Who teaches whom? The role of professionals and builders in rural reconstruction initiatives

In both post-disaster and conflict situations, programmes aimed at promoting rural reconstruction are usually presented as crucial to the recovery of affected communities. Many such externally-supported programmes, however, have an impact that falls far short of their stated objectives. Where programmes seem to fail, this is usually as a result of a complex set of issues that are specific to the social, geographic or political context into which such initiatives are implanted - often with a misplaced sense of urgency by ‘professionals’ who believe that they possess some higher level of knowledge than the intended beneficiaries. Despite the recommendations of many evaluations, the starting-point for many rural reconstruction initiatives into the 21st century continues to be primarily ‘technical’ in approach, with a focus on transformation rather than gradual adaptation. In many cases, existing coping mechanisms – be they communal or technical – are ignored by those intent on transforming  the way of life of communities who have dealt with risk for generations, and usually know their environment far better than outsiders.  This paper will explore the multiple pitfalls of ‘technical’ quick-fixes in rural reconstruction, and set out arguments for an approach that takes into account the existing situation of rural communities, and that examines the implications of a range of possible interventions prior to implementation. In addition to cases where the social dynamic and ingenuity of risk-prone populations have proved to be more successful than externally-designed interventions, it will explore the key issues that have enabled some reconstruction programmes to have a substantive and lasting impact on the lives of rural communities.