A new approach in community participation

This paper describes the result of a new approach in community participation. This model was developed in a village south of Tirana, Albania.The method of study included personal observations and two community surveys. After the baseline survey, an intervention programme was planned, and community leaders' workshops were implemented in the village. At the end of the workshops, the participants divided themselves into five village health committees and declared their villages ‘healthy villages with healthy children’. Twelve months after the intervention, a second survey was conducted. Highly significant differences in health knowledge were achieved. These are: • increase in the level of participation and self-reliance;• improvements in available services as well as in the environment;• improvements in general diet and the feeding practice of infants.The capability and self-reliance that developed among the villagers were clearly evident. Regular monitoring showed that the villagers became able to supervise, organize and coordinate project activities.This model has proved effective in the area of health promotion. The author hopes this experiment may encourage health planners in other ex-communist countries to adopt a similar approach.