APRENDIZAJE SOCIAL EN LOS PROYECTOS DE DESARROLLO: EL CASO DE LA COORDINADORA DE MUJERES AYMARAS, EN JULI (PUNO, PERÚ)

Abstract

Development cooperation projects are a special case because their design always contains high degree of uncertainty that depends on the human actors. This fact leads to stress, above even of the original design, the management of the development process with local stakeholders, and consequently the project management competences that are needed. Funding agencies continue paying more attention to the effectiveness/ efficiency of the implementation of the projects in terms of achieved outcomes or results. However they increasingly stress the need to measure long-term impacts and sustainability. This would require to focus on processes that have been activated by the project and also the learnings they have generated, instead of focus on direct results and short term achievements. The case study illustrates this approach and shows the management of a project for the development of the Aymara communities in the region of Puno (Peru), in collaboration with the Association of Aymara Women (CMA). Process management involved not only the search of new opportunities of development but also the change of local actor’s mentality. Keywords: project management; development projects; social learning