A Brief Paper on the DSS and EDM's Joint Project in Relation to the Application of PRA: An Experience of Bangladesh.

This report concerns the Rural Family and Child Welfare Project (RFCWP) of the NGO Enfants du Monde (EDM) in Bangladesh. It is largely concerned with the introduction of participatory processes and institutional changes in the RCFWP. Formerly, conventional survey research methods were used with many shortcomings (cost, time, etc.), so new methods were introduced. Focus group discussions were conducted. ZOPP was used, but found to be overly sophisticated and did not address participation. PRA was later included in field training of beneficiaries, village institutions and project staff, as well as for monitoring and evaluation. PRA methods were used for an internal self-evaluation. Questions of attitude and behavioural change were also brought up, and PRA came to be seen as part of the move towards participation in the whole project cycle. Reflections on the need for changes in the RFCWP are listed. There are also reflections on the limitations of PRA, including: tendency for it to be technique driven; staff determine relevant and accepted knowledge; individual interests may distort data collection; summarizing by outsiders may lead to misrepresentation and so on.