Community participation in development

Priscilla Welikala

DEVELOPMENT: Community participation in development at village level is very important, without “real” Community participation “real” development would not take place.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his speech at the ILO sessions titled “ Worker the Center of Development” published in the Daily News of June 16, 2007 elaborated this very well.

He made an appeal on behalf of the workers thus, “Most workers in the developing world come from rural environments.

Unless we raise the dignity of the rural worker, the rural peasant, the rural technologist, the rural artisans, we will never be able to uplift our rural masses and of course the majority of the working class.”

In the same speech the plight of the rural workers were further explained, “Most of the workers are poorer than they ought to be.

They are in a debt cycle which they cannot get out of.” This thinking is well explained in the ‘Mahinda Chintana’. It is of crucial importance to always think of the people as those with feelings and aspirations and also with potentials.

They can and are able to actively participate in activities that concern them at village level.

However, it is important for all involved in “Village uplift projects” to give due consideration to the fact that achieving full and effective Community participation in development activities is a very difficult task.

The maximisation of this participation will depend on the way the people are approached by the staff responsible for this task.

Training in Community Development is very important if the real objectives of these development programmes are to be achieved, and to see that the people use the facilities thus provided and also sustain them as they contribute towards their own development. It is very important to “mobilize the will of the people”.

The experiences of the people at village level are unique to them and certain attitudinal changes “within” are necessary to accept the changes that come through the projects.

Improving or uplifting the rural masses really means that there should be positive changes in the “quality of life” Their level of social functioning in all aspects must be at an acceptable level, and be able to maximize and utilize resources available for their own development plans. The staff should be responsible for the work done at village level and must be able to facilitate the people to achieve these ends.

The participation of people in development activities at village level must not only mean providing free labour, or “ceremonial participation” at inauguration ceremonies.

People must be involved in planning as well as management including assessment of needs at village level. Technically trained people are very important but they must be able to work with the people so that they will know why things are done the way they are done and how they could be benefited.

Infrastructure development is important and it is necessary to enable people to take ownership and be proud of such development. For this to happen the people must be treated with dignity and respect and they must feel that they are part and parcel of these developmental activities.

Attitudinal and behavioural changes in a person will not take place merely due to political pressure, large community meetings or mere setting up of local committees.

This is where working with people takes precedence over working for people. This is why professional training in the field of social work is very important.

However, as there is a dearth of professionally trained workers, at least a job specific training for those working at village level with people, is very important. However proper interaction and building professional relationships can help in unfolding these potentials to make them active participants.

This is how “uplift of people at village level” must take place. It is a common knowledge that there are projects and programmes where millions of dollars have been spent, but they have not been successful because the intended beneficiaries failed to attitudinally accept them as those that met their felt needs.

Hence it is very important for people at village level to understand, accept and actively participate and in the process develop an ownership of all projects implemented for their benefit. Mere contribution of free labour and knowledge about the project alone will not make the people to use and sustain the facilities and contribute to improving their quality of life at village level.

Some other statements made by the President in his speech further reiterate the place of the worker in development work.

“A worker whether in the agricultural, industrial, commercial or any other sector is the core of development.” and “a satisfied worker will also ensure corporate profitability”. This underscores the important place the people hold in whatever place they are in and this is a fact that must be kept in mind by everyone.

If projects and programmes do not touch the lives of people to enhance their quality of life as individuals, families and communities the much spoken of “uplift of rural communities” will not happen. Mere achievement of physical targets within a set time frame and publicity that the project was completed will not have any positive impact on the people.

People are important. They are a resource and they are powerful too. Hence everyone involved in development activities must keep in mind that the Worker must be the Centre of Development.