Editorial 
Editorial 
Since its inception this Journal has been concerned to promote discussion 
about the meaning of participation and to promote participation as a sine qua 
non for development and for working with people in a way that assists them 
to develop their capacity to control their own lives. This issue becomes even 
more important as so many countries of Africa accept the necessity of 
economic reforms, and particularly of structural adjustment. Unfortunately 
it would seem such programmes often do not consolidate the necessary 
preliminary stage of stabilisation, and do notprovide for the social programmes 
required to 'protect' the poor from the effects of adjustment, the so-called 
'human face of adjustment'. Itis thereforeevenmoreimportantthat vulnerable 
groups learn to analyse their situations and decide on appropriate actions to 
improve them. 
In the firstarticle in this issue Saloledescribesparticipation in development 
programmes"asatax". Thearticle, "Participatory Development: The Taxation 
of the Benficiary?", distinguishes between participation in and ownership of 
projects, noting that one does not presuppose the other. He rightly recognises 
the abuse and manipulation of the term participation by many development 
workers and organisations (including donor organisations), and looks to a 
reassessment of the meaning of the term - particularly if participation is seen 
as the key to successful development 
The concerns of the Salole article are picked up in a different way in the 
second article of this issue, Connell and CNeil's "The Development of 
Training Strategies for Community Organisers in South Africa. An Overview 
of the Process". They describe an attempt to build a training programme which 
will train people to work in a genuinely participative way, to be facilitators in 
the developmentprocess. Although they focus on urban community organisers, 
they suggest that a focus on personal growth and self awareness, and on 
analysis of situations, would have general applicability for development 
workers. They note that in South Africa the training of community organisers 
belonging to oppressed groups must itself break through the culture of silence 
with the community organisers as a group, so that they in turn can do this with 
the community. 
Okojie's article, "Achieving Selfreliance in Food Production in Nigeria: 
Maximising the Contribution of Rural Women", touches on a number of 
critical development issues, including the impact of structural adjustment
4 Editorial 
programmes (SAPs). She suggests that to achieve the objective of food 
selfsufficiency, rural women must be a central target for agriculture, but that 
SAPs tend to discriminate against women. Again it seems that particularly 
vuberable groups are not assisted by these programmes, ostensibly introduced 
to help them achieve a higher standard of living. 
Jackson's article "Company Policy on AIDS in Zimbabwe" points to some 
of the issues already raised by discussions of SAPs, particularly the issue of 
narrow economic cost effectiveness versus employer social responsibility, 
and shortterm gain versus longterm investment. She makes a call for 
integrated and supportive policies at individual enterprise and national level. 
Nyanguru, in the final article in this issue, looks at "The Health Problems of 
the Elderly in Institutions and Homes in Zimbabwe". He finds that there are 
marked differences in mobility and health problems between the races and 
sexes, probably relating to their access to facilities, the resources they 
command, closeness to family and friends, and previous work demands on 
them. 
Notes from the Editor: 
1. The Editorial Advisory Board has been revised and a three year tenure system 
(renewable) established. The Editorial Advisory Board for the period 1991-93 is: Dr 
JMidgley (USA), DrJF Jones (USA),DrRMutiso (Kenya), DrPMuzaale (Uganda) 
(to be confirmed), Dr Kwaku Osei-Hwedie (Zambia), and Mr H K Oyeh (Ghana). 
2. Evaluation of the Journal. As reported earlier an evaluative questionnaire was 
enclosed with Vol Vol 5 No 21990, and sent to subscribers and those purchasing single 
copies of the Journal. Although almost 500 questionnaires were distributed only 17 
replies were received! Although these questionnaires were generally positive some 
suggestions for improvements in the future, and themes for future issues, were 
received. However, the number of Journal subscriptions continues to increase year by 
year, as does the number of articles received for potential publication, and the citing 
of Journal articles in other papers. These things together with direct feedback would 
suggest a generally positive evalution of the Journal. 
3. As there have been some requests for thematic issues of the Journal, the Journal 
would like to invite articles on the following potential issue themes: Structural 
Adjustment (for Vol 7 No 1 1992, so articles please by September 1991), coping 
mechanisms and traumatised children, and AIDS (particularly in relation to Africa). 
All articles are refereed, so please allow time for this process to take place.