Capacity building of people for empowerment

Vast strides have been taken in the field of technology but this alone does not contribute to the real development of people. Development is fundamentally about, by and for human beings. The failure in the past to maintain human standards by giving each human being his due worth and dignity and an acceptable place in society reflects the failure of hither to pursued policies and strategies for the real development of people.

Poverty has not only continued to stay with us but it has increased in extent and in depth. In some instances the tools and methods used for combating poverty have themselves been responsible for its increase day-to-day. These have benefited a handful of people, but the poor continue to get poorer and the rich richer.

The objective of development is to raise the level of living of the masses of people and to provide all human beings with opportunities to develop their potentials, and move away from dependency on subsidies and handouts, and live a self motivated and socially acceptable and self satisfying life and become contributing citizens of the country.

It is encouraging to see the positive trends the Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister is planning to take with the ultimate objective of developing 'self-reliant men and women who would be of service to themselves as well as the country.'

As given in the Editorial of the Daily News of July 26 she had also made some observations about some Samurdhi beneficiaries nurturing a 'subsidy mentality' and being content relying on the state for their sustenance on a continuous basis in spite of establishing a stable livelihood. This observation is a very serious one, for instead of alleviating poverty this could perpetuate poverty. A change in the mind set of the people has to come from the people themselves.

It is said that changed minds can change lives.' This cannot be done by an outside force. The concept of helping people to help themselves which is the basis for social work. Practice is something that should be viewed with more seriously. Development organizations all over the world recognizes the importance of the active and meaningful participation of people in their own development.

Yet the emphasis has always been working for people and not working with them. What has been practised throughout is a 'deficit model' of family assistance where families must show their inadequacies in order to secure services. Programs and services are designed for them and they have to fit into these showing all required 'inadequacies'.

For example low income, broken home, unemployment, no source of income etc. When assistance is given they are not required to do anything for themselves by way of helping themselves. The help do not come as a contractual agreement where the receiver is expected to do something for himself, for the assistance he is getting. It can be even to start cultivating the small land he owns, which has been left uncared for till now, for this could be a beginning to help himself.

The service providers do not look at this side. This is where setting goals become very important. It makes them think of what they can do for themselves and how they could set about doing it. If they have not planned where they want to go, they will go somewhere but not the place where they should go, moving away from subsidies and handouts.

When people are not assisted to set goals for themselves and work towards them, they will continue to sustain the dependency mentality and look for ways and means of getting more and more assistance. This will not help to realize the real objectives of the assistance programmes.

What all professionals working with people need to keep in mind is that the people with whom they are working have not only 'inadequacies' or other weaknesses. They have strengths to.

All people and all families have strengths. Highlighting these and recognizing their potentials to go beyond from where they are towards a more positive direction is an important way of nipping the dependency mentality from the very beginning. People must be treated with respect and their worth and dignity should never be underestimated.

After all, if not for the poor people there will not be programmes and services for them, and those working will not have their jobs, which they are doing now. Hence it is always important to keep in mind that it is the duty of the professionals to serve and that it is the right of the people to receive them. This is true in almost all professions. Hence it is very important for those working with people to have the necessary knowledge and skills and also positive attitudes to work with people.

When working with people it is very important to become conscious of oneself. Self awareness is very important; for sometimes ones own internal value structure can obstruct or hinder the empowering of people. People even if they come for assistance need to be respected.

They should be able to develop trust and confidence in the worker and this will go a long way in enabling them to maximize their own potentials.

For families to move out of dependency, helping systems must shift from a 'power over' to a 'power with' paradigm. Workers have power as they decide on the distribution of resources and this power must be used to work with families rather than use power over them.

In some situations certain Administrators live in 'straight jackets'. They alone know the correct way of doing things that the workers get less chances to be creative and perform a job in a way that would be better for the people.

Their attitude, expression, stern look all contribute to the exploitative atmosphere that is created in the office. When this happens working with people become a mechanical process and the ultimate outcome could be stabilizing inside the people a dependant mentality and not one where they are enhancing their own potentials to move out of dependency.

Empowerment is not anything that can be given to people.

Though we always talk about empowering people, the very idea of empowering people contradicts the very process of empowerment. The process of empowerment is something people do for themselves. It is something that has to grow within and this process has to be facilitated.

The patronizing attitude the powerful people have over the ordinary people tended to make them think for the people and decide on what is good for them.

Paternalistic and humanitarian policies cannot activate people into action and move them away from the dependency mentality.

People should be awakened to their own strengths and creative abilities which they have within them.

Unless and until those working with the people work as partners in the process of empowerment and capacity building and look at people as a resource, realizing the goal of moving people out of dependency may be difficult.

When working with people different methods must be used to facilitate this process of empowerment.

Those working with the people must genuinely believe that it is possible to help people to discover and develop their potential. Some people are not aware of their potentials.

Very often providing people with opportunities to participate in activities enable the people to show their abilities and hidden talents. In group meetings conducted at village level in many instances, a few people participate while the majority is silent and acquiesce in whatever decision is taken.

Though many numbers participate only a few vocal and dominant members may know the reasons for the meeting and also the decisions taken.

People can be organized by the 'powerful' by giving other incentives and this is very often seen in the 'pelapalis' that are being conducted. This is mere participation and the goals of the organisers alone could be achieved.

Now the time has come to give up this hypocrisy. People are a resource and those working with them must be genuine.

They must be dealt with a non-judgmental attitude. Preconceived notions about people from what they have heard or read in books should not guide the workers to develop hostile attitudes that will obstruct or hinder developing trust and confidence in the people.

This is a two way process. Unless and until people are helped to develop their potentials and guided to set goals that will move them out of dependency, poverty alleviation may remain an unrealized dream.

- Priscilla Welikala.