community developmen
Learning Resources
Required Resources
Children’s Poor Health and Hygiene
Web Article: “What Can Be Done: Community Partnerships for Child Survival”
http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/profiles/community_partnerships.php
Photo Essay: “Meeting the Child Survival Challenge”
http://www.unicef.org/photoessays/42627.html
Web Article: “Health and Hygiene”
Video: “TAP Project”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OmN4B7yyS8
Poverty
Web Article: “How Poverty is Fought on the Ground”
http://borgenproject.org/methods-for-ending-poverty/
Video: “Community Partnership Provides a Roof and More to Homeless Families”
http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/profiles/4_usa.php
Malnutrition
Web Article: “Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding”
http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/global_strategy/en/index.html
Web Article: “Halting the Global Epidemic of Neonatal Death and Malnutrition”
http://www.dcp2.org/features/10/halting-the-global-epidemic-of-neonatal-death-and-malnutrition
Optional Resources
Website: “Doc to Dock: Converting Surplus into Survival”
Strengthening Communities
A common national and international strategy focused on addressing issues of poor health and hygiene, poverty, and malnutrition is providing monetary aid to countries in need. These efforts, according to organizations which include UNICEF, World Vision, and the Clinton Global Initiative, are not enough. Rather, attention needs to be focused on developing communities, where meticulous is attention paid to “stimulating local agriculture and food development—particularly the economic and social empowerment of women, the primary caregivers in most households” (Editors, PloS Magazine, 2008).
After reviewing each of this module’s resources, consider:
The role that communities can play in addressing issues of poor health and hygiene, poverty, and malnutrition, and the challenges that exist in building supportive communities
Why focusing on community development represents such a viable strategy, and effective strategies for community building
The potential role that you, as a child development professional, can play in community development
By Day 7 of Week 4: Post your thoughts with regard to:
Your perspective on the role of communities in addressing issues of poor health and hygiene, poverty, and malnutrition
Specific community development strategies that seem effective, and your perspective on the potential challenges to building supportive communites
How you, within your professional role, can contribute to community development
