ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on the experience of two professionals who were working independently: one, as a public health educator and organizer in a poor Bolivian village assessing community needs under the sponsorship of Partners of the Americas and the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. It presents the projects that sought to overcome resistance of individuals, organizations, and communities to adopt new ideas and practices by: incorporating the active participation of community members affected by the problems; combining research and intervention strategies; and building local skills and leadership to sustain the change. The organizational or community social climate must be supportive of the change, and locals must maintain ownership of the proposed innovation or change. The participatory action research approach involves researchers and community members in a collaborative, co-learning process which integrates investigation with education and collective action.
