Poverty Reduction through Sustainable Programs

Tri Bikram Dhungana, EMBA:-09532

Case Synopsis
The case is basically about the service enterprise NGO (Non-Government
Organization) called Mountain Resources Management Group. It was established in
1995 and working for the sustainable development of the poorest in the rural
communities. It has been working in the area like agriculture, education, gender
equality, good governance, irrigation, social economic, health and many more. The
case has also presented how NGO’s are operating in Nepal and also it has presented
their strategies, objective and services.

Case Analysis
The main strategies focus of MRMG is to use local available resources (human,
natural, local technologies), skills for sustainable development. They have chosen
the participative approach which has been widely followed by local developments
for sustaining the growth. Their strategies and objective can be viewed by the
following participative model.

Required human
resources, skills,
technology and fund
Figure: - Participatory Appreciative Planning Approach
Ref:-http://www.scn.org/cmp/modules/emp-papa.htm, [PAPA]
by Kamal Phuyal, PHD
Wide ranges of services are provided by MRGM this includes Natural Resource
Management, Socio Economic Development, Good Governance, Health and
Hygiene, Gender, Action Research.
Poverty Reduction through Sustainable Programs
Tri Bikram Dhungana, EMBA:-09532

After collection of description of targeted beneficiaries the service delivery

modalities can be viewed as responsible and accountable because the
implementing agencies are local bodies (VDC or Ward) and the action plan should
be approved by VDC grant commission. The local government has certain role to
play for selecting and implementing the plan also in case of need the VDC may
provide some budget form their allocation.

Case Discussion
Besides analyzing how well the MRGM doing we are basically focused on is MRGM
fully entrepreneurial and innovative as much as other business? According to Peter
Drucker (Entrepreneurial Policies-page 167) the public service institution to
make it capable of innovation requires
1. Clear Mission: - The MRGM does not communicate its clear mission about why
does it exit, what it is trying to do. The focus of MRGM is on program and
project rather than its objectives. So, we can clearly see it has many
programs ranging from natural resources to action plan. Beside this the listed
objective cannot answer how, where, why and who.
2. Attainable Goal: - The goal set must be genuinely attainable and realistic.
Some of the goals set by MRGM are human resource development, poverty
alleviation, and awareness in environmental degradation, participation of
women in decision making, link co-ordination, and replication of successful
project. We have to analyze are these goals realistic and attainable? Can
MRGM eventually confirm ‘Our job is finished’? Most of the goal set by the
MRGM cannot be measured and don’t seems to be realistic. The objective
must be phrased in optimal rather than maximal terms. The phrased could be
“Increasing Income by 5% by developing the use of better seed and
agriculture technique for the family having income less than 5000 per year.”
Rather than the phrased “Alleviating poverty to boost sustainable
development”.
3. Appreciation of failure objective: - There is no hint that any of the objectives
of MRGM is wrong. Rather than economical must of the objective of MRGMs
can be viewed as moral this leads to failure.
4. Build policies and practices: - The case has not defined how the selections of
particular commodities are done and what are the policies and practices of
MRGM. But the MRGM has well defined service selection and delivery
mechanism. They follow the PAPA (Participative Appreciative Planning
Approach) with the co-ordination of VDC and ward. It is the local bodies and
community who choose services and implement it. It is the positive aspect of
project.

SMART analysis of MRMG

S- Specific goal (MRMG does not have specific goal rather it is wide and scattered)
M- Measurable (The outputs are highly moral rather than economical cannot be
measured easily)
Poverty Reduction through Sustainable Programs
Tri Bikram Dhungana, EMBA:-09532

A- Achievable goals (Since they are in the middle of the operation it will be unfair to
say that they have not archive their goal.)
R- Realistic (Some of the goal of MRMG is not realistic and their objective is to
reduce poverty and they alone could not do it on the national level)
T–Time Bound (The project is for five years and they have not separated the time
limit for all their programs and their different projects)

Restraining forces for innovation in MRMG according to Peter Drucker page

163

1. Based on Budget: - MRGM is getting its budget from DANIDA and Canadian
Cooperation Office. Its major challenge is to ensure its own sustainability. Its
success is measured in terms of budget its gets rather than the output it
produces.
2. Multitude dimension: - Since MRGM works on multiple constitutions. Example
NGO policies, Local Government policies, communities interest it is difficult
for them to change the way of doing.
3. Do Good: - Rather than sustaining and making economic cost/benefit calculus
they are happy doing the good. The MRGM has no any objective for different
allocation for same resources for obtaining the higher goal.

Recommendation
• Should define clear mission and goals. The goals must be realistic,
achievable, measurable and durable
• Objective should be defined so as to align with the mission. The objective
should soundly answer the question like how, what, where, who etc.
• Start to transform the organization as partnership with local people rather
than just depending on the donors for fund. Start thinking of privatizing the
NGO as Co-operative for sustaining.
• The self evaluation and evaluation by community are the part of the
participative model. The MRMG must develop the (project, human resource,
program appraisal system). This appraisal must be done in regular basis
rather than at end of project.
• Instead of focusing on so many development area MRGM must develop its
competent core area and try to focus on that core competent area.
• As by nature the MRGM is the NGO nonprofit making organization it should
provide the quality service for mankind rather that quantity of services.