ABSTRACT
It is almost impossible to imagine development theory and practice without the use of the term “community.” The increasing usage of this term can be attributed to the claim that the problems faced by the world’s poor need to be addressed by the poor themselves, rather than by those who observe them from a distance, that is, policy makers. To achieve this, the poor need to be organized to be able to accurately identify and suggest solutions to their economic and social woes. This is possibly why the last decade has seen a rapid increase in the number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in poor countries, all of whom seek representation of the underprivileged and marginalized. These membership-based groups normally work to improve and develop social sectors such as health, education, political empowerment and women’s rights, within the “communities” that they choose to represent.
