Lets society define its needs [Archives:2005/847/Opinion]

By Amal Mohammed Al-Ariqi
I participated in a training course, was organized by the Social Fund For Development , called ” Participatory Rapid Appraisal” or PRA . The aim of this course was to enable the participants to use the means, techniques , and the methods of PRA to encourage citizens of objective community to define their needs and priorities , and be involved into the developmental process.

This mission is not easy . the researcher may face a closed local community that has not welcomed or trust on any strangers. Many citizens are giving up to miserable circumstances that they use to live , believing that the government has backed out its promises of reforming many times , so there is no benefit to cooperate with such researcher.

Therefore, the researchers must have certain qualities that enable them to communicate with the local community, such as simplicity , humility , appreciating others sufferings, and top of that not making any promises.

They must have good relations with sheikhs and heads of the local community in order to offer the facilities that they need.

Whatever the difficulties and the obstacles that may face the researchers , the results and the reports produced by PRA are very significant. They reflect the needs and the wants of the citizens , so any project is going to be established in the light of these results will guarantee its success and continuity. Whereas the random projects that are based on randomly evaluations , hasn't any success . that exactly what happened in an area in Haja , when some organization built a school for girls, however the girls didn't go to school , because they were busy bringing water from distant regions. That is , the need and the priority was for a watery project, not educational project.

Giving information , defining the priorities , studying the problems, and suggesting the answers ..etc. If all these staff are achieved by the citizens freely without any affect of any authority or any superior level , will create a sense of responsibility in the citizens, that enable them to help themselves and protect the developmental benefits.

Organizations , businessmen and investors must take a look in such studies and researches since they give clear significant and indications of the living -level of the citizens and their needs and priorities. Therefore ,it is important to support such appraisals and studies , and removing the obstacles that may face the researchers. This mission needs the cooperation of all the interested organizations , and the local councils.
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