HomeNewsroomStories from the FieldMADANI Helps Lebak-based CSO Transform into a More Impactful Development Partner

MADANI Helps Lebak-based CSO Transform into a More Impactful Development Partner

Jul 21, 2023

Over the past three years, USAID MADANI Lead Partner, Pusat Pengembangan Sumberdaya Wanita Pasoendan (PPSW) (“Center for Development of Women”) in Lebak (Banten), has transformed itself from a low-profile organization with little influence into a reputable development partner over the last three years. PPSW’s leading role in helping to solve long standing development issues in Lebak has improved their reputation and recognition by the Lebak District Government, Banten Provincial Government, and the larger network of CSOs in the area.
SIGMA learning forum members attend a regular discussion, hosted by PPSW Lebak.

SIGMA learning forum members attend a regular discussion, hosted by PPSW Lebak.

Established in the 1990s, PPSW focuses on women’s empowerment and their issues related to the economy, education, and health. The organization works to improve the capacity of and access to resources for poor and marginalized women, as well as women with disabilities, migrant workers, and minority groups in rural Lebak. Like other CSOs, PPSW has served as an agent of change in society and as a driving force for activism and social movements in the region. However, they also inherited the challenges faced by many CSOs: poor organizational management and program planning, gaps in knowledge and skills, insufficientexperience in monitoring and evaluation, and limited coordinationand networking.

After joining MADANI in 2020, PPSW has been provided support to strengthen their organizational capacity and performance. That support has included MADANI’s national experts training PPSW staff members on the six core areas of organizational development: organizational efficiency, results- based management, effective programming, strong networking, active outreach, and sustainable financing. PPSW then transferred their newly acquired knowledge to other local CSOs through a multi-stakeholder learning forum platform, SIGMA (Simpul Gerakan Mandiri Lebak). With MADANI’s assistance, PPSW brought together CSOs, government institutions, professional organizations, academia, and the media to further the reach and impact of their local solutions and advocacy.

While growing their capacity, PPSW simultaneously worked with SIGMA to bring social changes through policy advocacy. PPSW cultivated positive relationships with the local Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), the Agency for National Unity and Politics (Kesbangpol), and other local stakeholders to help address long overdue development issues as well as enhance the enabling environment for CSO operations. During the second half of 2022, PPSW submitted two separate policy briefs to the district government: one on the need to improve community healthcare centers for the remote indigenous Baduy community and one on the need to improve the enabling environment for CSOs’ inclusion in the district’s development. While Bappeda liaised with relevant agencies on PPSW’s policy recommendations related to healthcare services, Kesbangpol conveyed their support for adopting the USAID-endorsed Organizational Performance Index (OPI) self- assessment tool for CSOs.

PPSW Lebak and the district government organized the third iteration of the collaborative governance workshop, which brought together key stakeholders in the area.

PPSW Lebak and the district government organized the third iteration of the collaborative governance workshop, which brought together key stakeholders in the area.

In February 2023, PPSW and SIGMA organized a multi-stakeholder workshop to finalize draft legislation on CSO governance. The event was a culmination of their advocacy work to help the district support the more than 350 registered local CSOs, many of which lack the minimum organizational standards set by the 2013 Law on Social Organizations. As a result of this advocacy, in April 2023 the Lebak government enacted the Head of Government Regulation (Perbup) No. 38/2023 on “Civil Society Organization Governance.” An important aspect of the regulation is the adoption of the OPI as a part of the certification processfor local CSOs. The regulation stipulates that a certification is needed for any CSO seeking a small-scale procurement contract (Swakelola Type-III) from the Lebak government.

This milestone attracted theattention of the neighboring district of Serang and staff from the Kesbangpol office there visited their peers in Lebak to learn more about their experience in this regulatory process. The Serang Kesbangpol now plans to enact a similar regulation that improves the enabling environment for CSOs in their district. As a member of the MADANI- supported Banten Civil Society Coalition (Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Banten or KMSB), PPSW also took part in the research and discussions leading to Banten Province’s adoption of the KMSB’s recommendations on village governments’ financial assistance. KMSB’s recommendations entail enhancing digital data management, supporting women and child-friendly village development, and using these funds to improve community waste management.

The provincial Village Community Empowerment Agency included the recommendations into the 2023 Banten Technical Guidelines for Village Governments, issued on May 20, 2023. The province is now allocating IDR 60 million (US$4,000) to each of Banten’s 1,238 villages to fund these initiatives. All these successes have showcased PPSW’s progressive gains in improving their credibility, legitimacy, and relevance, part of MADANI’s goal of local CSOs becoming innovators and leaders in their hometowns. With their new skillset and knowledge, they have matured beyond merely improving their own internal capacity, into a new role of developing other CSOs. PPSW’s higher level of self-confidence will continue to serve them well in in their future collaborations in the local, regional, and international arenas.