetas
provides technical expertise on the socio-economic development
dimension of the project.
CONTACT DETAILS
RAP
P.O. Box 15134, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal
Ph. 01-5549629;
Email: rap@wspnepal.com
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