UNESCO's activities in Africa in fields related to community development

Abstract

The objectives of community development can be defined in terms of more literates, improved agricultural production, better health, better nutrition, fuller use of labor, capital formation in the form of roads, wells, community centers, and so on. Community development should not be regarded simply as a series of episodes embedded in concrete achievements. Success in these, important though it may be, is less important than the qualitative changes expressed in attitudes and relationships, which add to human dignity, and increase the continuing capacity of the people to help themselves to achieve goals which they determine for themselves, it is in this sense that community development is an educational process. Though it is true that any assistance given to the improvement of education has direct or indirect effect upon community development, in assisting African countries, Unesco has tried to supply experts in the fields of education for which the need is greatest and whose contribution would most forward the Government's programmes.