M ECANISMOS DE RESISTENCIA

Post-conflict relations of the two neighbourhoods featured a collective internal resource mobilization process that was introduced by VNCDF. As presented in chapter 4, the case studies followed the VNCDF network’s ACCA upgrading programme that advocated key roles for poor communities by promoting community savings to mobilize internal resources and enhance communities’ internal ties; a learning network of poor communities and city government; and a participatory upgrading based on the facilitative role of external experts, community participation and collaboration with city government. Among these approaches, the operation of the learning network of poor communities and city government and the promotion of the participatory upgrading approach related to relations that reached beyond the internal structure of the neighbourhoods, therefore, they will be reported in in chapters 6 and 7. The following section presents the internal resource mobilization in the two neighbourhoods. Data showed that while this process in Friendship mainly signified the funding aspect of the project (community savings, the use of the project loan and the mobilization of supports from personal contacts), resource mobilization in Binh Dong 1 involved, besides funding, and an internal conflict resolution that was facilitated by the project team.

Collective saving, project loan and personal support in the Friendship neighbourhood

The impact of VNCDF’s intervention on community’s internal ties was acknowledged, for example, by a Friendship resident who said:

… We were still waiting for the city government to offer solutions based on the [Provincial Decision 2007]61_{, we were not strong enough to do anything}

together… thanks to the [VNCDF network and ACCA upgrading project] that we could implement the project together, (VC1).

Particularly the establishment of community savings was expressed as being necessary for people to show their commitment and communicate with each other. This view was illustrated in following responses:

Right from the beginning in June 2009, we started to collect money for the project preparation. People were saving from 200,000VND to 600,000 VND

/month [equivalently from 10USD to 30 USD] depending on their capacity…,” (VC1).

[The savings group] was good to make us feel that we had something to do together… We met each other more and keep updated about the

upgrading processes… (VC3).

The following statement of the Vinh CDF leader supported the view about the impacts of VNCDF network and the savings mechanism on the residents’ ties:

[The nongovernmental network] is very important. The savings groups in the communities are very effective, which are managed by the

communities themselves. They trust in each other. They are poor but they have higher trust in each other

Apart from savings, the housing project was based on a loan system that was based on the

community’s collective need rather than individuals or households. The loan for Friendship was to be used only in the final stage of the project because the residents could mobilize money from their savings or from their acquaintances (families and friends). For example, one respondent said:: “…we tried to mobilize from our own contacts, families and friends…” Another commented: “You can never have enough for building a house, it always costs more than plan, and it is good that you have places to borrow. [This resident borrowed a little from each relative, sibling, friend]” (VC6).

Internal conflict resolution, community saving and project loan in Binh Dong 1

As introduced above, Binh Dong 1’s post-conflict relations involved internal conflict resolution that highlighted the role of the ACCA upgrading approach in letting the community independently discuss and solve its internal problems through the facilitative role of the VNCDF project team. For example, a participant reported: “We thank [VNCDF network and ACCA housing project] very much because they helped us to unite with each other and achieve such a project” (TC7). The following statements indicated the project’s approach in opening a space for the neighbourhood to talk with each other:

We actually started to seriously talk about the project when Ms [the project staff member] left and let us deal with it among ourselves (TC1); we were left to discuss and even argue among ourselves to find the most agreeable solution (TC10).

The facilitative role of VNCDF team was reported by a project staff member: “I received a call from Mr [one of the residents]. He said that the community wanted me to come because everyone wanted to go ahead with the project” (TP2). Support of the project team for the neighbourhood’s internal discussion was in addition reported:

The community was so poor and had a lot of issues. Thanks to the

enthusiastic [a staff member], we were able to discuss about the project in many meetings [nearly 30, he counted] (TC3).

Finally, the outcome of Binh Dong 1’s internal conflict resolution was reported: After 5 months of discussions, signs of willingness to collectively proceed with the project was sent to the city project. A staff member and a

planning session was organized afterwards, under the guidance of the city CDF and active participation of the residents (NP5);

After the conflict had been resolved and the neighbourhood planning completed, saving activities started in Binh Dong 1, which, according to participants, significantly influenced the residents’ collective efforts and helped them to practise saving. For example, one participant said: “The community now knows to save money…It is really a change when they practise saving for the project. Though they had to put aside the money for the housing loan savings, they had a happier New Year’s festival” (TP2). The saving process was complimented by the community cashier who said: “It was so moving to see people come and hand in the little money they had every month”. Commenting on this, the city project secretary said: “The savings helped to show the people’s collective commitment and encouraged them to learn to save, to trust each other” (TP2). Unlike Friendship, funding for the Binh Dong 1 project mainly relied on the project loan and the community savings.

In summary, the external intervention of the VNCDF network collectively mobilized the neighbourhood’s internal resources by the establishment of a community savings group and the provision of a minimum upgrading loan. The level of the VNCDF network’s intervention differed between the two neighbourhoods, implying connections between the external intervention of a voluntary association with the availability of neighbourhood’s internal existing bonding ties. This will be addressed in detail in chapter 8.