An innovative project by four Southern African universities encouraging development programmes to originate from within rural communities is to be launched at the end of a six day meeting of the universities at Lekhalong, Tajane, in the Mafeteng district. 

The National University of Lesotho, through its Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS); the Vaal University of Technology; the University of Zululand and Zimbabwe’s Chinhoyi University of Technology will at this workshop launch the University Consortium on Endogenous Development (UCED). 

The meeting will also be used to “share knowledge and exchange experiences” on community resources diagnosis as well as to present and discuss work plans, according to a statement from the ISAS. 

UCED comprises four Universities that have an alliance with four rural community based organisations constituted by traditional institutions such as chiefs, spirit mediums, natural experts as well as farmer innovators. 

The organisations include the Lekhalong, Tajane community, allied to the NUL; Qwaqwa community with links to the Vaal University of Technology; the Inkosi Mkwananzi community which will work with University of Zululand and; the Nemakonde community in Zimbabwe. 

Organised in collaboration with the South African Development Community (SADC) regional coordinating office, the workshop is sponsored by the Vaal University of Technology and the International Network of Comparing and Supporting Endogenous Development (COMPAS) programme of the Netherlands.

30 May 2005