Agenda - 03-06-1996 - X-C - Laserfiche WebLink

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Sister.Community Project FAWWWter z �: .News rand Reports 1994/ 5 s From West Oakland to East London; Sharing Community Development Experience AmarCasey,a comprehensiveplannerwith "Presidential Projects-, which will provide renovate several residential hotels. the City of Oakland, CA, spent a month in each chosen community with millions of South Africa in July 1994. These are same of dollars in special funding for community Although there are numerous similarities his reflections on the experience. . development I became one of the principal between West Oakland and South Africa, writers for the proposal to President Mandela there were some sharp differences as well. Ireturn from a month in South Africa full of on behalf of the provincial government. The The extended family is still very strong in enthusiasm and hope,because of the process proposal we worked on for Duncan Village South Africa so the need to have housing that of change I saw there. As a city planner in was one of eight initial projects chosen for can expand to incorporate aging parents is Oakland,'the experience has enriched the funding. The proposal will commit over culturally critical. In South Africa there is a meaning and value of my own work in the R620 million($180 million)over five years. much higher priority on access to the land and U.S. Although the cultures of the two coun- This funding will construct 28 primary and 2 its distribution and ownership.Also in South tries are very different,I found the struggle secondary schools,construct a bridge across Africa the Reconstruction and Development forempowermentauddevelopmentverysimi- the B uffalo River to expand Duncan Village, Program developed by the ANC is the na- Jar,with a great deal to be learned from each and provide skills training to facilitate the tional agenda, while the level of grassroots other's struggle. construction of 2,942 new homes. organizational development is phenomenal. Most people belong to the ANC,civic asso- For the past two years I have been working Another similarity between West Oakland ciations,labor union,and tribal organizations for the City in West Oakland on Community and South Africa is the effort to create com- and participate in more than one at a time. Revitalization. When I was asked to partici- munity development strictures as vehicles pate in a Reconstruction and Development for empowerment into the economic life of There are of course many other cultural and project in the South African city of East the community. 'These non-profit develop- historical differences between South Africa London in a township called Duncan Village meat organizations are seen as a key compo- and WestOakland,buthunger.homelessness I was thrilled.From the moment of my arrival nent of community development work in and dispair reduces us all to the same human in South Africa, I could see the obvious both places. common denominator in our struggle for parallels to the situation in the US.,particu- lakwadw from want and need. I learned by larly in the contrasts of wealth and poverty. Housing construction is as high a priority going to South Africa that there are many for Duncan Village as for West Oakland positive efforts in the United States that are Just before I went to South Africa we had residents. In Duncan Village a "Housing applicable and highly respected by South completed a "Consensus Building and Vi- Trust"organization has been addressing the Africans. In turn I.gained a deeper under- sioning" process in West Oakland around problem directly and will serve as an imple- standing of what itmeans for aommmunity to empowerment and development priorities. mentation structure when fundingisreceived. be organized to fight for its own interests. Slow and contentious though it was,this has It is already erecting eight model houses of Continued cultural exchanges betwcoq our been the most effective effort to date in West varying types in Duncan Village. In West people will not only change South Africa but Oakland at uniting the residents, business Oakland, the City has been able to utilize more than many realize it will change owners and workers inthecommunity.While FEMA money from earthquake damage to America. in South Africa I visited several African communities in both urban and Waal areas. In each instance,the struggle for consensus r and development was at the top of the agenda Trying to unite numerous factions and points of view is as difficult for the Africans as it is in West Oakland. lathe United States we have what are called 'Empowerment Zones", which is a federal program to provide needed support to devas- tated communities. Oakland has submitted a strong application with West Oakland be- >•• ing the largest empowerment zone in the r; " City. This program has apparently been -'w• emulated by the South A-fricans through Living conditions in Duncan Village are extremely crowded 3