Building Capacity through Listening
Internal displacement of millions of children, women, and men is a major humanitarian concern in the world today. Displacement in some countries is not a once off event due to an isolated conflict, it has become a continuous occurrence, fuelled by poverty and religious and ethnic differences. Experience has demonstrated that the traditional approach to humanitarian intervention- that is humanitarian aid, return and resettlement provided as sequenced not blended programs is not adequate to address these complex situations. There has been increasing recognition that to be effective, it is essential to support the resilience of affected individuals and their communities to facilitate rebuilding of social capital in affected and host communities, and promote their ability to seek their own solutions in the broader environment. The paper presents the story of a project undertaken by Community and Family Services International. The project aimed to make a difference in the lives of people internally displaced due to armed conflict in Mindanao, Philippines. The project, funded by the World Bank, was implemented between 2001-2003. The principles underpinning the model were a commitment to participation and a respect for human rights. The project was implemented within a psychosocial framework. The paper aims to highlight the core components of the model which influenced the positive outcomes and to demonstrate the importance of continuous engagement of internally displaced people from the time of displacement through to reclaiming their lives and communities. The application of a social work principles are at the core of the project design, and highlighted in the project implementation and activities which have arisen out of the project. A key to successful outcomes is identified in the words of one internally displaced person “You Listen”.