The managers and financiers of non-classified roads are at a junction. Behind them a centralised, poorly funded and pot holed past, in front new exciting turnings? From the highly signposted poverty reducing decentralised model of management, to the well worn path of access planning to the dusty signpost that reads 'More opportunities for corrupt local officials'. It is indeed an interesting and exciting time to be a policy maker, roads planner or executor of improvements to non-classified roads. This paper explorers some of these directions based on the experience of the Village Travel and Transport Project (VTTP) in Morogoro Rural District, Tanzania. This SDC funded project is essentially in two parts, firstly empowering communities and secondly facilitating them and their partners to improve infrastructure. The VTTP has in its three years supported and embraced the principles of Tanzania's Poverty Reduction Strategy. This has meant a partnership approach to the project, supporting communities and supplying organisations such as the District Council and Private Companies. The empowerment of communities has focused on a civic education process called UUWAMA. This has given people their rights in the constitution and the Local Government Act, as well as the responsibilities of Village and District Councils. This has been an eye opener for community members and Village Councillors, who did not know what was written in many of these documents. This process has been most valuable to the beneficiaries. The project also has a transport focus and has supported communities in the improvement of infrastructure such as roads and footbridges and means of transport such as donkeys. The majority have been through partners rather than the project. The concept being to ensure these organisations are there for communities in the future.
Abstract