Resources

This report is an up-to-date account of an innovative and experimental participatory development programme, called Change Agents Programme (CAP)which was initiated in the late seventies in Sri Lanka. The programme's main objective was to train village level development cadres called 'change agents' with a view to working among the rural poor and setting in motion a process of awareness building for self-reliant participatory development. The programme characteristics and CAP intervention process and strategy are described at great length. The report also presents the organisation of the programme which though staffes by the government ministry, is least affected by normal bureaucratic practices. Some important issues and considerations for the further expansion of CAP into a national level anti-poverty programme are discussed.

This paper describes a project which adopted PRA to (i) help villagers understand the objectives of a poverty alleviation programme (IDT) and to prepare feasible action plans for the utilisation of IDT funds, and (ii) to produce base-line data to be of use to programme planners and designers. This report first summarises the main findings relating to organisation of the project. The PRA project training is critically examined, discussing selection of appropriate candidates duration of training and levels of understanding imparted. The project was also successful in imparting understanding of the IDT to prospective fund recipient groups. It is noted that facilitators were reluctant to involve women in some activities, and reasons are discussed. Collection of baseline data and data in case studies are discussed. The third section summarises recommendations. The project has led the way in developing an appropriate methodology for the implementation of IDT support projects, and it is recommended to utilise PRA methodology, but change the implementing mechanisms. A need for follow-up activities for the present support project is noted, as well as follow up for the use of data: "data is only effective where it is used."

This paper describes the process of training field researchers in PRA methods as part of the PD2DT community development project in Indonesia. The project's approach is to use participatory methods for investigation and analysis with villagers, providing communities with information about the IDT poverty alleviation programme, and allowing outsiders to learn about the nature of poverty in isolated villages. Section 1 describes how the training plan evolved over time to take account of unforeseen factors. Major problems and constraints encountered in the training process are acknowledged. These included time constraints, large training groups, and lack of involvement of local community due to poor coordination by training committee. Section 2 discusses the contribution of training to project results, in terms of levels of satisfaction with the PRA trainers and with the skills gained by trainees. The trainee selection process is given considerable attention. Overall, training in participatory methods is a key to the PD2DT approach. A recurring theme is that training did not alter the attitudes and behaviour of many trainees. This may limit the impact of PRA training on the project's success. It is noted that trainees may also apply these skills in their other employments, making them potentially valuable resource persons for the future. Section 3 summarises recommendations derived from the findings of dialogue with villagers. It is also suggested that the gains in participatory skills can be used in other stages of the IDT poverty alleviation programme, and follow-up issues are discussed. The paper ends with a short summary of some of the key lessons learned.

This describes a Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) undertaken by the Government of Kenya and the World Bank during Febuary-April 1994. It had three primary objectives; to understand poverty from the perspective of the poor, to start a process of dialogue between policy makers, district level providers and the poor and to address the issue of the 'value added' of the PPA approach to understanding poverty. Methods used included mapping, wealth ranking, seasonal analysis, trend and price analysis, focus group discussions, key informant interviews; visual card methods, gender analysis, understanding health seeking behaviour; and incomplete sentences. Statistically the findings of the PPA and the Welfare Monitoring Survey based on an established poverty line were strikingly similar. The study also found a gap in the perception of poverty between the poor themselves and district officials. Separate chapters look at poverty in urban Nairobi and Mandera district.

The article discusses the nature of PRA and how it differs from other participatory methodologies. The paper emphasises principles, and attitudes and behaviour rather than on methods or tools. The article addresses issues of the PRA as a tool for empowerment and how it affects policy. The broad range of examples it draws on makes it a good read for enthusiasts and beginners to see the wide range to which PRA can be applied and the flexibility of the approach. The report has an interesting collection of quotes from field experiences from South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.

This working draft traces the process by which the Bank has attempted to understand and make better use of methodologies, and also examines the current status of participatory efforts within the Bank, based on the Participation Action Plan endorsed by the Board of Directors in 1994. It gives a history of the use and trends in participatory methodologies in the Bank and is a good source to review the World BankÆs participatory experiences.

This is a report of an attempt to introduce PRA into four countries in Central Asia - Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tadjikistan. The report describes activities on the trip, which included trainings, participants in the trainings, lessons learned from the trainings, and future activities which may result from the trip. The training is reported in detail in INTRAC (1996).