Long-term, sustainable change can only be achieved by listening to the community and taking the time to understand the context.
Good facilitation is foundational to this process of listening and creates space for people to reflect upon the problems they face, both now and in the future. Representation from different parts of the community – especially the poorest and those most impacted by disasters – is essential. The participatory approach is to empower, not to teach, and to be open to hearing unexpected things.
