How co‐design can localize development programmes and reduce dependency: Examples from Pacific Island Countries

Motivation International donors commit around USD 2 billion every year to Pacific Island Countries (PICs). While the donors intend to help develop the Pacific, few of the projects they fund involve any more local involvement in their selection and planning beyond consultation with selected, often elite, or small groups of locals. It is even rarer to find projects that are localized or locally‐led. Purpose We ask whether it is possible to do more to localize donor‐funded development in the Pacific. We ask if co‐design between foreign and local specialists can localize development, by giving locals more agency, and by prioritizing indigenous knowledge. Specifically, we review the Pacific eLearning Programme (PeP), funded by New Zealand and implemented in the Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The programme works with Ministries of Education to design science content that reflects the country context for some ten or so schools in each nation. Co‐design includes use of indigenous dialogue [talanoa / tok stori / storian] to share, debate and learn between foreign and local specialists, and between specialists across the four countries. Methods and approach Evidence was gathered from pre‐ and post‐programme surveys. Further data was collected from comments written by the local co‐designers. Findings We found that kinship formed between locals and foreigners, based on mutual respect for the knowledge each group brought. This process empowered locals, valued their expertize and knowledge, and reduced dependency by prioritizing indigenous and local knowledge. Localization led to mutually beneficial outcomes. Policy implications Creation and implementation of policies that mandate localization through recruitment, use of indigenous methodologies, co‐design and recognition of local skills, knowledge and culture will help create trust with development partners, empower locals, exchange skills and knowledge between locals and foreigners, and reduce dependency.