Resources

Reality Check Bangladesh 2010: listening to poor people's realities about primary healthcare and primary education - year 4

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Authors: 
GRM International
2011

Abstract

This report marks the fourth year of the five year Reality Check Approach (RCA) in Bangladesh. It presents findings from the fourth period of field work carried out in October–November 2010. The aim of the report is to present as accurately as possible the day to day realities of people living in poverty, and in ways that minimise imposition of an authorial voice.
 
The overall purpose of Reality Check study in Bangladesh is to improve understanding of poor people’s reality. Its design allows researchers to interact and build trust with communities and households.By living in the target communities for intervals over a five year period, a more in-depth understanding of grassroot’s realities have emerged and poor people’s voices have been heard.
 
The Governments of Sweden and Bangladesh cooperate in the areas of primary health care and primary education and the focus of this study is to monitor perceptions in these two areas. Direct observations on how services are provided and utilised are part of the study as well as listening to both receivers and providers of these services.

Paradigms, poverty and adaptive pluralism

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2010

Abstract

In earlier analysis, two paradigms were identified in development professionalism, thinking and practice: one, often dominant, associated with things; and one, often subordinate, associated with people. Current development thinking and practice have diverged into two clusters, with procedures associated with the paradigm of things imposed by powerful actors and organisations in tension and contradiction with participatory methodologies (PMs) associated with the paradigm of people. A binocular vision sees both. This sets out to see further, and whether participatory methodologies (PMs) can bridge these binaries with both – and complementarities and win-wins. In recent years, PMs have proliferated. Contributing factors have been the way methods have multiplied, their versatility, adaptability and combinability, the explosion of applications of Information and Communication Technologies and Web 2.0, and more speculatively an increase in the number of people working in a creative participatory way. PMs that combine methods have proved increasingly versatile and adaptable to contexts and purposes. PMs are well suited to understanding and expressing the local, complex, diverse, dynamic, uncontrollable and unpredictable (lcdduu) realities experienced by many poor people. These contrast with the controlled conditions and universalities sought in much high status professionalism. Paradigmatically and practically, four domains have increasingly converged and cohere: PMs; poor people’s lcdduu realities; technology; and complexity. Paradigm can then be defined as a coherent and mutually supporting pattern of: concepts and ontological assumptions; values and principles; methods, procedures and processes; roles and behaviours; relationships; and mindsets, orientations and predispositions. Empirically, a paradigm of adaptive and participatory pluralism can be inferred from experience and examples. This fits with the realities of poor people as adaptive agents and with PMs seen through lenses of technology and complexity. It contrasts with a paradigm of neo-Newtonian practice.

 

Publisher

Power and Making Change Happen

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Authors: 
Hunjan, R., and Keophilavong, S.
2010

Abstract

This report is based on the findings of a UK project designed to support civil society to analyse power and, as a result, take action for social change.  It describes how strategies for change can be stregthened when organisations and their communities have a better understanding of their own power and what they can achieve.

Publisher

Indonesia Reality Check Main Study Findings: listening to poor people's realities about basic education

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Authors: 
Dee Jupp et al
2010

Abstract

This report presents the main findings arising from an evaluation of basic education in Indonesia carried out by GRM International.  It uses reality check methodology whose purpose is “listening to, trying to understand and convey poor people’s reality”.  It provides insights into how activities under the Australian Government funded Indonesia Basic Education Program (BEP) which ran from 2006-2010 has translated into the experienced reality of people living in poverty.

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