Systemic transformation for sustainable community development

With the aim of reducing poverty with lasting results, over the last few decades Western organizations have provided resources to initiate community projects in Africa in general and in Burundi in particular. Unfortunately, the results of these programs and projects often came to a halt at the end of the funding period. This qualitative research, which includes multiple case studies, explores how externally initiated and supported Burundian community development savings group projects could be led from dependence to independence. Four major findings emerged from the initial and axial coding: the need to take into account key contextual factors, the need to move from competency-based training to transformative learning, the need to move from traditional hierarchical leadership to constructivist relational leadership, and the need to use mutuality-based processes. These findings were used to create a dynamic model for sustainable community development.