SCCDR | INTRODUCTION
The Society for Community and Communication Development Research (SCCDR) is an interdisciplinary organization committed to the research and practice of communication and sustainable community development. It is non-religious, nonprofit, apolitical and open to academics, policy makers, community and communication practitioners. The goal of SCCDR is to see well informed communities developing on a sustainable basis. We conduct research on all facets of community life, organize trainings and conferences to develop the capacities of community dwellers to design and carry out development projects, sourcing for funds externally when necessary.
SCCDR | BACKGROUND
Sustainable Community Development has remained a challenge in Nigeria and indeed, the whole of Africa. After more than five decades of carrying out community development in Nigeria, about 70% of the rural dwellers are still considered to be poor. Communities here are largely made up of rural dwellers to which the majority of the population belongs to.. Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources and adequate farm lands yet, infrastructures and institutions are grossly inadequate and efficient. The Country is the l6th largest oil exporting country in the world, earning billions of dollars in foreign exchange annually.
Unfortunately, this huge income has not improved the lives of the majority of Nigerians. At the height of oil boom with a lot of petro-dollars in the 1970s, the Unitary Military government in Nigeria took over every aspect of rural development. Unfortunately, projects were planned at the Federal Capital, and brought down to be implemented at the local communities. The people for whom the projects were planned hardly participated in the design and implementation of such projects. The International donor agencies who also came with their development projects had designed these projects abroad without local inputs, and these projects did not meet the felt needs of the people. The result was that the communities depended solely on the government and donor agencies to think and bring development projects to them. However, decades on, inadequate funding, inappropriate project design and corruption on the part of government and donor agencies have left the rural areas underdeveloped.
SCCDR | THE BELIEF
Sustainable community development should be the new paradigm shift now if they are to develop. The communities should be actively involved in how they want to develop and what they need for development. Two major ingredients are required to achieve this goal- adequate information and funds. The people will need information as to what is available and possible for them to develop, and the sources of funds to finance their projects.
SCCDR | THE DRIVE
SCCDR is an avenue to research into all the areas of community development; create avenues to provide relevant and cost effective means of communication that will engender sustainable development for the communities.
SCCDR STATS
47
Members
3
Conferences
88
Presentations
2
Scholarships