In order to simplify a picture of what needs to be done, Khanya developed this set of 6 key governance issues which are required if a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach or people-centred approach to development are to be achieved. These principles guide the work of Khanya-aicdd and relate closely to the community-driven development approach. They also provide a picture of what a working micro-macro system might look like:

Empowered communities - Micro (community) level

• Are people active and involved in managing their own development, claiming their rights and exercising their responsibilities, with specific involvement of the poor?
• Is there an active, responsive, dispersed and accountable network of local service providers (community-based, private sector or government)?

Strengthened local government and meso-level services - Meso (local government) level

• At local government level (lower meso) are services effective, coordinated, responsive and held accountable (whether public or private)?
• At upper meso level, is the county/region supportive and supervising the level below?

Realigning the centre - Macro (National) level

• Is national/ provincial government providing strategic direction, redistribution, coordination and oversight? How responsive is this to micro and meso-level realities and inputs?
• Are international institutions supporting the capacity of nations and regions to address poverty?

Khanya-aicdd’s work is constructed around these 3 elements:

• the action learning cycle – expressed in our services
• the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach embedded in how we work, with practice areas improving livelihoods directly (focusing on Agriculture, Natural Resources & Food Security and Local Economic Development), and helping to set up conditions for community-driven development to be realised (see Figure below)

The practices represent the content areas we focus on, and the services the tools we apply to these. We seek to use the full gamut of tools for each practice, while recognising we may start with any, eg a research project, or training, and by using the full set of tools the full action-learning cycle can take effect, with changes in policy and practice.

In order to do this learning most effectively, in 2007 we started to develop a concept for Community-driven Development learning sites, where we learn from communities to drive transformation of the development system, testing out models in a limited number of places, and ensuring that benefits accrue to these communities as well as informing policy and practice more widely. In 2008, we have 2 CDD learning sites agreed (Mangaung in South Africa and Manica in Mozambique) as well as a Managing for Impact (MFI) learning site in Lesotho. We will continue to fundraise for these and make these core to our work.