About PNDS

Purpose

PNDS implements the Government of Timor-Leste’s commitment to improve people’s living standards, particularly in rural areas. PNDS will increase rural development by funding basic infrastructure, and provide jobs and training. Infrastructure is essential for providing people with access to the national transport system, health and education services, and opening up local trade.

The most important actors in PNDS are the communities, and they are fully in control of assessments, decisions, planning, implementation and results.

National Strategic Development Plan (2011-2030)

PNDS is aligned with Timor-Leste’s National Strategic Development Plan (2011-2030).  The plan identifies Timor-Leste’s economic and social development priorities. It aims to develop new decentralised programs which focus on local development at the community level in suku and aldeia (village and neighbourhood). A key aim is to increase citizen participation and involvement in local development.

Community involvement and diversity

Villages will begin by electing a community management team to implement PNDS. The PNDS process seeks to involve the whole community – men and women, young and old, and across different socio-economic groups – in the planning, decision-making, implementation, operations and maintenance of local infrastructure.  A priority of the project is to build infrastructure needed and used by the whole community, including women, the elderly and the people with disabilities.

PNDS places a high emphasis on the role of women. The program aims to have women involved at every stage of the implementation cycle and has set a 40% participation target for women at key stages in the project cycle. Women will be represented in elected committees and each suku will also hold a women-only meeting to suggest, consider and rank project proposals. At least one of the implemented suku projects must be based on the suggestions and priorities identified by women. Women are encouraged to work on the construction of the project, and also work as technical, financial and social facilitators.

Implementation cycle

PNDS has an annual cycle with 12 steps.

1.  “Socialisation” at district and sub-district level
   Community meetings at districts and sub-district level ensures community leaders understand how PNDS will work, and their role in the process.
2. “Socialisation” at village level (suku and aldeia); selection of the suku management team and suku facilitators
   Community meetings at the village level explain PNDS to the wider population including their role in the decisions making processes, and starting with the election of a local team to manage the project in their suku.
3. Open bank account and transfer 100% of operational fund
   Operational funds enable the holding of meetings and other preparatory work by the community.
4. Training of suku management team and suku facilitators
   PNDS staff provide training in: financial management and accounting; project planning, management and monitoring; social inclusion and gender equality.
5. Decide suku and aldeia priorities
   Villages identify and rank their priorities; including proposals submitted by women-only meetings.
6. Preparation and verification of project proposal
   Top priorities are selected and project proposals developed, in liaison with district staff of relevant government ministries (e.g. education, health).
7. Prepare detailed plan
   Facilitators help village teams to plan budget of materials, costs and timeframe for construction of infrastructure. (Local labour and suppliers are preferred.)
8. Finalise contract with the community, and implement the project
   The final project proposal is signed into a contract between the PNDS community management team and local government representatives.
9. Transfer first instalment of infrastructure funds (50%), and commence construction
   After the community contract is signed, the village is given access to the first half of the infrastructure funds.
10. Hold accountability meeting, and transfer final infrastructure funds (50%)
    Facilitators need to hold regular accountability meetings with community and post reports on noticeboards during the construction process, in order to release the second tranche of funds.
11. Complete construction, and handover to the operations and maintenance team
    The community manages the maintenance of the new infrastructure, including any future cost.
12. Hold final accountability meeting, conduct audit and evaluation

In the early years, PNDS is being implemented in three staggered phases to make it more manageable.

Infrastructure projects supported by PNDS

Suku vote on their priority needs, choosing from a menu of activities supported by PNDS.
These include:

• Access infrastructure, including local roads, bridges, paths, jetties, etc.
• Small, simple village water systems (for example, gravity systems, wells, rainwater catchment, and spring protection), and may include washing facilities. Sanitation facilities as part of public facilities are allowed.
• Irrigation and drainage, including check dams, canals, gates etc.
• Extension, renovation or rehabilitation of local schools, for example, additional classrooms, toilet facilities, furnishings and equipment.
• Construction or rehabilitation of early childhood centres and kindergartens, including toilet facilities, furnishings and equipment.
• Extension, renovation or rehabilitation of local health posts/clinics, including, for example, furniture, roofing, painting, basic equipment, water and sanitation facilities.
• Housing for teachers and health workers co-located with schools or clinics
• Multi-purpose community halls, though only one new multi-purpose hall in any suku can be built within the initial four cycles of this 8-year PNDS program
• Other small-scale community public facilities, such as, local markets, electricity supply, children’s playgrounds, and sports facilities.

Governance structure

PNDS is an initiative of the Government of Timor-Leste, led by the Ministry of State Administration (MAE) and Ministry of Finance (MoF).

The program has several levels of government staff, from the ministry to sub-district level. PNDS staff are civil servants and receive a salary from the Government of Timor-Leste.

An Inter-Ministerial Committee and the Inter-Ministerial Technical Working Group (GTTIM), oversee the program. The Inter-Ministerial Technical Working Group (GTTIM) is co-chaired by the Ministry of State Administration and the Ministry of Finance and includes the Ministries of Health, Education, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Fisheries, and the National Development Agency. GTTIM’s role is to ensure:

• proper development and implementation of PNDS
• timely allocation of funds to suku, and
• oversight of resource allocations to implement PNDS in accordance with its objectives and principles.

The program is managed by a National Program Secretariat in the Ministry of State Administration. The secretariat provides technical assistance and manages program planning and design. The secretariat also provides support to district coordinators and sub-district staff.

District coordinators conduct regular field visits to suku to monitor progress. They ensure the program is implemented according to core principles, and on schedule. They inform the Secretariat of any delays, implementation problems and their resolution, with particular attention to women’s and other marginalized groups’ participation, and transparency issues.

Sub-District staff assist their communities with the planning and design of projects, construction supervision and financial accountability, as well as, ongoing mentoring, monitoring and evaluation. This builds understanding and support for community participation and builds the skills of the community members.

Community structure

The administrative structure (local government) of Timor-Leste is divided into 13 districts, with 65 sub-districts, 442 suku (villages) and 2250 aldeia (neighbourhoods).

The community head (Xefe Suku) and Suku Council have a traditional leadership function in Timor-Leste, and they also play a vital role in PNDS. They lead socialisation and encourage participation of men and women, oversee democratic election of community teams and assist with resolving complaints fairly.

To implement PNDS, each suku democratically elects a Community Management Team which includes

• The Planning and Accountability Commission (KPA) responsible for general oversight and monitoring of PNDS activities and ensuring effective community participation by all members of the community. (The whole Suku Council is also part of the KPA.)

• Community Implementation Team (EIP) responsible for the design, planning and implementation of PNDS activities.

• Operations and Management Team (EOM) responsible for the planning and managing the upkeep and functioning of new infrastructures built through the Suco Grants.

• Two Suku Facilitators who liaise with PNDS staff, help mobilize the community, and aid in communicating about PNDS activities and decisions.

PNDS support program

PNDS is a program of the Government of Timor-Leste. It is supported by the Government of Australia who provide technical assistance, training and logistical support, plus assistance with monitoring and evaluation.

The PNDS Support Program is managed by Cardno Emerging Markets on behalf of the Australian Government. Cardno is an international civil engineering company that also encompasses infrastructure, environmental services and international development programs.

More information about Australian Aid support to PNDS is available on the DFAT website

Over time the Government of Timor-Leste will provide more or all of the costs for training and technical assistance.