The other form of participation is for action [work]. People need to express with some form of outward activities in order to translate what they believe as an ideal. In this case action besides the knowledge and skill they have acquired is essential. When people are acting towards a same goal or objective, it is vital for they should be assigned for specific jobs so that this division of labor may help them carry out their task or goal effectively. Delegation of duties is an important method for any community in the performance of all its varied tasks.
Today’s world needs both. Effective and efficient community life is mainly based on participation. Every member of the community should contribute one’s share according to the capacity and knowledge of every individual. The attainment of any goal or object is impossible without the fullest participation of every member of any given society. In the third world countries like Ethiopia, what we lack is this important ingredient, which serves as an engine of growth and development, and without participation of every one in the community, progress and success will be a chimera. Participation is the key factor for any development activity, without it progress and achievement is impossible. I want to discuss the following major issues, which hinder people who especially live in the third world countries, taking my country as an example that may illustrate the main reasons for the lack of participation one might observe. Besides the knowledge and skill that one is supposed to acquire, which are integral parts of any development work, the following paragraphs try to discuss the main reasons for the communities which do not show progress with the fullest participation of their community members.
We live in a world that power is only shared by few, those who are in authority, governors, who decide the fate of many, who assume that what they think and decide benefits the society better than the society does, they assume that they dedicated their life for the service and betterment of the society. At this critical stage of our planet, society (community), individuals and institutions are not in a good mood to trust with each other, and they always gossip about one another, for there are many mischievous acts and behaviour, conspiracies and plots to attack with each other, and reached to a point that no one is to trust the other. Trust and confidence are no more of influence and bond these entities, and that is why the world has never been in a mess than ever. One of the problems that happens to be an obstacle for many countries is because of the political structures of society, because of the rigidity of the rules and regulations designed to administer the society, which do not permit the community to participate in its fullest energy and zeal. The political institutions are suspicious of community’s activities, and they want to control and censor every activity of the community, which discourages self-initiatives and the power of creativity.
The other challenge is because of the cultural make up of societies where people are not trained or shaped to be inquisitive or searching. Culture is the totality of socially transmitted behaviour patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought in which these patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population. Our culture affects our mentality. It defines the boundary of our thinking. In countries where there are backward traditions it will be such a formidable task to bring to a higher level of people’s capacity to participate in any given community objectives. In a society where there are many confusions, creative minds play a great role where new ideals are portals to the freedom to liberate from what one has been enslaved to old and routine worlds, and the society should accept the thought of new minds where as far as the nature of this world, as a laboratory of ideals is concerned, and try to see what is going to happen with it. There is nothing to be afraid of, and courage is the source of our freedom in life, and we should be able to try with a collaborative manner the new ideals that any one has, an ideal which is so organized and thoughtful one, which is convincing in arguments, and realistic in its approach, that many people may agree, in which the possibility of its practicality is very optimistic and promising. We need to learn how to adapt ourselves to change, whether we liked it or not, for change is inevitable, and the better we learn, the more safe we’ll be in life.
In countries where traditions oppress women from interacting in the community activities, where one gender is only activating the entire set of activities in which women are deprived of, it is so hard to claim that there is participation though people are interacting. In some cultures women may be engaged in activities, but are not involved in decision-making, where men only make decisions. The participation of both genders at every level of activity is the most essential aspect of community life, which stimulates not only community vision and action, but also establishes confidence and trust among the members of any given community.
The creative ideas we produce to transform our society from one stage to another, by inviting other people to join us and work with us, we will definitely yield a fruit in which our children will taste. Participation may be likened as a tree that every part of the tree has a different function like as the root, the trunk, and the leaves do. Participation, in terms of communication and action, determines the reality of any person, and manifests the skills and intellectual potentials hidden in one’s being. The more we try to achieve towards to a specific goal, the more we learn from it, and the more we know ourselves in a different level. Our participation in any activity will enhance our capabilities and potentials as well.
We need to work hard by eradicating the obstacles we have in our path that limit the degree of our participation while working for our community development, collaborating hand in hand, supporting each other, morally, emotionally, and materially, so that our society may enjoy a life which is so blissful and enjoyable. Participation is indeed the key that unlocks the gates of prosperity.
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