Some of the major highlights of what has been given in the previous page are :-

The MYRADA approach has been one of trying to understand traditional practices and systems in the rural areas and the logic and values that underlie these. PRA methodology complements and integrates well with this approach and has helped sharpen and enhance the skills of our staff in collecting and analysing and understanding information about situations and communities. Conversely, most of the MYRADA staff to whom a PRA training has been given so far have shown an aptitude to make use of the PRA method and extend it by adding to the methodology and transferring it to other NGOs in the form of training programmes. Currently a core group of about 20 MYRADA staff have been identified as potential PRA trainers. They are being given additional exposure to PRA and some have already started conducting PRA exercises on their own. We hope to have atleast 100 PRA trainers over the next one year, both within and outside MYRADA.

As the coverage in terms of numbers or organisations and persons has been extensive, so have been the experiences - vast and varied. With each PRA we have tried to advance the methodology and systematise it. What follows is a write up on some of the major experiences that have emerged over the last 3 months. These fall into 4 categories, which are the current areas of thrust in MYRADA as far as PRA is concerned.

1. ENHANCING PARTICIPATION FROM VILLAGERS :

a. Protocol :

From our experience we find that the success of a PRA exercise in a village is enhanced if the ‘required’ protocol is followed. Try as we might, we cannot wish away vested interests, power and the establishment. It helps therefore to have a preliminary meeting with the village elders, opinion leaders, chairman and youth leaders a few days before the exercise. This step is important as it gives the exercise a sanction of legitimacy. Legitimacy - for village persons of all categories to participate either directly by attending sessions or indirectly through interviews. Legitimacy also for the ‘outsiders’ to move freely about in the village (of course respectfully and sensitively) and investigate/ interview/ observe. We have had several and varied experiences in relation to the following of protocol (or lack of it). In most villages where the exercise was properly explained the degree of participation was much higher - either in the freedom with which we were able to approach villagers, or the freedom with which they approached and spoke to us. In one case, where we did not follow protocol, there was absolute confusion, where people did not volunteer to come for the sessions and interviews and when (outsider) participants ‘rounded up’ interviewees, more often than not, they were not from the interest group for whom the proposed development programmes were being planned. In yet another case wherewe failed to follow protocol, the big boss in the village hired out a loud speaker and music set for Rs.125/- per day for 4 days and played blaring music every evening from 6.30 p.m. onwards - a time when the evening presentations and dialogues took place. To cap it all, on the final day, he even hired a dance troupe to draw crowds. ‘Utilising’ a proper entry extremely carefully to build further on the relationships, interactions and exchanges is also very important (as outlined in the following paragraphs).

b. Village Camping :

This is an item which we have included as a MUST in all our PRA programmes. Apart from saving time in transit and easing logistics considerably, village camping helps to soften and break down barriers between outsiders and the villagers. A great degree of access to the villagers and vice versa is achieved. From our experiences even staying within the campus of the host NGO, in the village where the PRA exercise is held is not sufficient to remove barriers between the villagers and visitors. We have also found that the act of sharing food (either ours or theirs) definitely enhances the participation level. In every case where we are with the villagers there is a general feeling of warmth and well being, comradeship and congeniality and most important, equality as human beings. In one case where we cajoled an old woman into cooking for us, the villagers were quite sceptical that we would eat their diet and when we did, they became much closer to us and even told us that this was the first time they had seen ‘officers’ eat their food and eat with them.

c. Ice Breakers :

One of the early lessons we learnt in PRA was that descending on the village in large numbers is counter productive. We, therefore, during the PROTOCOL and PREPARATORY STAGES made requests to the village leaders and to the NGOs/MYRADA Project who were hosting the exercise that they should try and ensure that the representation from the village consisted of atleast as many persons as there were ‘outsiders’. For psychological reasons a 1:1 ratio (outsider to villager) works better than a 2:1 ratio. Even better is a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio. This gives the villagers confidence of numbers apart from enabling them to participate actively, volunteer information, take pains to make us understand and cross verify information among themselves.

e. The Mode : Friendly Enquiry vs. Lecture :

Without a doubt the lecture mode we are used to is disastrous in PRA. This will be discussed in detail later on in this paper. But for now it should suffice to say that if accurate and relevant information gathering is the objective of PRA then the enquiry mode is certainly more effective. At one of the recent PRAs we had an ex-Government bureaucrat with us, who during the preliminary introductions saw a farmer cutting down a tree (on his own land). The bureaucrat first started shouting at everyone about the evil of cutting down trees. We reprimanded him saying that his contribution was a negative one. He then adopted a more ‘mellow’ lecture mode giving us his views on why trees should not be cut. Meanwhile, participation had received a setback, that took quite some time and effort to restore to a desired level. Lecturing is a one side conversation to be avoided at all costs. As bad (if not worse) is interrupting. Several times a rich harvest of information has been lost due to frequent interruptions and interventions on the part of outsiders.

f. Starting on the Right Note :

In every PRA exercise that we have conducted, we have found that the PARTICIPATORY MAPPING and TIME LINE exercise have generated a great deal of interest and enthusiasm among the participants from both sides. Not only do these exercises draw out participation from the villagers, they have also, as they expressed to us (particularly the younger generation), found them very interesting and informative. This is a good platform from which to launch subsequent enquiries into topics and the more sensitive social issues.