Petals and thorns: the dilemmas of PLA and debt bondage

A fundamental principle of successful participation is that participants are enthusiastic, interested and choose to take part. However, in some cases, community gatekeepers prevent some people from becoming involved, whilst forcing others to do so. This article, in PLA Notes, No. 40 examines the dilemmas faced by a community development project working with sex workers in Cambodia, bound by debt to their managers who, by not complying to their managers restrictions risk violent repercussions from them, as well as potential arrest by external authorities. The article describes the origins of the Lotus Club; a project established within the community health clinic for sex-workers to identify shared experiences and goals and thus form trusting relationships. It outlines the ethical concerns that the team working on the project have faced, so far, and the participatory steps taken to address these issues. The biggest concern was that of consent, with additional concerns being of transparency, confidentiality and compensation. The authors are optimistic that, despite difficulties, community building and collective action among sex workers can be sustained through PLA.