Context
In many rural development programmes field-level training
is the most appropriate means of communicating new ideas
and practice.
Unfortunately, staff responsible for conducting the training
often have few resources to help them with this task and
work in villages scattered over large areas. In addition,
in many rural areas poverty and illiteracy are common and
people have no access to appropriate reference material that
could reinforce what they have learnt.
With insufficient follow-up to their training, details of
techniques and new ideas may be confused, forgotten, or are
not adapted to local requirements.
It is clear that not only are more resources needed for
this work but also new, more appropriate communication tools.
The project is a response to this problem as it aims to
develop a technique of producing appropriate training manuals
for non-literate users.
The focus of the project so far has been on the West African
region which contains a number of the worlds poorest countries
and has a high rate of illiteracy. Field work has largely
targeted rural women, many of whom have low or no literacy
skills, but have a strong drive to implement projects to
benefit their community and environment. Many of these women
are disadvantaged by factors that prevent or restrict their
involvement such as cultural constraints, demands on their
time, and lack of access to information.
|
