This is a Participatory Approach (PA) study done in Ghana, West Africa. We focus on two Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) in Ghana which uses a PA in their development work. Historically the development work in most African countries has been influenced by western countries, where development often was imposed from the top down, but nowadays, with PA, development seek to engage the local population in a community during the development process. Ghana has been struggling with poverty for several years, and the NGOs are of importance for the development in the country. The purpose of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of development workers’ perception of Participatory Approach and to increase the knowledge about how development workers’ at NGOs in Ghana are working with Participatory Approach. This is a qualitative research and we have used three methods in this Bachelor’s thesis. We have done six semi - structured interviews, one focus group and one field research. We had the interviews and the focus group with development workers at two NGOs. At the field research we had the opportunity to observe the development workers in action. The research questions in this Bachelor’s thesis are: - At two NGOs in Ghana, in what ways can the development workers’ perception of Participatory Approach be understood? - At two NGOs in Ghana, in what ways can the practise of Participatory Approach be understood? The development workers perception of PA, is that PA is important to get sustainable projects and to ensure ownership for all stakeholders in the development process. PA is an empowering process with focus on capacity building. The acceptance of oneself being in need is as important as the participation. Their perception about PA also include some challenges. PA is time- and money consuming , the flexibility that PA need is limited by deadlines and budgets. There are challenges related to social- and cultural values, your own as a development worker and the community’s. The contextual knowledge must be highlighted and the limitations of the organizations must be considered. Another concern is when peoples opinions are influenced by their expectaitions from what the NGOs can provide. The practise of PA is understood as a process where all stakeholders are involved from the beginning, a process to engage the community and make them active participants in every step in a development project. The development workers main role is to build capacity of the people on the field. They uses different tools to ensure participation; Stakeholder analyses, Community conversations and Key informants interviews. The practise can be understood in terms of different levels of participation and different intensity within different cycles in a development project. Depending of the role of the actor and the stage the process are going through, some actors are more active than others.

This study investigates some of the issues affecting participation of the poor in two development projects in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe. Recent trends in participatory development are reviewed and discussed in the study. Some definitions of the concept of participation are explored, including its historical background, importance and challenges. Fieldwork was undertaken in Inkosikazi communal lands in July 2004. Two projects were randomly sampled, and in one of them involving goat-rearing, some of the participants were classified as being very poor, while in the other, a heifer loan-scheme project, none of the participants could be classified as very poor. The possible reasons for these variations are explored in the study. The conclusion of the thesis is that the study succeeds in examining certain key issues affecting participation of the poor in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe and recommendations thereof are made. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

As the church focuses on people’s spiritual development, there is growing realisation that the church should be holistic in its approach and participate in resolving urban poverty issues through the implementation of community development projects. This study looks at the way in which traditional theories of community development concentrated on stimulating economic growth and ignored the social aspects involved. It suggests that despite the massive injection of donor funds to some communities, the situation of the poor has deteriorated over the years and sustainability of projects has been minimal. The study finds that projects implemented by the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando East, while improving the lives of the community, are not in line with community development principles and the sustainable livelihoods approach primarily because the community was not involved in the assessment of needs or designing of interventions, and the community members were only the implementers. The evaluation of these projects through this study suggests an alternative developmental paradigm that has been used with success in other similar circumstances – the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA). The SLA contends that urban communities should become planners, initiators and executors of community development interventions so that transformation can occur. The study recommends that urban communities such as that in Orlando East have to change their behaviour and attitudes, be willing to accept change, and take ownership of their own projects. The facilitators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government have to be willing to unlearn their traditional ways, to listen, and to accept that they are not the only experts in community development as they attempt to embrace indigenous knowledge systems. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This study investigates some of the issues affecting participation of the poor in two development projects in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe. Recent trends in participatory development are reviewed and discussed in the study. Some definitions of the concept of participation are explored, including its historical background, importance and challenges. Fieldwork was undertaken in Inkosikazi communal lands in July 2004. Two projects were randomly sampled, and in one of them involving goat-rearing, some of the participants were classified as being very poor, while in the other, a heifer loan-scheme project, none of the participants could be classified as very poor. The possible reasons for these variations are explored in the study. The conclusion of the thesis is that the study succeeds in examining certain key issues affecting participation of the poor in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe and recommendations thereof are made. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

As the church focuses on people’s spiritual development, there is growing realisation that the church should be holistic in its approach and participate in resolving urban poverty issues through the implementation of community development projects. This study looks at the way in which traditional theories of community development concentrated on stimulating economic growth and ignored the social aspects involved. It suggests that despite the massive injection of donor funds to some communities, the situation of the poor has deteriorated over the years and sustainability of projects has been minimal. The study finds that projects implemented by the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando East, while improving the lives of the community, are not in line with community development principles and the sustainable livelihoods approach primarily because the community was not involved in the assessment of needs or designing of interventions, and the community members were only the implementers. The evaluation of these projects through this study suggests an alternative developmental paradigm that has been used with success in other similar circumstances – the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA). The SLA contends that urban communities should become planners, initiators and executors of community development interventions so that transformation can occur. The study recommends that urban communities such as that in Orlando East have to change their behaviour and attitudes, be willing to accept change, and take ownership of their own projects. The facilitators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government have to be willing to unlearn their traditional ways, to listen, and to accept that they are not the only experts in community development as they attempt to embrace indigenous knowledge systems. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)