From Clients to Citizens

Communities Changing the Course of Their Own Development

Edited by Gordon Cunningham, Alison Mathie

Communities worldwide act on their own initiative, drawing on their own resources of leadership and solidarity and, in spite of poverty, to achieve their own goals. Development practitioners have too often viewed poor communities as helpless and disadvantaged and have encouraged their dependency. Yet if instead communities are recognized as having social and cultural as well as material assets, then their capacity to negotiate external assistance on their own terms will be strengthened.

“This volume is an essential antidote to expert-dominated views about how communities are “developed” through external initiatives. A rich combination of analysis, geographic variety and diversity of cases show where, why and how people’s own capabilities, resources and efforts make an enduring difference to their lives and to society.” Dr. Alan Fowler, International Society for Third Sector Research

Contents

• Section 1: Communities Mobilizing Assets Driving Their Own Development
• Egypt
• Brazil
• United States
• Ecuador
• Viet Nam
• Canada
• Morocco
• India
• South Africa
• Section 2: Asset Based Community Development
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Philippines

About the Authors

Gordon Cunningham joined the Coady International Institute in 1997 as a lecturer. He currently teaches in the areas of Community Economic Analysis, Asset-based Community Development and Microfinance. He is also involved in direct capacity building assignments such as the three-year Women’s Microfinance Project with the rural training unit of SEWA Bank in Gujarat State, India. In addition, he is co-directing the development of Coady’s new Asset-based Community Development strategic area.

Alison holds a PhD in Program Evaluation and Planning from Cornell University, a MA in Sociology from the University of Guelph, and a MA in Geography (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh. Alison has over 30 years of experience in the international development field in participatory development and evaluation, formal and non-formal education, rural and urban women’s organizations, and gender analysis of macro-economic policy. At the Coady Institute, she is primarily involved in collaborative partnerships and conducting research and designing educational programs in asset-based community-driven development (ABCD).