Sustainable livelihood through self-help

Livelihood brackets the adequate stocks and flows of food and cash to meet the basic needs. Security refers to secure ownership of , or access to resources and income earning activities including reserves and assets to unpredictable risks and meet contigencies. Sustainability refers to the ability to the maintenance or enhancement of resource productivity on long term basis. It ranges from rural to semi rural and to semi urban to urban. The link between self-help and sustainability is strong. By letting people do more of what they want to and to which they are really interested in, results the sustainable spread of good effects. It's usually impossible for government field staffs to have the combination of assured continuity and freedom of action needed and is difficult for them to have a closer relationship with local people. Self-help and sustainability go further in the enhancement of people's capacity to innovate and adapt themselves in the future and in order to improve the relevance, maintenance, and spread of the programme with complete devotion and involvement of a group of dedicated workers.

Hence, it is by starting with the priorities of the poorer and enabling them to gain the livelihood they want and need that both they and sustainable development can be best served because people's own priorities, especially those of poor, will often include substantial early gains and the character of people within it.