Sustainable Livelihood Action

Sustainable Livelihood Action (SLA) is a non-for-profit development initiative bringing various organisations together, like the Centre for Wetlands, Environment and Livelihoods (CWEL), at the University of Huddersfield, an academic institution in the UK; Inter-Actie Foundation, international NGO based in the Netherlands and Capricorn Projekt BV, a Netherlands-based consultancy. Sustainable Livelihood Action also operates under the name Wetland Action.

Based on a long working relationship among the partners involved in SLA, this not-for-profit European Grouping (EEIG) was established in 2001 as a formal partnership for structured collaboration and joint projects' implementation related to sustainable resource management for livelihood improvement.

SLA works with local NGO partners in project implementation, aiming herewith at institutional development and human capacity building of these partners.
Based on its core partners and staff, SLA has a longstanding experience in the field of community based natural resource management, in forest, agro-forest, wetland / catchment environments, among other countries also in Ethiopia.

Specific elements of SLA's approach include multi-stakeholder processes, participatory research and extension, livelihoods approach, ecosystem approach, action-learning, local institution building, policy development.

SLA is currently involved as a key partner in the implementation of the EU-funded NTFP Research and Development Project in SW Ethiopia.

Global network

SLA is strongly supported by RDP International BV, which was established in 1988 and operates in several African, Asian and Eastern European countries, enjoying a reputation of reliability and commitment. RDP is known among the key decision makers of bilateral and multilateral donor agencies; RDP experts also participate in major international fora and policy consultations. SLA has in this way become part of a well established network of public and private contacts, including donors, training institutions, national governments, NGOs and consultancy firms.

Sustainable solutions

Projects have a clear begin and an end; development however is a continuous process and therefore projects, aimed at the development of local communities, should take into account the possible long term effects of project interventions on those communities and their environment.

People themselves are central to the development of communities, their priorities and choices should be respected; however in order to support decision making processes, all alternative options and opinions should be pointed out.