2017 Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 17-22
Starting from 1999, JICA spent 5 years implementing technical cooperation in Tanzania for the establishment of the ‘SUA method’ - an approach to endogenous development in rural areas. Until today, the activities and projects that had been promoted with the ‘SUA method’ are still actively maintained by local communities of the project sites. In search of the major factor that led to this progress, face-to-face interviews are conducted with JICA experts who participated in the project, with a main focus on case studies of “agents of bridging” - for people, organizations or collective memories that create a bridge between different parties involved in the project. The research shows that various types of “agents of bridging” played a critical role in the promotion of “endogenous development”. In addition to bringing empowerment to local residents themselves, the roles and responsibilities of “agents of bridging” became widely appreciated and fully absorbed by the regional community as the project develops.
