Donor support to human resource capacity building in Namibia: experience of resident technical assistance support for workplace learning and assessment of alternative options

Anne Low, Agnes Tjongarero, Allan Low and Beata Nambundunga
Additional contact information
Anne Low: Former Technical Adviser, Namibia Integrated Health Project, Republic of Namibia, Postal: Former Technical Adviser, Namibia Integrated Health Project, Republic of Namibia
Agnes Tjongarero: South Health Directorate, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Government of the Republic of Namibia, Postal: South Health Directorate, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Government of the Republic of Namibia
Allan Low: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK, Postal: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, UK
Beata Nambundunga: Directorate of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Government of the Republic of Namibia, Postal: Directorate of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Government of the Republic of Namibia

Journal of International Development, 2001, vol. 13, issue 2, 269-285

Abstract: The initiation and implementation of development programmes in developing countries places demands on professional staff to acquire new skills and adopt new approaches to drive new development paradigms. It has been found that formal training plays a relatively small part in learning new skills in the workplace, compared with informal learning-by-doing within a supportive institutional environment. This paper describes and contrasts the ways in which two donor funded technical assistance projects in Namibia applied four learning support strategies identified in the literature. The experiences described suggest that resident technical assistance can offer types of support for workplace learning and institutional development through mentoring and backstopping, that alternative short term assistance or training course oriented projects lack. It is concluded therefore, that in seeking alternatives to capacity building through resident technical assistance, donors and recipient countries should assess the options not only in terms of skills transferred, but also in terms of building confidence to undertake new areas of work and the development of institutional processes supportive of workplace learning. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Date: 2001
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:13:y:2001:i:2:p:269-285

DOI: 10.1002/jid.776

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