Bottom-up Approach

Bottom-up Development: A western influence over the traditional development practices in Nepal.
Concepts of Bottom-up Development
During 1970s , the concept of the 'Bottom-up' development emerged as an antithetical view to 'top-
bottom' development process, and thus claimed to reverse the directionality of the development decision making. Main focuses were given on community participation, conscientization, self-
reliance, freedom of choices and empowerment. Also it challenged the main feature of the 'top-bottom' paradigm, mainly ' planning arrogance ' of the experts and technocrats, and even questioned the paternalistic nature of the state in development process. Moreover, the overall idea of development shifted to 'people/community - centric' approach to which the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), on the other side, responded as care takers. Since then, the role of NGOs in giving life to 'bottom-up ' development has been hugely recognized and appreciate. The theoretical advantage of the NGOs over the state were one of the main reasons that helped in gaining tremendous popularity.
Major Argument:
(1) The Bottom-up Development has its root on the ' community participation' ; Community participation is the much followed essences of the traditional development practices in Nepal. Therefore, bottom-up development is not a new concept in Nepal.
(2) NGOs driven Bottom-up Development is the western influence over the traditional development practices in Nepal.
Evidences:
The traditional development process in Nepal was community based and followed the traditional voluntary practices. The manifestation of such voluntary works, for instance, were public wells ( kuwa), stone taps ( dhunge dhara), resting places ( Chautaas), and guest houses( pati- pauwas). In addition to this, the concept of 'dhikur' or 'dhikuri' , 'guthis' were also of major highlights.
The concept of 'dhikur' or 'dhikuri' is very old tradition of Nepal which is mainly popular among Thakali, Newar and Gurung communities. 'Dhikuti' is an association comprising of five to over 20 members belonging to the same ethnic group forming a sort of non formal credit cooperative.
Likewise, the concept of ' Guthi' , a voluntary organizations, manages socio-cultural activities of a community and mobilizes resources in a participatory approach. The Guthi system was very famous those days and is still in operation in some of the communities, especially Newar community.
'Parma' , one of the many other traditional practices, holds the intrinsic concept of volunteerism. It is still prevalent in some rural regions of the country. Under the Parma system each household, depending upon the size of the family, contribute voluntary labor to its community. The practice is prominent mostly in the agricultural sector, but it is even extended to other sectors as well.
Also, 'Badghar' and 'khula chaudary' became very effective traditional development practices in managing the water resources and irrigation system in Terai. Another important highlights of the traditional voluntary development is that almost all the schools and college's during 1950 to 1960 were built up with community support. Likewise, Aama Samuha( Mother's Group), which started with the Gurungs of Western Nepal, is also an example of traditional informal institutions.
But after the restoration of democracy in 1990, many NGOs came into existence as a part of the western influence. The spirit of traditional development process in terms of rendering 'self-service' and 'sustainability' in the community participation was hugely affected by the western concept of development. The tradition meaning of 'Swayemsewa' and its spirit, and philosophy of self services was changed over time with the beginning of the invasion of the western concept.
With this western intervention, the sustainability, volunteerism, self service and participatory notion of traditional development started to be understood as 'welfare ' done only by those who have ample time, money and capacity. The culture of dependency left no stone unturned to flourish its ambience over the communities and its people resulting to a decline of community aspirations and commitment over their own resources. Thus, the introduction of NGOs initiated a new traditiona of dependency in community.
Hence, it can be concluded that the overall programs referring to community development and welfare of people initiated by the traditional voluntary institutions were of participatory and sustainable in nature. The spirit of development was always kept alive in the name of serving people selflessly with the combined participation of community people and proper mobilization of community resources. This clearly suggests that 'bottom-up' development was never a new paradigm in Nepal. In addition, it also suggests that NGOs driven bottom-up development in Nepal is an ultimate western influence which has produced nothing except

Hence, it can be concluded that the overall programs referring to community development and welfare of people initiated by the traditional voluntary institutions were of participatory and sustainable in nature. The spirit of development was always kept alive in the name of serving people selflessly with the combined participation of community people and proper mobilization of community resources. This clearly suggests that 'bottom-up' development was never a new paradigm in Nepal. In addition, it also suggests that NGOs driven bottom-up development in Nepal is an ultimate western influence which has produced nothing except the culture of financial dependency to the western donors in the name of 'bottom-up' development.