By Alusine Sallieu Kargbo – Expo Intern

Over the years, diverse programs and initiatives targeting national development in Sierra Leone have been adopted and implemented by state institutions and non-governmental development organizations. But many a time, these projects or initiatives failed to achieve fruition or their desired objectives due to poor adoption and implementation techniques; perhaps due to the ineffective use of communication. Development communication, as an umbrella term underscoring the use of diverse communication techniques to achieve development, emerges as a fundamental instrument to guide development activities. Development communication builds a consensus of opinions and facilitate knowledge sharing to achieve positive change or objectives of development programs or initiatives. This could be achieved through the effective use of participatory action research, dialogue and advocacy and the strategic use of communication tools.

Participatory action research is a form of research that involves collaboration between researchers and participants to understand social issues and take that will bring about the desired social change (Cornish 2023). It is a general term used to describe any form of research that engages community stakeholders in every step of the research process. This type of research study in development communication engages all relevant parties (interest groups) in defining the research problems, developing research questions, collecting data and in preparing recommendations. It engages those directly affected by a problem or that can help facilitate the change in development of mechanisms that will help bring about outcomes that will meet the desired objectives. In Sierra Leone, such strategies in development programs, especially state implemented programs, are elusive. State development institutions most times fail to involve the mostly affected people into the development of their own affairs. Thus failing to directly involve the people in the development of their own affairs will enhance unsustainability in development actions because development initiatives might not most times meet the desired needs of the target audience.

Dialogue is a platform that draws participants from diverse parts of society to exchange opinions or information through direct interaction (face to face communication). This is utilized in development communication activities as a process to build common understanding between beneficiaries and experts. It is a communication measure taken to eradicate disagreement between experts and beneficiaries in identifying development policies and to foster mutual relations and understanding. Dialogue remains a fundamental strategy in development communication (UNDP 2019), yet it adoption and implementation in the development process in Sierra Leone still a concern. The effective use of dialogue in development activities in Sierra Leone will facilitate community ownership of development projects, public trust and tailored development initiatives

Advocacy and the effective use of communication tools including awareness raising and capacity building in the development process facilitate sustainable development outcomes (Academia2019). Advocacy in development communication is an activity carried out by an individual or group to support or influence a particular cause or policy. It is an act of canvassing support from relevant institutions or actors to support a specific cause or policy change. Advocacy could best achieve its desired outcome through awareness raising and capacity building at all levels and of relevant parties involved. Awareness raising aims to generate and stimulate sensitivity in people about social problems/issues, whilst capacity building aims at strengthening people’s knowledge, abilities and skills that will enable them with the ability to survive or resolve social problems. In Sierra Leone, several civil society organizations have engaged in diverse advocacy, awareness raising and capacity building strategies to foster change, but the sustainability of such initiatives has been a major challenge over the years. Factors leading to the unsustained development of these initiatives are mainly associated with politics, poor supervision and evaluation and some social norms and perspectives held by the targeted population (Jalloh 2018).

Achieving sustainable development in Sierra Leone requires a blend of effective development communication strategies that could be informed by key stakeholders associated with the problem. I believe development organizations both state owned and non-governmental organizations should integrate their development strategies to actively involve the people mostly affected or that could influence the change into the change processes. Justifiable findings of unsustained development programs are evident in previous failed development initiatives implemented across the country. I believe involving the people could not only enhance inclusion, but also facilitate community ownership of development projects, thereby ensuring sustainable development outcomes through community supervision and maintenance of development initiatives. Development communication is not just any form of communication, but it is a form communication that seeks to foster development through social and behavioral change.