PRA-Manual Embracing Participitation tools-only.pdf - PACA

EMBRACING PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT: Wisdom from the Field 3.25
STEPS
1. Select an open space where the map can be prepared on the
ground.
2. Ask the local people to prepare a visual presentation of their
settlement that can help us understand their community.
3. Ask the group to show all the features of the settlement that they
can think of.
4. Leave the group to prepare the map and observe the process.
5. Labels or symbols can be used to identify different facilities,
features or infrastructure (allow the participants to select the
symbols).
6. Any additional information that the facilitators want to discuss
should be introduced only at the end, after the group has finished
preparing their map.
7. Once the map is ready ‘interview the output’ by asking questions.
Social maps can lead to discussions about diversity within the area and the
differences between different parts of the settlement. Sometimes discussions
may even bring out social, economic or political conflicts within the community,
for which possible solutions can also be discussed.
During participatory appraisals with adolescents in urban compounds in Zambia,
we had to use social mapping in stages and sequences. On the first day, when we
had a de-briefing session at the clinic, the NHC members and the clinicians that
took part in the appraisals were asked to prepare a map of the compound. Since
the compounds are very large, it was important to zone and divide the compound,
so that we could capture the diversity and natural divisions within it. This also
helped to crosscheck that we did not leave out any area during the appraisal. The
NHC members, who are local residents, decided the basis on which to make these
divisions. Usually the criteria included – population density, type of housing, plot
sizes, access to services, perceptions of relative well-being, etc.
Part 3
Since the first social maps covered a large area, it was not feasible to have all the
houses plotted on them at this stage. Once the different zones were identified,
the facilitators were divided in smaller teams and were allotted separate work
zones. Once the smaller team started working in a zone, a detailed map of the
zone was prepared with the residents. Most of these also included a visual representation
of all the households living in the area. Usually these were prepared by
groups of adolescents, but there were instances when we started the mapping
exercise with a group of adults. In both cases it proved to be an excellent way to
introduce ourselves to the community and to build rapport with them.
The local residents, using their own criteria, also divided the zonal social maps into
different neighborhoods. When we worked with adolescents in several of these
neighborhoods, detailed social information was either plotted on the zonal map or
they prepared a separate neighborhood map. It was on these maps that demographic
details were also presented (see Census Mapping in next section for details).