Research & Policy Development, Training & Capacity Building through Cultural Heritage Systems in South Africa

Linkages Development Agency (LDA) is a Black owned development consultancy firm. LDA has a broad base of multi-skilled professionals with specialized expertise. This allows Linkages to provide a multi-pronged range of services to clients that are committed to the Reconstruction and Development of South Africa. LDA’s philosophy is based on the belief that poor communities do not choose poverty and under development but rather, lacked the opportunities to emerge from this condition. It is through consultation, research and policy development, institution building, training and capacity building, research, cultural heritage systems and SMME development that Linkages seeks to promote its mission of sustainable integrated development.

LDA offers a uniquely holistic facilitation methodology ensuring that sustainable participatory development is the outcome of its contribution to poor communities. This approach places communities at the centre of arriving at development solutions through cultural heritage systems. Its rationale expresses the belief that if the energies of the disadvantaged are harnessed on their own behalf, they will become masters of their own destinies.

Linkages, because of its skills base and expertise, can ensure speedy and effective intervention due to its uniqueness which accents the following:

• The consultants are drawn from among the ranks of the previously disadvantaged and have wide ranging expertise in research and policy development.
• There exists a broad and specialized skill base that seeks to integrate both social and technical methods into project management via training and capacity building.

The Agency has a wide international, local and private sector network that will enhance development initiatives undertaken.

Goals

• To identify and facilitate competitive opportunities within communities.
• To facilitate institutional capacity building for community empowerment via cultural heritage systems.
• To facilitate community projects that ensure the provision of basic needs as a prelude to sustainable integrated development.
• To promote SMME development through training that is geared towards wealth and job creation among community members.
• To promote holistic development by encouraging partnerships between communities, government, private sector and international organizations.
• To provide resource information to communities and potential partners using research and policy development.
• To promote the use of information technology as a tool to accelerate community development into the 21st Century.

Approach to Community Development

LDA’s work is based on a democratic, participatory and non-sectarian approach. Its programs are needs driven and are aimed at wealth creation. LDA integrates gender sensitivity in all its work. Linkages’ development strategy is underpinned by the promotion of potential partnerships in order to achieve sustainability.

Beneficiaries

• Disadvantaged, rural and pre-urban communities
• Public Sector
• Private Sector
• International Donor Community