Pro Public had implemented a "Strengthening Advocacy Capacity and Local Government Accountability" (SALGA) project for proper management of natural resources in Sarlahi, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari districts of the Central and Eastern Terai Region with financial support from USAID through The Asia Foundation. The project was implemented from December 2001 to September 2003. Under the project, Pro Public worked with 60 Community Forest Users Groups (CFUGs) and 60 Irrigation Water User Associations (IWUAs) in 120 the then Village Development Committees (VDCs).

The overall objectives of the project were to; strengthen capacity of the Federation of Community Forest Users, Nepal (FECOFUN) and National Federation of Irrigation Water Users, Nepal (NFIWUAN) to advocate for member interests; strengthen partnership between FECOFUN, NFIWUAN and local government; and, increase scrutiny of government performance on allocation/management of funds for forestry, water and local development. The project basically contributed in the areas of capacity building and advocacy that are presented below.

The SALGA project had significantly contributed to empower the CFUGs, IWUAs and their federations (FECOFUN and  NFIWUAN) for institutional strengthening, and natural resources management in the four districts through various interventions including advocacy training, participatory workshops, inter-district exchange visits, linkage with media and government line agencies, formation of Watchdog Committees (WDCs), public hearings/audits, support to federations to resolve main issues of common interest, lobbying, campaigns etc. and facilitation by the field staff. The SALGA project had also played key role to establish District Committees of NFIWUAN in Saptari and Siraha districts.

Considering local capacity building, effectiveness of training, availability of potential MTs trained by WEP and other projects in the districts, and cost effectiveness priority was given to select MTs from the districts. The MTs were selected on the basis of their training/work experience and education. Altogether 16 MTs were trained by providing a five days TOT.