The State Capability Enhancement Project or SCEP is an initiative by the state leadership in Meghalaya to employ an adaptive approach to address complex problems. The approach of SCEP is inspired by Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) and Ronald Heifetz’ Adaptive Leadership, two methodologies developed at Harvard Kennedy School of Government. The interns in the SCEP Team will work on project implementation, conduct documentation for project learning and adaptation, and produce reports and documentation for external audiences.
Veronica will be working on one or two of the following projects: (i) Green Meghalaya Movement: State Rural Employment Society (SRES), under the Community and Rural Development Department (C&RD), is building state capability to facilitate and support community action to improve the management of local natural resources. (ii) Maternal & Child Health: The Department of Health & Family Welfare is leading systemic reforms such as strengthening health facilities, improving block-level coordination of healthcare, and building community institutions to improve key health outcomes of the state. (iii) Early Childhood Development Mission: The government of Meghalaya is building systems to improve the health and cognitive abilities of children by ensuring adequate nutrition and childcare in the critical period of early childhood. (iv) Women’s Leadership: The government of Meghalaya is implementing several measures to strengthen women’s agency and participation in decision-making, such as developing a network of SHGs, reserving leadership positions for women in local institutions, and mentoring for leadership development.