Which description matches Capacity Building?

• A. building relationships within the community through broad participation
• B. advocate to lawmakers, remedy imbalance of power
• C. Expert driven consultants with community leaders to expand, develop, coordinate social policies and services
• D. increasing the ability of a community to act on its own behalf, make decisions and direct its own actions

Answer: (D)

Capacity building is about strengthening a community’s ability to act on its own behalf, make decisions, and direct its own actions. It focuses on developing local leadership, governance, resources, and problem-solving capacity so communities can sustain progress without depending on external control. In practice, this means empowering residents to identify priorities, mobilize internal assets, and take ownership of programs and services.

The other descriptions describe related activities but not the core idea of autonomous community action. Building relationships through broad participation is important for engagement but doesn’t by itself ensure communities control decisions. Advocating to lawmakers aims at external power shifts, while expert-driven consultants describe a top-down, external-led approach to policy and service development rather than building internal capacity.