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Human resource development: Solution to social-economic problems
2006-06-03 08:59:57
By Emmanuel Kihaule
The Norwegian government has come up with a unique approach for development that emphasises on human resource development. Our Staff Writer Emmanuel Kihaule who is in Kampala explores the programme and its effectiveness in detail.
The Norwegian Government has come up with the Programme of Exchange Young Professionals among countries FREDSKORPSET or in short, FK is the first of its kind and it focuses on skill-sharing and human resource development in developing countries.
According to the FK-Norway Board Chairman Per Kristen Lunden, this programme is a new approach to development.
It provides a platform through which institutions, organizations and private businesses can develop in an international environment through the exchange of young professionals.
Under FK there is no donor-recipient relationship because the programme provides for an ideal avenue for partners to discuss about their development in a mutual way.
FK-Norway has facilitated the exchange of close to 2000 young professionals between Norway and developing countries and amongst professionals in developing countries.
’’Our approach is different from most other aid donors. We put all our efforts into human resources.
We hope to increase skills, knowledge and experience of young professionals, up to the age of 35 years,’’ he says.
’’Most of them are potential key figures who contribute to the development efforts of their native countries.
Their direct involvement ensures that both domestic funds and international aid is utilized in the best possible way.’’ He adds:
FK offers only a modest allowance for the participants, in addition to their travel and living expenses.
Lunden says. ’’Nothing else - there is no support no construction work, computers, vehicles or other hardware.
The partners must therefore put a lot of efforts into the partnership to benefit,’’
He says that FK works through partnerships and that it is the partners who define their own objectives.
’’A traditional aid organization would normally transfer knowledge from a developed country to a developing country. However, this is not the case with FK, Lunden says.
Through ’multi-directional’ exchange, Norway has the opportunity to learn from developing countries and developing nations can learn from each other.’’
The programme according to the Chairman of the Board of the Norwegian Government Programme of Exchanging Young Professionals involves many organizations that are normally not involved in development aid.
It was through the programme that international development community in Norway and in developing countries is broadened.
Traditionally FK is a Norwegian volunteer organization with roots that date back to the 1960s.
The original Fredskorpset ceased to operate in 1999 and it was re-established in 2000.
This time round a governmental international development programme is directly responsible to the Norwegian Minister of Development Cooperation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A typical partnership consists of two or more partners who decide to work together.
After a feasibility study, they submit a proposed partnership agreement to FK-Norway, normally through the Oslo office or through the regional offices for Africa and Asia.
The Africa regional offices are in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, while the Asian offices have their base in Bangkok, Thailand.
The young professionals normally spend one year on the exchange programme.
The FK-partners come from all sectors of the society, from small private businesses to large governmental institutions such as the media, human rights sectors and women’s rights groups.
The partnership itself normally lasts 3-5 years, but most partners find ways to continue joint activities after the support from FK-Norway has ended.
However, FK does not accept individual participants.
The participant recruitment is through working with an institution, organisation or enterprise, approved as a FK partner.
Therefore, it all begins with the partnership between organizations with mutual interests and aspirations.
Prior to the exchange, all participants attend a preparatory course that is organized by FK-Norway, which also closely follows up of the partner organizations.
FK puts emphasis on human resources development because it is the key factor for development.
The Norwegian development organisation supports institutions and people who already have a solid educational background and have professional aspirations and an international experience by FK-Norway, will add realistic self-confidence, experience and useful networks.
’’Our partners and participants tell us about the power of one. It is amazing what difference one person or a small motivated team can do in an organization’’, Lunden says.
The FK Board Chairman says that way FK prevents brain drain, as many participants are strongly motivated to get home and apply their new skills instead of deserting their countries of origin, which direly need their expertise for development.
In most cases, the homecoming participants have provided tangible vitalization of the organization, institution or business though he admits that change can sometimes is painful and demanding.
Participants might also come home with a more critical approach to management and strategies and this find it difficult to be accepted but in many cases, they have succeeded to download their new skills and knowledge, he says.
Furthermore, he adds that some have also developed entrepreneurship ideas and have plans to start their own business.
’’This is what we mean by positive development, even if some stages of the process might be ’painful’, he says.
On the other hand, the very fact that countries involved share a lot in common could also boost development among them.
’’You can really learn a lot from your neighbour, and you can, at the same time, build a regional network that is very valuable and a lot easier to maintain that a network between continents,’’ he explains.
For instance, he says it encouraging to see some very interesting partnerships in East Africa - Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda - where both partners and participants are amazed at the potential for joint ventures in the region.
’’The strong majority in the Norwegian parliament and general public support the programme,’’ he says
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