In 2009, the PDP started introducing the approach of Participatory Needs Assessment (PNA) in the Governorate of Qalyubeya with regard to providing a participatory base for the upgrading and development of an informal area called Khosoos. With the support of the Governor, the PDP initiated its activities on the local level in the district and in parallel on the governorate level through the urban upgrading unit. This approach was necessary in order to ensure the sustainability of the PNA process as well as to foster a possible replication of the process in other areas or districts within the Governorate of Qalyubeya. The movie reflects activities and outcomes of this PNA mission.

[flv:/wp-content/uploads/video/PNA_Mission.flv 480 368]

The October-November 2009 edition of Cairo-based “MAGAZ-Magazine” featured a review of PDP’s recently-published book “Cairo’s Informal Areas: Between Urban Challenges and Hidden Potentials” in both English and Arabic.

Download: MAGAZ book review: Cairo’s Informal Areas

The PDP has released the publication “Cairo’s Informal Areas Between Urban Challenges and Hidden Potentials. Facts. Voices. Visions.” Published in July 2009, the book provides a comprehensive look at development in the informal areas of Greater Cairo, Egypt. It combines academic and journalistic articles, interviews and speeches as well as photographs by photojournalist Claudia Wiens depicting the daily lives of residents.

Cairo’s Informal Areas aims to provide a better understanding of the residents of the informal settlements and stimulate further dialogue on urban development in those areas. It does this by presenting the perspectives of the various stakeholders involved in the process: residents of the informal settlements, governors, ministers, academics, consultants, and development

Cairo’s Informal Areas also encourages decision-makers, investors, planners and academics to see the advantage of coordinated implementation that takes the needs of residents into consideration instead of top-down, separate planning efforts.

Download: Publication “Cairo’s Informal Areas Between Urban Challenges and Hidden Potential”

The latest manual “Sharing Available Information through GIS” published by the PDP in 2009 explains in simple steps how to share accurate information about a local area among all stakeholders involved in participatory urban development through the simple interactive information base called Geographic Information System (GIS). Guided through the manual along sets of questions, the reader will learn how to collect data, how to build a geographical data base, how to visualize the relevant information by creating maps, and how to manage information using the GIS tool.

Download: Manual “Sharing Available Information through GIS” in English

Download: Manual “Sharing Available Information through GIS” in Arabic

A manual published by PDP in 2008 explains how support for local community initiatives can foster participatory development in informal areas and lead to sustainable improvements in living conditions. The manual outlines how to plan, manage and support local initiatives; how to identify and involve NGOs, local actors and the local administration; how to implement an initiative and how to monitor and evaluate its success.

Download: Manual “Empowerment and Trust Building Through Local Initiatives” in English

Download: Manual “Empowerment and Trust Building Through Local Initiatives” in Arabic

The Manual “Knowing Local Communities” published by the PDP in 2008 describes how to facilitate direct consultations with the local population to get as much accurate information as possible.

Participatory community development requires knowledge about local interests, priorities, resources, and organisational capacities. Local residents – women, men, the old and the young – and local businesses people know their communities best. They know each other, their locality, its physical environment, attitudes towards planned interventions, common and diverging interests and priorities. They can provide innovative solutions to suit their local needs.

Download: Manual “Knowing Local Communities” in English

Download: Manual “Knowing Local Communities” in Arabic