On Projects
On Setting up Grassroots Projects
We have explored below some of the many lessons that we learned over the years setting up and managing educational projects in low-income countries. We have focused here on Africa rather than on our work in former Eastern Bloc countries. Some of the observations / lessons are generic in nature and apply to both; others are more idiosyncratic, reflecting the culture and traditions of a particular country or region; most address issues of understanding, attitude and behaviour (our partners’ and our own) — basically, things any conscientious charity-worker needs to take care over when planning programmes or working in-country.
We hope students of development studies and those planning a career in international development will find the analysis useful. But do please note the caveat on our Home Page, that we cannot accept responsibility for any unforeseen consequences that may arise should you try to copy what we did: it may not work in your particular case. Also, please note:
We hope students of development studies and those planning a career in international development will find the analysis useful. But do please note the caveat on our Home Page, that we cannot accept responsibility for any unforeseen consequences that may arise should you try to copy what we did: it may not work in your particular case. Also, please note:
The material and analysis provided below is primarily about what you can expect if you choose to go into international development. Inevitably it focuses on the kind of problems that you may have to confront when managing projects or working in the field. If this comes across as negative, it is not meant to. Please see the comment (in About) on why people go into development and what they can expect to get out of it — in short, new friends, deeply memorable experiences, and a great deal of personal satisfaction. Note also, this is about development and not
disaster relief, which is a very different discipline.
People who regularly donate to international development charities may also like to read (and comment on) our page on 'Effective Altruism.'
People who regularly donate to international development charities may also like to read (and comment on) our page on 'Effective Altruism.'
1 Are You Prepared?
Much of Powerful Information’s early work focused on providing high quality publications to local NGOs, public libraries and resource centres. But we soon became aware that some grassroots activists were not making use of the material, and moreover, that there were some far deeper problems that weren’t being addressed — we found that people were not good at defining environmental problems let alone knowing how to tackle them effectively.
Much of Powerful Information’s early work focused on providing high quality publications to local NGOs, public libraries and resource centres. But we soon became aware that some grassroots activists were not making use of the material, and moreover, that there were some far deeper problems that weren’t being addressed — we found that people were not good at defining environmental problems let alone knowing how to tackle them effectively.
So this is why we stopped sending publications and began engaging directly with local partners to design and carry out practical projects in the community; and this is also why the work gradually broadened out to cover a range of related social and human rights based issues.
Perhaps our most important lessons for anyone thinking of working in low-income countries are that:
- you cannot run effective grassroots projects without skilled and committed local partners — you rely on their knowledge, contacts, reputation, know-how and language skills.[1];
- good partnership depends on sharing — sharing ideas, resources, responsibilities and credit, and partnership depends on honesty and trust; and
- you need to leave your preconceptions and prejudges at home when working abroad, and of course work within and respect local culture and traditions. Your presence in a village (or in a meeting with the minister) can be SO important for your partner and beneficiaries.
In short, be prepared, do your homework and keep an open mind at all times.
Understanding Local Culture
Most countries have a rich culture which you need to understand if you are going to make an impact / bring about social change. One must have some appreciation for local politics, public mentality and cultural traditions. We’ve provided some brief notes on this below. These are intended simply to flag up the kind of issues that you need to be aware of when working in Africa; they are not intended to provide a serious analysis of social or community issues!
Understanding Local Culture
Most countries have a rich culture which you need to understand if you are going to make an impact / bring about social change. One must have some appreciation for local politics, public mentality and cultural traditions. We’ve provided some brief notes on this below. These are intended simply to flag up the kind of issues that you need to be aware of when working in Africa; they are not intended to provide a serious analysis of social or community issues!
In many parts of the continent, men and women’s roles are clearly defined, especially in rural areas, where women are primarily responsible for cooking and fetching water, and for looking after children and seeing they get to school; women also do much of the market trading, and often tend crops. Men do the heavy work (land clearance, ploughing, lifting, construction, etc.) and most will fiercely avoid doing ‘women’s work’. Many women and girls are not free and may have low social status; and customary practices can be chauvinistic and discriminatory towards them. In some households parents are so poor that they are prepared to release underage girl children into marriage (they are not heartless; it’s one less mouth to feed). Tribal loyalties are strong, as are responsibilities to one’s elders and extended family. Most people are highly religious, but they also believe in witchcraft and spells; and some even consider it best that babies with serious disabilities be euthanized. And on the political front, there are real tensions between paramount chiefs and traditional community leaders and elected politicians (the power of the former is rapidly diminishing).
As in all cultures, some attitudes and practices are not nice and deserve to be challenged. Take, for example female genital mutilation (which is well-embedded in many countries and widely seen as a key part of becoming a woman), or attitudes to gay relationships (“it’s not natural”), or certain religious practices (such as ritual slaughter). As an outsider one’s role is to help inform the public debate, but at the end of the day it is not your country, and your views and values may be very different from, and in many ways incomprehensible to, local people. If you choose to speak out about such things, you need to make sure you really understand the context and the possible social and political implications, as there could be serious ramifications for you and your work.
2 The Local Working Environment
Most of our partners faced a very difficult working environment. This often made their work problematic, frustrating and inefficient. Here are some observations:
Most of our partners faced a very difficult working environment. This often made their work problematic, frustrating and inefficient. Here are some observations:
Offices & Equipment
Local offices were often cramped, especially in large towns, and sometimes shared with other organisations; and street noise could be very disruptive, for example when running workshops or holding meetings, or doing an interview with local media. Loud music from neighbouring apartments was a regular distraction at some locations.In Sierra Leone tenants are expected to pay one year’s rent in advance (and sometimes more).
Locally-sourced equipment and materials were often of poor quality, and heat and moisture (and all too often, rough handling) took its toll — pens and (expensive) toner cartridges seemed to dry up after a few days in a hot office. But people also seemed to have a rather cavalier attitude when it came to looking after equipment, especially computers, and this meant that it didn’t last long.
Security (risk of break-ins) was an ever-present concern in many locations. Where we provided computers, we installed Prey Software. This is designed to help locate a computer that has been stolen whenever the thief tries to access the internet.
Local offices were often cramped, especially in large towns, and sometimes shared with other organisations; and street noise could be very disruptive, for example when running workshops or holding meetings, or doing an interview with local media. Loud music from neighbouring apartments was a regular distraction at some locations.In Sierra Leone tenants are expected to pay one year’s rent in advance (and sometimes more).
Locally-sourced equipment and materials were often of poor quality, and heat and moisture (and all too often, rough handling) took its toll — pens and (expensive) toner cartridges seemed to dry up after a few days in a hot office. But people also seemed to have a rather cavalier attitude when it came to looking after equipment, especially computers, and this meant that it didn’t last long.
Security (risk of break-ins) was an ever-present concern in many locations. Where we provided computers, we installed Prey Software. This is designed to help locate a computer that has been stolen whenever the thief tries to access the internet.
Local Services
Power cuts were frequent, and there were also dangerous voltage spikes, which could damage or destroy electronic equipment — to reduce the risk you really need a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), a device that also allows a computer to keep running on battery power when the primary power source is lost. These are not cheap but they’re worth the investment. Of course, many small offices don't actually have electricity (like the one shown here belonging to one of our partners in Kabala, Sierra Leone).
Mobile phones and internet connections/coverage can be patchy and unreliable, especially during the rainy season, and for those having to use internet cafés, download speeds can be atrocious — you could pay a lot just to sit in front of a frozen computer screen, often with no service whatsoever, and refunds were unheard of.
Power cuts were frequent, and there were also dangerous voltage spikes, which could damage or destroy electronic equipment — to reduce the risk you really need a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), a device that also allows a computer to keep running on battery power when the primary power source is lost. These are not cheap but they’re worth the investment. Of course, many small offices don't actually have electricity (like the one shown here belonging to one of our partners in Kabala, Sierra Leone).
Mobile phones and internet connections/coverage can be patchy and unreliable, especially during the rainy season, and for those having to use internet cafés, download speeds can be atrocious — you could pay a lot just to sit in front of a frozen computer screen, often with no service whatsoever, and refunds were unheard of.
Difficulties accessing the internet and slow download speeds make it difficult to keep computer and virus-checking software updated. One consequence of this was that computer viruses were rife and people regularly lost their work. Mechanical breakdowns were also common and getting things fixed, problematic. There was a prevailing attitude that you fix problems when they arise, and then usually on a ‘make do’ basis — a service engineer could well make the problem worse or even finish off your computer!
Local banks charge a lot to look after money in a current account; this can be a serious consideration for cash-strapped community-based organisations (CBOs); bank statements (needed for accounts) are not routinely given out; they have to be requested (and paid for); and getting an annual set of accounts prepared was exorbitantly expensive (sometimes, more than we were paying in the UK for far more complex accounts!), and the work may be of very poor quality (at least that was our experience).
Getting receipts for products or services can be tricky, for example, when a bike rider is illiterate, or you are paying for telephone credit in a kiosk or on the street (when credit is transferred directly to your mobile); or you’re in a shop and the manager is not around to issue a receipt; or the recipient is blind and you don’t have an ink pad handy to take a thumb print…
Many groups offer training, but the quality of what was on offer was often poor. For example, computer courses were almost always poorly designed and expensive — it was standard practice in Sierra Leone to teach (and charge) by module — you could choose e.g. Microsoft ‘Windows’, ‘Word’, ‘Excel’, ‘Access’, etc. A colleague who went on one course told us that he wasn’t allowed to touch a computer for the first month! [This is not a good or cost-effective way to learn.]
Getting Around
For travelling around town, it is usually easy to flag down a motorbike, taxi, tuk-tuk or local bus, but traffic chaos in many cities can make getting to meetings on time something of a lottery. Visiting villages can be quite another matter: a project officer may struggle to flag find a bike rider willing to take them, especially in the rainy season (when the paths can be treacherous), or after dark (many learning circles met at night, after the day's work was done); and there was always concern for women employees who feared being molested or robbed.
For travelling around town, it is usually easy to flag down a motorbike, taxi, tuk-tuk or local bus, but traffic chaos in many cities can make getting to meetings on time something of a lottery. Visiting villages can be quite another matter: a project officer may struggle to flag find a bike rider willing to take them, especially in the rainy season (when the paths can be treacherous), or after dark (many learning circles met at night, after the day's work was done); and there was always concern for women employees who feared being molested or robbed.
Boards
In many (most?) low-income countries it is difficult to find good board members, people who really understand what governance means and have the right skills and experience for the job — and crucially, are willing to volunteer their time and take on the responsibility. (The idea of volunteering is alien in many countries.)It can also be expensive to hold board meeting, as partners are usually expected to pay transport and a ‘sweetener’ to those attending.
In many (most?) low-income countries it is difficult to find good board members, people who really understand what governance means and have the right skills and experience for the job — and crucially, are willing to volunteer their time and take on the responsibility. (The idea of volunteering is alien in many countries.)It can also be expensive to hold board meeting, as partners are usually expected to pay transport and a ‘sweetener’ to those attending.
One partner invited selected chairladies from village learning circles to join her board. These were women who were well-respected, sometimes a community leader or the wife of the chief. Whilst the idea was laudable, it didn’t work in practice because the individuals concerned were only semi-illiterate and didn’t have the necessary experience or background to really understand their legal responsibilities and duties.One membership organisation we knew was not able to organise regular AGMs despite what was written in its Constitution because its members expected to receive a per diem
to attend, and also to have their travel refunded, which was clearly out of the question for a struggling group, and would in any case have set a very bad precedent.
Staffing
CBOs can have difficulty finding and retaining good staff. The pool of talent can be quite small outside of major centres, and they (and you) may have to invest in a lot of training for new appointees. The skills required for running community projects are not ones taught at school or college, nor learned in many other businesses or professions. Where groups did have someone who was really good, there was the ever present fear that they would be seduced away by one of the big international NGOs, which could offer more money, an easier working environment, better prospects of advancing their career, and more job security.
Lack of a secure source of income means that employing people on short-term contracts is common, and this often creates difficulties with respect to registering people with tax authorities and paying national insurance.
Registration
CBOs and NGOs need to register with the appropriate authority, and often other bodies or groups. This might include, for example, District Councils or national umbrella groups concerned with women’s issues or human rights. This would involve a one-off registration fee and an annual fee, and very often our (ie PI) having to find the money out of project budgets. (Funders don't tend to like paying for such items, and often explicitly exclude contingencies from project budgets.)
CBOs and NGOs need to register with the appropriate authority, and often other bodies or groups. This might include, for example, District Councils or national umbrella groups concerned with women’s issues or human rights. This would involve a one-off registration fee and an annual fee, and very often our (ie PI) having to find the money out of project budgets. (Funders don't tend to like paying for such items, and often explicitly exclude contingencies from project budgets.)
Our partners never seemed to get very much out of this arrangement (registering with other bodies), except a certificate. In principle, being registered meant that they would be eligible to apply for funding if/when it becomes available. But it rarely did.
Fundraising
Fundraising is difficult for CBOs and small NGOs, and especially when the work involves educational or human rights work in the villages, or disability, or access to the law for victims of abuse. This kind of work will always require external funding as it will never generate sufficient income to cover overheads and project running costs. Local funders are few and far between in many countries and the competition for their support is fierce — the countries where we were working were not ones where many people have disposable income, or where volunteering for good causes was widely practiced.
Moreover, most international funders make demands that many indigenous NGOs simply cannot meet — minimum annual turnover, several years’ audited accounts, written policy statements on equal opportunities, conflict of interest, safeguards, etc. etc. Even where groups did have the skills, they would find that they were not eligible to apply as they didn’t have the necessary turnover, or their accounts hadn’t been professionally audited. So whether they had the skills to fill in on-line application forms or prepare funding bids of sufficient quality to stand a chance of winning grants was often academic.
Fundraising
Fundraising is difficult for CBOs and small NGOs, and especially when the work involves educational or human rights work in the villages, or disability, or access to the law for victims of abuse. This kind of work will always require external funding as it will never generate sufficient income to cover overheads and project running costs. Local funders are few and far between in many countries and the competition for their support is fierce — the countries where we were working were not ones where many people have disposable income, or where volunteering for good causes was widely practiced.
Moreover, most international funders make demands that many indigenous NGOs simply cannot meet — minimum annual turnover, several years’ audited accounts, written policy statements on equal opportunities, conflict of interest, safeguards, etc. etc. Even where groups did have the skills, they would find that they were not eligible to apply as they didn’t have the necessary turnover, or their accounts hadn’t been professionally audited. So whether they had the skills to fill in on-line application forms or prepare funding bids of sufficient quality to stand a chance of winning grants was often academic.
Corruption
Corruption is endemic in Africa and operates at all levels. Here are some random examples that our partners have to deal with daily:
Corruption is endemic in Africa and operates at all levels. Here are some random examples that our partners have to deal with daily:
- petrol being withheld at filling stations leading to freelancers selling it on the forecourt in plastic bottles at inflated prices — this often seemed to happen just before holidays in Sierra Leone. The problem would generally blow over in a few days, but it caused queues, chaos, delays and uncertainty, and disrupted travel plans. Then, when things got back to ‘normal’, there was the question of whether the pump was correctly calibrated, and how much fuel would actually be delivered into your tank. It may well not be what shows on the pump dial...
- When someone’s car breaks down and is towed to a garage, the part they use might be fake or second hand — or not fitted correctly. (We once lost a wheel following our partner's car going in for a precautionary check-up and service before a monitoring visit to some villages… Fortunately, no one was injured by the flying wheel!)
- A mechanic brought in to fix a generator or appliance could end up causing irreparable damage to it.
There are many such examples one might cite, all testifying to the fact that daily life can be far from easy or straight-forward in very low-income countries…
3 Managing Projects
Given this difficult operating environment, it is a miracle that anything gets done! Here are some comments on what our team — Powerful Information staff and local partners — delivered:
a) Education & Literacy for Women
We ran learning circles for women for more than a decade in Sierra Leone. Here’s how they worked:
Given this difficult operating environment, it is a miracle that anything gets done! Here are some comments on what our team — Powerful Information staff and local partners — delivered:
a) Education & Literacy for Women
We ran learning circles for women for more than a decade in Sierra Leone. Here’s how they worked:
- The circles met two or three times a week in school buildings, or the court barré, and sometimes under a tree (not a good idea during the rainy seasons — although heavy rain could make any meeting impossible because of the noise of torrential rain on the tin roof!)
- We operated on the basis of 25 registered learners per circle, who received free note pads and pens. However, most facilitators were happy to allow others to join their circles if they were willing to provide their own stationery — this put subtle pressure on registered learners to attend regularly or risk being deregistered and losing their benefits.
- The learners ranged in age from 15 to over 80 and were of mixed ability, so where possible we provided two blackboards, one for the slow learners, and one for the fast learners. In some circles the fast learners would help the slow ones.
- Allowing men to join the circles was a good move — however, we made it clear that the main focus was women’s education, and the men accepted this. We were very pleased with the way the men integrated into the programme.
- We had problems in some of the circles because many of the ‘regulars’ did not want to stop attending the lessons after 18 months or two years to make way for new learners. We tried to resolve this by suggesting that graduates meet less regularly, perhaps once a week, and the new learners, twice.
Facilitators
Our partners employed local people (mainly primary school teachers) as facilitators; most were men because there were problems finding women with the appropriate literacy and teaching skills. Moreover, lack of transportation meant that anyone coming from outside the village would probably need to stay the night, or walk back in the dark. It would be difficult for most women to do this, even if they had the agreement of their husband and family.
Our partners employed local people (mainly primary school teachers) as facilitators; most were men because there were problems finding women with the appropriate literacy and teaching skills. Moreover, lack of transportation meant that anyone coming from outside the village would probably need to stay the night, or walk back in the dark. It would be difficult for most women to do this, even if they had the agreement of their husband and family.
We provided regular training for facilitators in REFLECT and how to tackle difficult issues, and we organised networking meetings where people’s problems and experiences could be shared and discussed. Circles would take turns in hosting these meetings so that learners could meet with the other facilitators. This arrangement also helped raise the profile of the circles and confront the critics/doubters.
Running a learning circle is not an easy business: before each lesson conscientious facilitators would go around the learners’ houses to remind them of the time (very few had watches) and encourage them to attend.
The facilitators were required to provide short reports each month eg on attendance levels, progress with the educational units, and on any problems or difficulties that may have arisen. (We provided a template for this.)
The Education Process
Over the years we built up many simple course units, each designed to last an hour. They were organised around basic literacy, numeracy, health education, agriculture, social issues, community development, and business and trading. We also worked with blind colleagues to develop a set of units on disability.
The women were taught in their mother tongue, but they also learned English — a knowledge of English enables participants to communicate in a common language with people from other parts of the country, and also to read signposts and hoardings, most of which were in English (at least in Sierra Leone and Ghana).
The facilitators were required to provide short reports each month eg on attendance levels, progress with the educational units, and on any problems or difficulties that may have arisen. (We provided a template for this.)
The Education Process
Over the years we built up many simple course units, each designed to last an hour. They were organised around basic literacy, numeracy, health education, agriculture, social issues, community development, and business and trading. We also worked with blind colleagues to develop a set of units on disability.
The women were taught in their mother tongue, but they also learned English — a knowledge of English enables participants to communicate in a common language with people from other parts of the country, and also to read signposts and hoardings, most of which were in English (at least in Sierra Leone and Ghana).
We developed a simple test of learners’ basic literacy and numeracy skills, and their spoken English and their knowledge of the issues covered in the course.
Most adults found learning hard work; and it was doubly hard for those who had never been to school or couldn’t see the blackboard (or even their notebook) because of poor eyesight — and for those who were hungry or sick, perhaps suffering from a migraine or toothache (and not having money for treatment or medicine). The women have a saying: “an empty bag cannot stand” — it is difficult to work or study when you haven’t eaten. We saw hunger all too frequently during our visits.
Most adults found learning hard work; and it was doubly hard for those who had never been to school or couldn’t see the blackboard (or even their notebook) because of poor eyesight — and for those who were hungry or sick, perhaps suffering from a migraine or toothache (and not having money for treatment or medicine). The women have a saying: “an empty bag cannot stand” — it is difficult to work or study when you haven’t eaten. We saw hunger all too frequently during our visits.
Monitoring
Our partners monitored progress with the learning and the performance of the facilitators. They knew what days they were due to meet and often dropped in unannounced. They also sat in on sessions and talked with the learners. We ourselves visited the learning circles during monitoring visits. Where possible we did this twice a year, although there was one period of about two years when this was not possible because of Ebola, when strict rules on travel were imposed, and there was a ban on group meetings unless they were called to discuss matters of public health. We've already noted that getting to the villages could be problematic, even dangerous or impossible, in the rainy season.
Organising Village Meetings
Often a local village contact didn’t have a mobile phone, or there would be no coverage, and this would then require sending someone in advance to make the arrangements — and hoping that the message they conveyed was correct (which you couldn’t rely on.) Other inconveniences or dangers include: meetings of the Poro (men’s secret society in Sierra Leone) when local women must remain in-doors and outsiders are not welcome and may get accosted, especially if masked devils are around. (If you ever see one, don’t photograph it/him or you really will be in trouble...)
Our partners monitored progress with the learning and the performance of the facilitators. They knew what days they were due to meet and often dropped in unannounced. They also sat in on sessions and talked with the learners. We ourselves visited the learning circles during monitoring visits. Where possible we did this twice a year, although there was one period of about two years when this was not possible because of Ebola, when strict rules on travel were imposed, and there was a ban on group meetings unless they were called to discuss matters of public health. We've already noted that getting to the villages could be problematic, even dangerous or impossible, in the rainy season.
Organising Village Meetings
Often a local village contact didn’t have a mobile phone, or there would be no coverage, and this would then require sending someone in advance to make the arrangements — and hoping that the message they conveyed was correct (which you couldn’t rely on.) Other inconveniences or dangers include: meetings of the Poro (men’s secret society in Sierra Leone) when local women must remain in-doors and outsiders are not welcome and may get accosted, especially if masked devils are around. (If you ever see one, don’t photograph it/him or you really will be in trouble...)
REFLECT
REFLECT is based on the work of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and was developed in the early 1990s by ActionAid
and other International NGOs after conventional techniques for teaching adults had failed. The essence of the technique is that people learn from discussing issues that are of direct relevance or interest to them. Over time, their confidence grows until they feel able to engage with others and even speak in public.
The women start by learning the alphabet: this is generally done by continued repetition, with some of the more advanced learners playing an active part at the blackboard. Often a word will emerge from such discussions — ‘goat’, ‘water’, ‘malaria’, etc. —- and this is written on the board. The facilitator then takes this ‘generic word’ and breaks it down into syllables and the participants try to build up new words from these syllables and these are written on the board (as shown above).
Topics that might be discussed included, for example, how to deal with a particular pest or disease, or how to keep animals, or how to avoid snake bites or poisonous insects; or they might be concerned with social or political issues, such as land tenure, or the role of the police and the law courts. The facilitator’s job is to encourage participants to speak and share their thoughts. We found the technique remarkably successful.
The women start by learning the alphabet: this is generally done by continued repetition, with some of the more advanced learners playing an active part at the blackboard. Often a word will emerge from such discussions — ‘goat’, ‘water’, ‘malaria’, etc. —- and this is written on the board. The facilitator then takes this ‘generic word’ and breaks it down into syllables and the participants try to build up new words from these syllables and these are written on the board (as shown above).
Topics that might be discussed included, for example, how to deal with a particular pest or disease, or how to keep animals, or how to avoid snake bites or poisonous insects; or they might be concerned with social or political issues, such as land tenure, or the role of the police and the law courts. The facilitator’s job is to encourage participants to speak and share their thoughts. We found the technique remarkably successful.
Explaining things to local people needs, not only skills in local languages but cultural sensitivity — it’s not about the words used, it’s about how they are expressed,
and how things are explained (and if really important, repeated over and over). Who is saying them is also important. Good to get the chief involved.
Impact, Continuity & Reporting
The learning circle members formed close bonds which helped promote community spirit. We saw this in particular when groups visited sick or bereaved members of the group. Some circles also developed their own fund-raising activities, for example to help build a dedicated hut where they could meet for their learning. Many circles established communal plots, where they could grow rice, groundnuts, maize and vegetables, and we encouraged this. The women ran the seed nurseries and tended the crops, and their menfolk would often help with land clearance, fencing and tilling. We did try to motivate learners to contribute towards their education (and help pay their facilitator’s allowance) by making a small contribution each week. This worked in some circles, but others resisted saying that they couldn’t afford it, especially after the Ebola epidemic.
The learning circle members formed close bonds which helped promote community spirit. We saw this in particular when groups visited sick or bereaved members of the group. Some circles also developed their own fund-raising activities, for example to help build a dedicated hut where they could meet for their learning. Many circles established communal plots, where they could grow rice, groundnuts, maize and vegetables, and we encouraged this. The women ran the seed nurseries and tended the crops, and their menfolk would often help with land clearance, fencing and tilling. We did try to motivate learners to contribute towards their education (and help pay their facilitator’s allowance) by making a small contribution each week. This worked in some circles, but others resisted saying that they couldn’t afford it, especially after the Ebola epidemic.
We reported in full on our work and illustrated our reports with photographs taken during monitoring trips and also photos sent by partners. We saw these reports, not just as a means of accounting for money received, but as a way of helping inform donors about the reality of working on community development in poor countries and what small international NGOs had to contribute. (We also made this argument
to senior politicians concerned about aid.)
For much of the time during the programme we were under pressure from community leaders, teachers and others to extend the work into their villages — some communities actually set up their own learning circles and pleaded with us for help. This was a good indicator of the success of the programme; another was the fact that we kept the programme going for so long with backing from such a diverse range of funders, some of whom supported us multiple times.
That said, we were always constrained by resources and could not keep pace with the pleas from people in neighbouring villages for education (from both women and men).
That said, we were always constrained by resources and could not keep pace with the pleas from people in neighbouring villages for education (from both women and men).
b) Disability
The main aim of our work on disability was for CWD and PWD (in Sierra Leone) to get an education or skills training (by right), and for this very vulnerable group of people to become more independent and treated, and better understood, by the public. We also sought to find out more about the conditions under which disabled people lived, and the advice and services available to them. Here are some comments and our observations.
The main aim of our work on disability was for CWD and PWD (in Sierra Leone) to get an education or skills training (by right), and for this very vulnerable group of people to become more independent and treated, and better understood, by the public. We also sought to find out more about the conditions under which disabled people lived, and the advice and services available to them. Here are some comments and our observations.
Research into Disability
Capturing information on very young CWD (who cannot themselves be interviewed) is problematic, not least because of their parents’ level of education/understanding. This makes it vital to ensure that interviewers are well-trained and well-briefed, and that they spend sufficient time with the family to really understand the situation and explain the purpose of the data collected.
Collating data on disability collected in the field can also be difficult given the quality of the (hand-written) answers you can get back from partners (which inevitably needs to be edited and categorised -- and sometimes quetioned -- before it can be entered into a database and analysed).
Counselling & Training
Don’t underestimate the importance of lending a helping hand to PWD, perhaps no more so than with people who are blind or visually-impaired. Many are very isolated and often treated appallingly by others in the community -- many consider that PWD are somehow responsible for their fate through sins in a previous life. What Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) can do very effectively is to bring people together and help and advise them on how to tackle and overcome day-to-day problems; they can also provide support and advice when people are being taken advantage of or abused.
It is often necessary to explain to sceptical parents of CWD that, with education, their child need not be a burden on the family, but if this fails, there is always the threat of sanctions — threatening to tell the police that they are stopping their child getting an education (which is their right by law). Training PWD pays back in so many ways — and not just by enabling them to become more self-sufficient and fulfilled, but also in raising individuals’ confidence and self-esteem and helping to change public attitudes to disability.
It is perhaps important here to draw a distinction here between people born blind and those who lose their sight, often as a child through eg measles, and in some cases later in life, through accident or in conflict. In many ways, the former are better prepared and better able to cope.
Don’t underestimate the importance of lending a helping hand to PWD, perhaps no more so than with people who are blind or visually-impaired. Many are very isolated and often treated appallingly by others in the community -- many consider that PWD are somehow responsible for their fate through sins in a previous life. What Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) can do very effectively is to bring people together and help and advise them on how to tackle and overcome day-to-day problems; they can also provide support and advice when people are being taken advantage of or abused.
It is often necessary to explain to sceptical parents of CWD that, with education, their child need not be a burden on the family, but if this fails, there is always the threat of sanctions — threatening to tell the police that they are stopping their child getting an education (which is their right by law). Training PWD pays back in so many ways — and not just by enabling them to become more self-sufficient and fulfilled, but also in raising individuals’ confidence and self-esteem and helping to change public attitudes to disability.
It is perhaps important here to draw a distinction here between people born blind and those who lose their sight, often as a child through eg measles, and in some cases later in life, through accident or in conflict. In many ways, the former are better prepared and better able to cope.
We found that Theory of Change diagrams — like that shown here — can be very useful as a training tool to familiarise new staff with basic project concepts, and through an iterative process, develop a set of viable performance indicators. This particular TOC was for a project with Vision for the Blind.
Lobbying & Support
Our involvement with DPOs undoubtedly helped open doors — politicians/civil servants would usually make time to see us when some of our local colleagues would struggle to get an audience.
Lobbying & Support
Our involvement with DPOs undoubtedly helped open doors — politicians/civil servants would usually make time to see us when some of our local colleagues would struggle to get an audience.
Very little will happen to help educate and sustain PWD without resources being expended. Unfortunately, in many poor countries like Sierra Leone, PWD are a long way down the pecking order. External support is essential, and this needs to come from the more wealthy countries. What we have shown through our work is that CBOs can be a useful conduit for such work.
Appreciating the Challenges
PWD do have a reputation for being difficult and demanding, and some are, but then this is hardly surprising given the many challenges that they face. Not surprising then that some PWD didn’t appear to give a great deal of thought or consideration to the needs (or career development) of their support workers, who to an outsider sometimes seemed to be taken for granted.
Appreciating the Challenges
PWD do have a reputation for being difficult and demanding, and some are, but then this is hardly surprising given the many challenges that they face. Not surprising then that some PWD didn’t appear to give a great deal of thought or consideration to the needs (or career development) of their support workers, who to an outsider sometimes seemed to be taken for granted.
A number of our blind colleagues were extremely able and eloquent and had phenomenal memories, but some struggled to manage other people. Indeed, it takes a great deal of effort to manage one's own life when you are blind without having to think about what your staff might be doing at any particular time (something a sighted person does without thinking). If you are blind you have to remember the layout of buildings, the positioning of steps and obstacles, people’s voices (eg when someone says ‘hi’ in the street — can you imagine what's involved in remembering who it might be without the visual cues?), where you put your watch or mobile, phone numbers, etc. etc.
And people who have been blind from birth have also to deal with concepts like colour, or form an ‘image’ of what an iconic building might look like, or a wild animal like a lion, or a sunset, or beauty -- or in Sierra Leone, the enormous Cotton Tree in the centre of Freetown, which is so symbolic of the country. One blind man we knew could work out the print density in a book using his nose, and he could estimate how much it would cost the braille. Quite Extraordinary!
There is also the indignity of having to rely on family and friends to help with your most basic and intimate of needs (food, security, guidance, laundry, healthcare, etc.). And can you imagine too, the frustration of having to depend on often poorly skilled support workers for writing up your reports, sending emails and the like, when they often had comparatively poor skills in grammar, spelling and computing? [2]
There is also the indignity of having to rely on family and friends to help with your most basic and intimate of needs (food, security, guidance, laundry, healthcare, etc.). And can you imagine too, the frustration of having to depend on often poorly skilled support workers for writing up your reports, sending emails and the like, when they often had comparatively poor skills in grammar, spelling and computing? [2]
c) Gender Based Violence
Our work on GBV was on a relatively small scale, but we are pleased by what our partner in Sierra Leone achieved. Here are some thoughts on running programmes on domestic violence:
Our work on GBV was on a relatively small scale, but we are pleased by what our partner in Sierra Leone achieved. Here are some thoughts on running programmes on domestic violence:
- People in trouble will often take advantage of groups engaged in victim support, often expecting them to mediate in domestic disputes for free; very few think of offering to cover their basic travel or other expenses, let alone pay for people's time and overheads. It is advisable for counselling and support groups to develop clear protocols (and a fee scale) to deal with this.
- It is important to have an Assistance Fund to help pay for medical treatment, for example, where women have been seriously assaulted; and in some cases to pay for emergency food for victims and their families.
- It can be difficult for partners to properly account for all of the expenditure they incur doing this difficult work, often carried out at anti-social times (organising emergency transport for victims, paying for healthcare, making phone calls, etc.) and partners need to understand this and build flexibility into their accounting systems.
- With respect to teenage pregnancy it is important to focus on the wider context that leads to teenage pregnancy, and not just on girls’ (and boy’s) behaviour — community attitudes are relevant here, not least parents attitude to girls education and early marriage (which can be major issues in very poor families).
d) Food Security
We ran food security programmes in both Sierra Leone and Ghana. These worked on the principle, not of handing out ‘fish’, but ‘teaching people to fish’.
Rural Women in Sierra Leone
Farmer Field Schools
We ran food security programmes in both Sierra Leone and Ghana. These worked on the principle, not of handing out ‘fish’, but ‘teaching people to fish’.
Rural Women in Sierra Leone
Farmer Field Schools
Running FFS and integrated pest management (IPM) programmes is still a relatively new, unexplored concept in many countries; it may be necessary to spend some time working with agricultural extension officers (AEOs) to make sure that they understand the basics and are willing and able to work with them. We found that many AEOs knew very little about the practicalities of running FFS or IPM programmes — they had been taught the theory but hadn’t actually applied it in practice. They tended to give lectures rather than work with the farmers in the field to ensure that they really understood both the theory and the practice.
Running Livelihood Programmes & Seed Banks
Good to set aside resources for ‘food for work’, especially where land clearance, ploughing and other heavy work is required (which is normally done by men). This is something that needs to be taken into account when budgeting — the head of one learning circle commented that “it took the women a hell of time to have the aid of their male counterparts, brothers, uncles and husbands. The reason being that the men had already been excluded and so it should be an all women affair.”
We found it difficult to get participants to be completely honest and open about their yields, often because they thought we would want more of their harvest back than had been agreed! It is important to ensure early on that the farmers taking part in the programme properly understand the deal (effectively, borrowing seed and repaying this with an agreed level of interest after the harvest, say 50%). Where possible we kept the returned seed in the communal food store and with the bags clearly labelled so that people got back their own seed and not seed from other growers. This discouraged participants from returning damaged or sub-standard seed.
Good to set aside resources for ‘food for work’, especially where land clearance, ploughing and other heavy work is required (which is normally done by men). This is something that needs to be taken into account when budgeting — the head of one learning circle commented that “it took the women a hell of time to have the aid of their male counterparts, brothers, uncles and husbands. The reason being that the men had already been excluded and so it should be an all women affair.”
We found it difficult to get participants to be completely honest and open about their yields, often because they thought we would want more of their harvest back than had been agreed! It is important to ensure early on that the farmers taking part in the programme properly understand the deal (effectively, borrowing seed and repaying this with an agreed level of interest after the harvest, say 50%). Where possible we kept the returned seed in the communal food store and with the bags clearly labelled so that people got back their own seed and not seed from other growers. This discouraged participants from returning damaged or sub-standard seed.
Subsistence Farmers in Ghana
Organising Village Meetings
What is required to organise a public meeting in a village is very much country-dependent. In Ghana, for example you may need to call on the services of the Assemblyman or woman, and it’s probably best to hold the event first thing in the morning on a Taboo Day, when farmers don’t tend to go to their fields. For meetings like this it is custom to slip something to the organiser. This pays for his or her efforts, and those of the town crier, who would go around the village the previous evening to tell people about the event. The donation also buys spirits for the local chiefs so that they can toast their ancestors, and your health!
Organising Village Meetings
What is required to organise a public meeting in a village is very much country-dependent. In Ghana, for example you may need to call on the services of the Assemblyman or woman, and it’s probably best to hold the event first thing in the morning on a Taboo Day, when farmers don’t tend to go to their fields. For meetings like this it is custom to slip something to the organiser. This pays for his or her efforts, and those of the town crier, who would go around the village the previous evening to tell people about the event. The donation also buys spirits for the local chiefs so that they can toast their ancestors, and your health!
Data Collection
Collecting data on the actual use made of pesticides (after running a training programme) may not be realistic — in our case it would have required collecting records over an entire growing season from hundreds of dispersed farmsteads in dozens of villages, and even then much guesswork would be required, as few subsistence farmers keep records, and some may be ‘economical with the truth.’ We know for example that illegal chemicals are used by some farmers (including DDT), either because they are considerably cheaper or considered to be more effective in what they do.
Collecting data on the actual use made of pesticides (after running a training programme) may not be realistic — in our case it would have required collecting records over an entire growing season from hundreds of dispersed farmsteads in dozens of villages, and even then much guesswork would be required, as few subsistence farmers keep records, and some may be ‘economical with the truth.’ We know for example that illegal chemicals are used by some farmers (including DDT), either because they are considerably cheaper or considered to be more effective in what they do.
When gathering basic information from victims of poisoning keep the number of questions to a minimum otherwise it will take too long and people may get impatient — there’s always a balance to be struck in designing a questionnaire between getting adequate information, for example about a poisoning incident and taking up too much of people’s time or appearing too intrusive. Be aware that many victims will be reluctant to provide personal details, especially where they are suffering from life-changing or embarrassing conditions, such as impotence.
Similar considerations apply to determining whether there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of farmers’ crops, or their yields, or whether their (or their family or neighbours’) health had improved after their training (because of reduced exposure to pesticides). We tried getting data from local hospitals, but medical staff didn’t record the cause of many of the poisoning-like symptoms (dizziness, lethargy, etc.) that they treated and / or their “records were difficult to access” (ie in a mess).
Impact
The general conclusions we drew from the focus group and other discussions with farmers and regulators was that farmers see real advantages in using pesticides as they reduce much of the hard physical labour in working the land; but no one should be allowed to buy pesticide without being trained to use them safely; and farmers involved in spraying should be to have health checks at least once a year. Moreover, anybody selling chemicals in shops and cabins — and not just the proprietor — should be properly monitored and able to give out clear instructions on how to use them.
One can’t find out how well subsistence farmers have absorbed key messages simply by handing out feedback forms after a workshop, presentation or equipment demonstration, many (and in some areas, most) farmers are illiterate or semi-literate, and a simple show of hands will not tell you whether people will actually change the way they do things when they return to their farms.
Similar considerations apply to determining whether there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of farmers’ crops, or their yields, or whether their (or their family or neighbours’) health had improved after their training (because of reduced exposure to pesticides). We tried getting data from local hospitals, but medical staff didn’t record the cause of many of the poisoning-like symptoms (dizziness, lethargy, etc.) that they treated and / or their “records were difficult to access” (ie in a mess).
Impact
The general conclusions we drew from the focus group and other discussions with farmers and regulators was that farmers see real advantages in using pesticides as they reduce much of the hard physical labour in working the land; but no one should be allowed to buy pesticide without being trained to use them safely; and farmers involved in spraying should be to have health checks at least once a year. Moreover, anybody selling chemicals in shops and cabins — and not just the proprietor — should be properly monitored and able to give out clear instructions on how to use them.
One can’t find out how well subsistence farmers have absorbed key messages simply by handing out feedback forms after a workshop, presentation or equipment demonstration, many (and in some areas, most) farmers are illiterate or semi-literate, and a simple show of hands will not tell you whether people will actually change the way they do things when they return to their farms.
e) Monitoring Visits
Monitoring visits are essential, and one needs to make at least one a year and preferably more to keep partnerships in good health, check on progress on joint projects, and make sure everyone is ‘on the same page.’ People and circumstances change. Visits are also critically important for UK staff and can have a big impact on an individual’s work because they provide essential insight and understanding of the development process, and build confidence and communication skills. And nothing can replace meeting a partner face-to-face and sitting down and sharing a cold soft drink at the end of a busy day!
Monitoring visits are essential, and one needs to make at least one a year and preferably more to keep partnerships in good health, check on progress on joint projects, and make sure everyone is ‘on the same page.’ People and circumstances change. Visits are also critically important for UK staff and can have a big impact on an individual’s work because they provide essential insight and understanding of the development process, and build confidence and communication skills. And nothing can replace meeting a partner face-to-face and sitting down and sharing a cold soft drink at the end of a busy day!
Visits ‘open doors’ and make things happen — government officials and paramount chiefs would often make time to see us when they would not make time to see a local person.
It is important to meet with (and gain the respect of) all those with an interest in the work — in our case the primary beneficiaries (subsistence farmers and petty traders, people with disabilities), and all the other stakeholders (high school heads and teachers, assemblymen and women, local councillors, and traditional leaders, paramount, divisional / district, and local chiefs, Mammy Queens, etc.). We also met with other NGOs, local officials, senior civil servants and government ministers.
It is important to meet with (and gain the respect of) all those with an interest in the work — in our case the primary beneficiaries (subsistence farmers and petty traders, people with disabilities), and all the other stakeholders (high school heads and teachers, assemblymen and women, local councillors, and traditional leaders, paramount, divisional / district, and local chiefs, Mammy Queens, etc.). We also met with other NGOs, local officials, senior civil servants and government ministers.
Visits to villages were particularly important occasions not least because they would bolster the credibility of the local group — people who want to learn/get an education frequently face jibes and sneers from their family and neighbours (“you’re too old to learn”) — and so a visit (from a foreigner) was special and very much appreciated.
During such visits, one would often be offered hospitality (fruit, rice, chickens, etc.) and it was important to accept even when you knew that those offering the gifts couldn’t afford it. We were also fated and on occasion given special status in the village (and a ceremonial name!)
How you get to the village can be problematic: travelling by motorbike involves risks, especially at night or in the rainy season, but local people will appreciate it (because this is how they travel). Turning up in a four-wheel drive vehicle can raise other issues — villagers thinking that you are rolling in money (which you will confirm if you arrive in strength with two members of staff and a consultant, as we did on one occasion in Sierra Leone!)
During such visits, one would often be offered hospitality (fruit, rice, chickens, etc.) and it was important to accept even when you knew that those offering the gifts couldn’t afford it. We were also fated and on occasion given special status in the village (and a ceremonial name!)
How you get to the village can be problematic: travelling by motorbike involves risks, especially at night or in the rainy season, but local people will appreciate it (because this is how they travel). Turning up in a four-wheel drive vehicle can raise other issues — villagers thinking that you are rolling in money (which you will confirm if you arrive in strength with two members of staff and a consultant, as we did on one occasion in Sierra Leone!)
Captions
1a Specialist books awaiting collection from Mike’s living room.
1b PI's Project Officer, Kirsty, being honoured in one village in Sierra Leone by being carried into the village in a ceremonial hammock and given an honourary name.
2a GEDeW's small office in Kabala. No electricity.
2b A typical mobile phone charging / phone credit selling kiosk in Sierra Leone.
2c Everything stops when there's a heavy downpour.
2d Jill talking with DCFW's Board.
2e Ammish (NETRICE) with a typical registration form.
2f Blackmarket fuel on sale in Makeni on the garage forecourt.
3a GEDeW's Madiya-wona ('Love One Another') Learning Circle in Kabala, comprised mainly of women having to look after themselves and their families.
3b Facilitator Umero (Matene) working on the generative word ‘proposal’.
3c Learner in EFW's Pate Bana Masimbo Learning Circle (in Bombali).
3d Lahai (GEDeW facilitator in Ismaia) inspecting the communal plot.
3e Some images from a study of CWD in Kambia carried out for Children in Crisis.
3f Ali Martin (VFB) at the Bombali School for the Blind.
3g Painting of a young bride on a cabin in Makeni.
3h FFS in Koinadugu with an Agric Extension Officer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Farming & Food Security.
3i Ammish (NETRICE) interviewing a victim of pesticide poisoning in Akparku Mempeasem Village.
3j Mike (PI) addressing GEDeW's Learning Circle in Kondeya.
Notes
1 There are 23 living languages in Sierra Leone — the most widely spoken are Mende, Temne, Limba and Krio. (English is the official language). There are around 80 living languages in Ghana, of which Akan is the most widely spoken. The Volta Region (where PI was working) is highly culturally diverse with more than a dozen languages spoken.
2 A number of our blind colleagues did come to be able to use a computer — indeed, in one project we developed a special low-cost approach to training computing to blind professionals and we were pleased at how people took to it.
1a Specialist books awaiting collection from Mike’s living room.
1b PI's Project Officer, Kirsty, being honoured in one village in Sierra Leone by being carried into the village in a ceremonial hammock and given an honourary name.
2a GEDeW's small office in Kabala. No electricity.
2b A typical mobile phone charging / phone credit selling kiosk in Sierra Leone.
2c Everything stops when there's a heavy downpour.
2d Jill talking with DCFW's Board.
2e Ammish (NETRICE) with a typical registration form.
2f Blackmarket fuel on sale in Makeni on the garage forecourt.
3a GEDeW's Madiya-wona ('Love One Another') Learning Circle in Kabala, comprised mainly of women having to look after themselves and their families.
3b Facilitator Umero (Matene) working on the generative word ‘proposal’.
3c Learner in EFW's Pate Bana Masimbo Learning Circle (in Bombali).
3d Lahai (GEDeW facilitator in Ismaia) inspecting the communal plot.
3e Some images from a study of CWD in Kambia carried out for Children in Crisis.
3f Ali Martin (VFB) at the Bombali School for the Blind.
3g Painting of a young bride on a cabin in Makeni.
3h FFS in Koinadugu with an Agric Extension Officer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Farming & Food Security.
3i Ammish (NETRICE) interviewing a victim of pesticide poisoning in Akparku Mempeasem Village.
3j Mike (PI) addressing GEDeW's Learning Circle in Kondeya.
Notes
1 There are 23 living languages in Sierra Leone — the most widely spoken are Mende, Temne, Limba and Krio. (English is the official language). There are around 80 living languages in Ghana, of which Akan is the most widely spoken. The Volta Region (where PI was working) is highly culturally diverse with more than a dozen languages spoken.
2 A number of our blind colleagues did come to be able to use a computer — indeed, in one project we developed a special low-cost approach to training computing to blind professionals and we were pleased at how people took to it.
