Today the plan has no set duration, and each poverty alleviation project has its own timetable. The government's action plan targets the poorest 26 of 57 districts through a geographical poverty map based on a UNDP-supported national poverty survey in 1996. United Nations Volunteers have been deployed in 12 of the poorest districts, while national officers have been sent to the other 14. Both the volunteers and the national officers work with communities to identify self-help projects and formulate project proposals. Once a community chooses a project, it is approved by a rural district council or, if the project is large, by the central government.
Funding comes from donors.
Promoting Community Development UNDP supports the government's action plan in microfinance, community development and poverty monitoring and assessment. For community development, the largest of the three components, UNDP concentrates on piloting projects that other donors can replicate. An interesting example is the work of the Africa Community Publishing and Development Trust, a local civil society organization that focuses on training community leaders to help communities identify problems and devise solutions. Its activities show that communities can direct their own development and create possibilities for donor investment. The trust also helps link communities directly with district government and empowers them to present development proposals and claim their rights to resources.