In global research, trust is a valuable resource. Rural populations are often suspicious of outsiders, and researchers frequently lack training in how to approach communities appropriately. Working on various projects, we have encountered people who assumed that we were there to seize agricultural land, take natural resources, or destroy villages to develop airports. Previous experiences with NGOs and researchers meant that people believed that researchers would take what they needed without giving anything back to the community. Our recent work taught us how to build trust to form successful research partnerships.
PANChSHEEEL was an interdisciplinary cross-sector project to explore health, education, engineering, and environmental factors that influence infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Rajasthan, India. The project sought to foster collaboration with local schools, health workers, and communities to co-develop solutions to benefit the health of local children. This blog will outline the techniques we used and the lessons we have learned while working with these communities.
Connect with local leaders
Engaging with respected community members such as teachers, religious figures, and village leaders before connecting with the rest of the community is essential. In addition to being respectful, having influential allies within the community can help to build confidence in the researchers’ intentions and assist in communication. This is something we learned first-hand. When driving to meet health workers, we accidentally hit a goat on the road. Upon our return, villagers armed with sticks had blocked the road with stones. They threatened to beat us and destroy the car if we did not pay them compensation for the goat immediately. Through the good relationship we had with local teachers, we were able to assure them that we were willing to pay for any damages. This illustrates the importance of forging these relationships before conducting any field work.
Listen
We wanted the community to understand that we were there to listen and learn, not judge. Approaching the community as equals (knowing the language and culture) helped villagers to understand that our intentions were benevolent. Discussing the villagers’ interests allowed us to build rapport before easing into research topics. We also developed a “social map” of the area so we could understand the environment from a local perspective. Focus groups were participant-led, with guidance from the trained community researchers, and interviews were semi-structured and conversational.
Involving everyone in the research made people feel that we supported the community’s wellbeing, increasing their willingness to share information.
Give back
Engaging with locals allowed us to provide health education and build strong community relations. Our partners trained community members in research methods, employed them to help conduct the research, and consulted them at each stage of the project. This provided foundations for future partnerships and employment. We taught children to perform skits and songs and then showcased their performances, which encouraged the community to engage with public health messages. Additionally, we gave the children water bottles so that they could hydrate while at school. This engagement demonstrated to the community that we were interested in improving their wellbeing and were not solely results-focused.
Considering these factors when working in partnership with rural communities was key to the success of our study, and capacity building laid the groundwork for future partnerships. As researchers, we need to remember that each community will need a tailored approach and be able to step back if our presence is not welcome. We must always be willing to learn, both from other researchers’ experiences and from the communities involved. Trust is an integral part of community research, and it is essential to take time to develop it to maintain equitable, long-lasting partnerships.
Monica Lakhanpaul is the Principal Investigator of the PANChSHEEEL project, a Paediatrician, and Professor of Integrated Child Health at UCL GOS Institute of Child Health. She focuses on using participatory methods to improve global infant and child health in marginalised communities in both the UK and South Asia.
Hemant Chaturvedi is a field researcher and Research Assistant at UCL GOS Institute of Child Health and has previously worked with charitable organisations such as Save the Children India. He specialises in community engagement in rural India, primarily about child nutrition and infections.
Laura Nixon is a Research Assistant at UCL GOS Institute of Child Health. She is passionate about improving inequalities in public health and has worked on various projects on child nutrition and wellbeing in both the UK and South Asia.
Sam Mardell is the Strategic Partnership Manager for UCL’s relationship with AHRI, South Africa. As co-Chair of UCL’s LMIC Research Operations Group, she advocates for equitable research collaborations across the university.
Funders: GCRF; ESRC; MRC; Research Councils UK
Collaborators: UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health; Save the Children India; Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi; Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi
Photo 1 by Dhruv Star Communications: A working mother involved in the PANChSHEEEL project
Photo 2 by H. Chaturvedi: PANChSHEEEL community focus group
Photo 3 by N. Santwani: Our researchers connecting with a community member
Picture 4 by PANChSHEEEL: Social map of Village Jharkaniya
Picture 5 by H. Chaturvedi: Children practicing the “handwashing song”
Picture 6 by H. Chaturvedi: Schoolchildren with their new water bottles
At UKCDR, we know that research for development needs equitable partnerships. We also know that there are still lessons to learn as we move equitability in collaborative research from principles to practice, which will be explored in upcoming UKCDR and ESSENCE guidance. In the leadup to these guidelines, we’re excited to share our new blog series, ‘Equitable Partnerships: Lessons from Practitioners’. Each week, we’ll hear from International Development practitioners as they share their insights on the topic, providing best practice and learning examples informed by their experience in the field.
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