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Planning For Real (PFR)
PFR Concept
The concept of PFR is built on bridging the communication gap that inhibits poor peoples' involvement in community development.
The theme of PFR is improving knowledge transfer, dissemination, communication and decision making by the development and cultural adaptation of jargon free manipulative materials, leading to the empowerment of marginalized communities, developing joint action with NGOs and through them with government bodies. It is common knowledge that poverty stricken people are often a wasted resource of common sense, local knowledge, practical skills, intuitive understanding of the way things work on the ground; and that their ability and will to contribute to the regeneration process are frustrated by undue dependence on talk, in which professionals flow of word is difficult to understand, and seldom leaves room for people to convey what needs doing, where, when and how they themselves could take part. The PFR concept has proved these materials and techniques are acceptable to different cultures and require comparatively little adjustment to suit each culture.
In regard to poverty reduction strategies, the available resources from government, charities and international bodies, are in themselves insufficient to deal adequately with social and economic needs. It therefore requires that poverty stricken people could themselves contribute what they understand, help shape, and substantially own the action plan which draw on their resources to supplement and make more effective the resources coming to them from outside.
The materials are introduced in a way that reduces the confrontational elements in traditional relationship. They start to share ideas and experiences, first identifying common ground, gradually working out possibilities for compromise, developing working relationships which help to contain conflict. These processes allow for contributions on a level with anyone else, from ethnic, caste, and gender groups that are normally marginalized. This process can also go along way in changing attitudes of the people and making them use value of themselves. This is an eye- opener as it encourages communities to concentrate on what they are able to do, rather than wasting time dwelling on what they cannot do. These strategies also enable the participants to realize the hidden potential within all of them.
PFR is a toolkit that is intended to organize and mobilize communities to enable them to initiate development projects among themselves using available resources within the area. It emphasizes on the use of available materials, skills and opportunities that are unexploited in most communities. It also uses bottom up approach making it a very powerful tool for communities.
Why PFR with Communities
v No technical language used, simply turning talk into action.
v Build confidence of the users
v Planning time is minimized
v A powerful tool for fighting poverty, thus empowering the users
v Consolidates community organizations
v An instrument of people ‘s empowerment as it give them power to take charge.
v Less talking and more work as it allow people who are not good with words to deal on level terms with fluent talkers, notably the majorities of youths, disables and women fall in this bracket.
v It recognizes the facts that the problems normally seem bigger but so are the opportunities.
v It helps to overcome problem to grassroots communities.
v Instills on participants the need to take responsibilities to solving problems, and not wait for outsiders, as it is them who understand the way things work on the ground.
Overview of steps involved
v Skills survey: To help identifying the available resources.
v Opportunity / Activity/ Problem identification that will help the users to gradually identify group of people concerned about particular problem or interested of in following up an opportunity / problem.
v Now- Soon- Later sheets to used to set priorities and sort out the work in hands.
v It is a curiosity arouser, attracting people, thereby encouraging their participation.
For more information contact;
Stephen Onunga
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