ABSTRACT
The problems of initiating change in the rural communities of the world vary considerably in proportion to the degree of advancement of specific countries and the communities in them. The Costa Rican effort was classified as a pilot project, from which ideas learned could be extended to communities which were less ready for self-help efforts. At a meeting of the Advisory Committee on January 2, 1956, which was attended by the Expert from the Pan American Union as a full member with voice and vote, there was a final discussion of the site of the project. Having carried out a first phase of the preliminary educational campaign planned for the community leaders the next step was the development of a special, simple, attractive, and varied program for the rest of the community, with a view to stimulating among them a spirit of cooperation and mutual assistance, as well as understanding, through simple and graphic media, of the fundamentals of cooperativism.
