A16 Gathering information

• Having chosen their first priority for action, local people need to decide whether they have enough information to take action. For example, if education is identified as the priority, people may need more information about the problems and whether they are at primary or secondary level. The problem may be poor attendance and, if so, there is a need to find out why. The problem may be due to a lack of teachers or books or classrooms. Decide what further facts and figures would be helpful before the community takes action.
• Consider electing teams of local people to gather this information. Choose people who can be trusted and who know their community well. Before sending teams out to gather information, take plenty of time to decide exactly what kind of information is needed. If some questions are not asked, it will take a lot more time to go back and gather further information. It is much better to agree first exactly what to ask people.

• For the priority identified, take time to discuss and consider what further information will be needed. Consider all the different things that would be useful to know in detail. Here are some ideas of possible subjects:
  • Age of people in the community (eg: 0–5, 6–15, 16–21, 22–35, 36–49, 50–65, over 65)
  • Social groups in village (youth, women’s, farmers)
  • What health services do people use?
  • Number of children in school, by school class, age and sex.
  • Facilities in the schools (eg: desks, tables, chairs, classrooms, toilets, houses for teachers)
  • What livestock services do people use? (cattle dips, cattle crushes, veterinary stores, livestock officers)
  • Numbers of different livestock owned.
• What is the easiest way to gather this information? Discuss the best places and times to do this.
• What kind of attitude should people take when asking for information, especially if it is personal information? How can they reassure people and put them at ease? (It is best not to record people’s names so the information is confidential.)
• Who will go out to gather this information? Should they go on their own or in pairs? Should particular people go to certain groups of people (for example, women to talk to mothers)?
• What should they do if people refuse to answer their questions?

Go to A17

This page was last updated on 10 August 2005