686
Y. Rasyid
5 Key Findings and Discussion
Within the Alternative Livelihood Program initiated by the NGOs, and through collaborative and participatory inquiry with the local Bajau Ubian community, it was
established that the local community are in search of alternative economic opportunities for their village. The discussions and engagements between the NGOs and
the local community resulted in the agreed initiation of entrepreneurial activities
managed and delivered by the NGOs to enhance the local community’s skills and
knowledge in homestay entrepreneurship. Throughout the timeframe of the Alternative Livelihood program, the local community and the NGOs worked collaboratively
to develop an action plan, implement the plan and reflect on what they have learnt
from the development and delivery of the plan. Various issues, challenges and concerns were raised throughout the intervention implementation duration, in which
the resolution was to conduct open discussion, focus group discussions, and interviews to reflect on the issues with the aim of generating new knowledge to re-define
the plan and action necessary in order to ensure the interventions can continue to
deliver benefits to the local community. As a result, a local village cooperative was
formed by the local community to assist in the provision of a structured approach
to homestay entrepreneurship development. The Bajau Ubian community realized
that in order for the homestay tourism to derive continuous benefits, they would
need to address better environmental management of the village and the seas and a
strong support to develop their skills and capacity in homestay tourism. Although
the Program ended after three years due to the donor’s withdrawal the impact of
the NGO interventions still continue to be seen on the island as the local community are progressing in expanding their homestay tourism program through various
official government channels such as registering for government training and certification programs on homestay entrepreneurship. This indicated that despite the exit
of the NGOs, some of the benefits of the intervention continue to provide values to
the local community. For instance, the cooperatives engaged with the local government to provide internet connection to the islanders. Internet communication was
identified by the community and NGOs as a necessary infrastructure to allow the
homestay operators to market and promote their homestay services online. The local
homestay entrepreneurs are also active in engaging with other NGOs and funders to
conduct volun-tourism activities on the island in which the locals derive economic
benefit from providing volunteers with accommodation, meals and transportation.
As such through the NGO interventions delivered under the Alternative Livelihood
Program, the outcome was a gradual adoption of alternative income generating skills
and opportunities to reduce the community’s reliance on fisheries income.
The main finding of this PAR research demonstrated that the creation of the
community cooperative for homestay entrepreneurism is not the sole solution to
alleviating poverty. Rather, the participatory collaboration method helps empower
the local community to take action in areas such as skills development capacitybuilding, to complement their homestay entrepreneurship effort. This led the research
participants (NGOs and local community members) to increase control over their
Y. Rasyid
5 Key Findings and Discussion
Within the Alternative Livelihood Program initiated by the NGOs, and through collaborative and participatory inquiry with the local Bajau Ubian community, it was
established that the local community are in search of alternative economic opportunities for their village. The discussions and engagements between the NGOs and
the local community resulted in the agreed initiation of entrepreneurial activities
managed and delivered by the NGOs to enhance the local community’s skills and
knowledge in homestay entrepreneurship. Throughout the timeframe of the Alternative Livelihood program, the local community and the NGOs worked collaboratively
to develop an action plan, implement the plan and reflect on what they have learnt
from the development and delivery of the plan. Various issues, challenges and concerns were raised throughout the intervention implementation duration, in which
the resolution was to conduct open discussion, focus group discussions, and interviews to reflect on the issues with the aim of generating new knowledge to re-define
the plan and action necessary in order to ensure the interventions can continue to
deliver benefits to the local community. As a result, a local village cooperative was
formed by the local community to assist in the provision of a structured approach
to homestay entrepreneurship development. The Bajau Ubian community realized
that in order for the homestay tourism to derive continuous benefits, they would
need to address better environmental management of the village and the seas and a
strong support to develop their skills and capacity in homestay tourism. Although
the Program ended after three years due to the donor’s withdrawal the impact of
the NGO interventions still continue to be seen on the island as the local community are progressing in expanding their homestay tourism program through various
official government channels such as registering for government training and certification programs on homestay entrepreneurship. This indicated that despite the exit
of the NGOs, some of the benefits of the intervention continue to provide values to
the local community. For instance, the cooperatives engaged with the local government to provide internet connection to the islanders. Internet communication was
identified by the community and NGOs as a necessary infrastructure to allow the
homestay operators to market and promote their homestay services online. The local
homestay entrepreneurs are also active in engaging with other NGOs and funders to
conduct volun-tourism activities on the island in which the locals derive economic
benefit from providing volunteers with accommodation, meals and transportation.
As such through the NGO interventions delivered under the Alternative Livelihood
Program, the outcome was a gradual adoption of alternative income generating skills
and opportunities to reduce the community’s reliance on fisheries income.
The main finding of this PAR research demonstrated that the creation of the
community cooperative for homestay entrepreneurism is not the sole solution to
alleviating poverty. Rather, the participatory collaboration method helps empower
the local community to take action in areas such as skills development capacitybuilding, to complement their homestay entrepreneurship effort. This led the research
participants (NGOs and local community members) to increase control over their