We use participation analysis; we analyse the target group or community and all other institutions/persons participating in the project.

                                                                          Affected  groups

target group(community)                            other beneficiaries                                                           others affected (positively or negatively )                        

We use the problem analysis, identifying different problems and deciding which ones are important. Each member of the planning team identifies one problem deemed to be a co-problem, for example poverty, school dropouts, deprived orphans, early marriages, suffering elderly, water and food shortage etc. Discussions are held for each of the co-problem identified. Causes and effects can be developed along the same principle to create multi-level causal links.

We then create a problem tree with causes as the roots, the core problem as the trunk and effects as the branches and leaves.

The objective analysis; we formulated objectives from the identified problems. The hierarchy of the problems (problem tree) is transformed into hierarchy of objectives, and the set of objectives analysed.

 Our project is a unique and innovative, and we are confident it will deal with the needs we are focusing on.  In executing our previous projects and the ones to come, we considered and prioritise the following factors that must be respected;

• The community people are the main stake holders in the project. By bringing a holistic approach to the people, we are emphasising public participation, which is a prerequisite. Full public participation (clientele) right from the start in identifying problems, making objectives, making the proposal, sensitisation and training, research and advocacy among other activities. The involvement of many children, youth and women organisations plus all households makes all clientele own the project, thus achievement of goals and objectives.

• Vulnerable and marginalised groups such as women, widows, disabled and orphans are at the fore front of the project. We are emphasising people’s needs first, that is why we offer education assistance, health services, shelter, water, food and nutrition, plant fruit trees, make low cost fuel-saving stoves, water and soil conservation, teach paper bag making among other income generating environmentally friendly practices.

• Strong partnerships and cooperation with the local authorities, such as local councils, councillors, community development officers, youth leaders among others. These help in project implementation, information flow and mass mobilisation.

• We try to make the projects cheap by using local materials in community development, sensitisation, and involvement of household trained volunteers, local under the tree meetings.

• The youth are at the forefront of the projects, since they form a huge percentage of the population, and are very much involved in volunteers’ works.

• Schools, churches, mosques and other collection institutions are a profound priority in passing information (dissemination) about the community needs and development projects and in quick mobilisation.

• Development of an economy must be sustainable and non-destructive, i.e. the use of environmental resources by the present generation to develop the community must respect the needs of the future generation.

• We have a deep understanding of the areas where we work, through our in-depth baseline research, constant communication and interaction with partners, government bodies and our target community, as well as extensive monitoring and evaluation.

• Ensuring that the programs are locally owned is critical to the success of the LUCOF approach; by engaging, training and mobilising local volunteers, we embed our collective help within local communities and ensure that solutions devised and delivered are also owned locally