Rural Energy Development Programme (REDP) adopts community mobilization as an essential vehicle to promote self-governance and ensure active participation of local people at all levels to manage and operate rural energy system, primarily micro hydropower and other community development initiatives in a sustainable manner.

REDP community mobilization covers the following six basic principles.

Organization Development: The program sensitizes the community members to organise themselves in Community Organizations and work collectively to mobilize local resources effectively for productive uses.

Capital Mobilization: Capital for development work is mobilized through internal or external sources. Savings generated by community members through regular saving and credit operation help create assets.

Skill Enhancement: Skilled people perform their tasks efficiently compared to unskilled, therefore, enhancing their capacities to use and maximise the benefits of available scarce resource through their own participation is important.

Technology Promotion: Introduction, adoption, operation and finally internalization of modern appropriate technologies are considered essential for creating various employment opportunities for rural population and community development. These technologies also substitute costlier and unhealthy energy sources like kerosene, petrol, fuel wood and help in conserving environment.

Environmental Management: Long term and sustainable operation of MH scheme depends on conservation and management of water sources. REDP promotes community forestry program, plantation and reforestation, micro watershed conservation and management program, environment education program and health and sanitation program.

Vulnerable Community Empowerment: Women, ethnic groups, dalits, poor and Marginalized groups, and minority groups are participated in project planning, implementation and management. These groups are empowered and brought in the mainstream of development.

Besides these six principles, REDP ensure participation of male and female beneficiaries, transparency, consensus based decision making process and inclusive development.

Community Mobilisation Process

Two organisations are formulated and the community level for mobilizing community.

1. Community Organisation: It is an organisation of people who live in close proximity and share common interests and willing to work together for the common goal. Atleast one male and one female member from each beneficiary household become member of the organisation. These are broad-based organizations. All decisions are made during a weekly meeting on consensus basis. It also runs adult education class for the members. Adult education class is mandatory for women community organisation.
   
   
2. Functional Group: It is formed from two or more community organisations who organise themselves to achieve a certain objective. A working committee is formed which is proportionately represented by members of all COs.

All member of the group meet atleast once a month. During the meeting, decisions on working committee are made.

Management committee is formed to operate and maintain the MH schemes. It is represented proportionately by all COs. It makes decisions on electricity distribution, electricity tariff, employee management, operation and maintenance of the MH schemes.

Similarly, organisation formation process takes place at four different stages

Stage I: Formation of Community Organisation (CO)

The first step of community mobilization process is to sensitize VDC chairperson, vice chairperson, Ward chairperson, members and secretary and local people. A meeting is organised with VDC and Ward personnel in order to brief them about the objective and principle of the REDP program.

A Community Mobiliser is appointed in the VDC and establishes a contact office in the VDC. Community Mobiliser goes to each and every households of the VDC and aware them about the REDP program and its objective.

Public meetings are organised. It is mandatory that at least one male and one female member from each beneficiary household are present during the meeting. In the second meeting, representative Community Organisation (CO) is formed. Chairperson and manager of the CO are appointed. Baseline Survey of the VDC is conducted.

Stage II: Formation of Micro Hydro Functional Group (MHFG)

The matured COs are encouraged to organise themselves into MHFG. At least two COs, one female CO and one male CO form the MHFG. A representative executive committee is formed from all participating beneficiary COs. Proportionate representation from all COs are seeked.

Other Functional Groups for alternative energy sources like biogas, solar energy improved cooking stove are also formed.

If needed and resources are available, other Functional Group are formed together with COs working in forest, irrigation, drinking water, skill development and the like.

Every month a mass meeting is organised. It is mandatory for all members of Functional Group to attend the meeting. COs and WC of Functional Group submit the progress report and decisions on future activities are made.

Stage III: Legal Recognition

After six months of the successful operation of the MH plant, the group is registered as legal entity. DDC and VDC representative and community members discuss and decide on the registration of the group. Possible registration options are:

1. Non governmental Organisation (NGO)
2. Cottage industry
3. Company
4. Multipurpose cooperative
5. Micro hydro cooperative

Most of the functional groups are willing to register as Micro hydro cooperative.

Stage IV: Internalisation

For long term sustainability of the MH schemes, community are trained and empowered to operate and maintain the scheme on their own. Responsibility of Community Mobiliser is gradually shifted to the community.