HIV/AIDS Initiative– Ford Africa (HAI-FA)

Globally, there were an estimated 33 million people living with HIV in 2007. The annual number of new HIV infections declined from 3.0 million in 2001 to 2.7 million in 2007. But the Sub-Saharan region remains the most heavily affected region, accounting for 67% of all people living with HIV and for 72% of AIDS deaths in 2007.

Ford Foundation has taken the initiative to support multi-regional, cross sectoral responses to unaddressed dimensions of Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. If you are interested to participate with other RCPLA member to develop a concept paper, please contact jadel@cds-mena.org. The request for concept papers will give you more information about this intiative.

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), Community-based adaptation and mitigation to climate change, June 2009

The PLA series provides a forum for all those engaged in participatory work like community workers, activist and researchers to share their experiences, conceptual reflections and methodological innovations. This issue will focus on methods used by communities to adapt to climate change impacts, such as changes to everyday conditions as well as floods, rising sea levels, droughts and other extreme weather events. We look forward to read your article in this issue. For more information about the guidelines and the PLA Notes visit the website at: www.planotes.org.

Participatory Approaches to Attacking Extreme Poverty : Cases Studies Led by the International Movement ATD Fourth World

This book deals with questions such as: What does it mean to live in poverty, and especially in extreme poverty? How can the very poor be reached through development projects? How can we assess whether projects succeed in changing the life of the poorest? In answering these questions, the emphasis is on exploring what type of knowledge is needed to fight extreme poverty. Case studies are provided on participatory approaches to attacking extreme poverty in both developing countries (Madagascar and Tanzania, as well as Bolivia, Guatemala and Peru) and developed countries (the United States and Belgium).


A Participatory Approach to Sustainable Development in Cervera, Spain

This case study describes what has led Cervera to sustainable development in a rural city far from large metropolitan areas, and the development of a strategy that sets out a vision for the city as a sustainable community. Cervera makes an interesting case study for seeing how sustainability is handled in a rural town, where the problems, potentials and available resources are clearly different from those in an urban environment. It is also of interest as a pilot scheme for drawing up an environmental action plan on a rural district level, based on a participatory process.


PLA Notes in Arabic

For readers in the Middle East and North Africa, the PLA note issue # 57 entitled “Immersions: learning about poverty face-to-face” Guest-edited by Izzy Birch and Raffaella Catani with Robert Chambers is now available online in Arabic language. The theme for this special issue centers on experiences of face-to-face learning, often referred to as immersions - opportunities for development professionals to spend a period of time living with and learning from a poor family. This issue is a timely reflection of an emerging trend in development practice, drawing together the richness of immersion experience.