Sindh Coastal Community Development Project

Key lessons from previous projects incorporated in and validated by this project included: (i) area-based multi-sector community development projects need to be simple to be effective; (ii) institutions with built-in capacity should be used; (iii) a flexible, demand-driven approach to community development should be followed; (iv) civil works and effective social mobilization should be balanced; and (v) the focus should be on service delivery, rather than on policy reforms involving structural changes that are beyond the scope of an area-based development project. The key lesson from this project is related to avoiding startup delays. The followings should be incorporated in similar future projects: (i) implementing NGOs should be pre-selected at appraisal; (ii) beneficiary contribution requirements should be waived, particularly for cash contributions; (iii) regular staff should be hired in favor of consultants, and (iv) project accounts and sub-accounts should be protected from administrative changes. Given the high unemployment rate in Pakistan (6.3% in 2013) and frequent bans on staff recruitment, political interference with recruitment is a systemic problem and it must be anticipated in all projects.