An Asset-Based Community Development Initiative for HIV and AIDS Survivors
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Date
2010
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Abstract
Many communities in South Africa are faced with difficulties which include poverty, violence and lack of resources. HIV and AIDS add to this burden. Although many families, organizations, and government try to help, resources are never enough to fill all the gaps. However, there are many untapped resources within the communities; many people with gifts, talents, and other assets that go unnoticed and therefore unavailable. Studies have shown that the involvement of community members in community development activities improves the chances of the development initiatives of being sustainable and less fragmented (Bouwer, 2008). The current study firstly focused on assessing whether Asset-Based Community Development as a community development method is able to tap into those unutilized and undeveloped assets. Secondly, whether it is able to provide a more empowering and sustainable answer to the needs of people in communities where HIV and AIDS is prevalent.
In light of the above, Sinosizo, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), stated their willingness to form part of the Asset-Based Community Development project. The community of Sundwini in the Amanzimtoti area was selected as the target community for the current research project because it has the least resources among the six communities assisted by Sinosizo. In response to the growing needs and difficulties faced by people living with HIV and AIDS and their families, Sinosizo Home Based Care (HBC) was established in 1995. They also form part of the Durban Aids Care Commission (CADACC). The current research included a preliminary study, an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) initiative, and an evaluation of the development process.
The use of Community- Based Participatory Research (CBPR) was considered to be the appropriate method to use for this study and focus group discussions as a qualitative research method were used to gather the necessary data for the current study. A thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the community and its members did indeed benefit from the Asset-Based Community Development process. The ABCD process allowed the participants to critically reflect on several aspects of community development in general and Asset-Based Community Development in particular. The community members initially thought that their community was one of the poorest communities with very limited or no resources; however their perception changed to an awareness that all communities and people have skills, gifts, assets, and resources that can contribute to community development. Apart from recognizing the assets, the community was also able to utilize the assets, making the community more self sufficient. Rather than being solely dependent on the well-meaning efforts from government and organizations outside of the community, they realized that they could take an initiative and draw from their own strength. This did not mean that outside help was of no value, but rather that the valuable resources could be allocated where needs in the community were critical. Despite several barriers experienced during the process, the Asset-Based Community Development process has shown itself as a flexible process and took into consideration the unique character of the community. The participants were also able to identify possible solutions to the barriers they identified.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree PhD (Community Psychology) in the School of Psychology in the Faculty Arts at the University of Zululand, 2010.
Keywords
Community development, HIV/Aids, HIV/Aids survivors, Asset-Based Community Developmen