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Aid programmes need to recognise that relationships, respect and pride are just as important to people living in poverty as food and shelter, according to research presented at the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) 2014 Festival of Social Science.

When people think about giving aid to developing countries, they might imagine that providing the basics of food, safe drinking water, sanitation and shelter are all that is necessary. However according Dr Laura Camfield from the University of East Anglia, people living in poverty often value other needs such as good relationships, pride, respect and the ability to shape their own lives as being as or more important.

“It is well established within development that people will trade off being sufficiently well nourished in order to preserve relationships by sharing food,” says Dr Camfield.

“In fact when you ask people about what is most important to them, you find that there isn't a hierarchy of needs which people in developing countries move through, where after ticking off shelter and food they can then move onto 'higher' needs such as pride and respect.”

Dr Camfield and colleagues in the Wellbeing in Developing Countries ESRC research group interviewed members of communities in Bangladesh, Thailand, Peru and Ethiopia. They found that self-respect, pride, and feeling that their life was meaningful was of primary importance to people. One way in which that was expressed was through participation in organised religion, which was increasingly important in all the areas in which the project worked.

Dr Camfield's research also identified a need to better understand the social dynamics within communities when delivering aid. She found that when development agencies go into an area with a quota of grants to give the community, and a set of criteria to help them decide who to give it to, they are often not sensible of the fact that their criteria might not necessarily be understood by the community. In line with other work in development, she found that the way in which aid is given is of equal, if not greater, importance than the amount given.

“When development practitioners pick out people who they think are most in need, they may actually be causing tension in communities,” says Dr Camfield.

“Many communities are quite homogenous in terms of socioeconomic status, so in fact targeting specific sections of the community isn't particularly effective, as you raise people a very small amount above their neighbours, which can create resentment as everyone is in need.”

Although many aid and development projects in the world are designed purely to meet people's basic needs, such as food and sanitation, amongst those that have a wider focus there is a need to find out what the most important needs facing a community are at any one time. Dr Camfield and her colleagues have developed a practical methodology for measuring what matters most to people that can be used by development policymakers and practitioners and contribute to decision making in ongoing projects. The method involves creating spaces where people can discuss their needs, and consider the wider effects of aid within their community.

Dr Camfield will be discussing the implications of her research at an event, 'Asking the big questions in international development', as part of the ESRC's 2014 Festival of Social Science.

For further information contact:

• Dr Laura Camfield 
  Email: l.camfield@uea.ac.uk
  Telephone: 01603 591885 or 07808 587427

ESRC Press Office

• Aaron Boardley 
  Email: aaron.boardley@esrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 01793 413122
• Susie Watts 
  Email: susie.watts@esrc.ac.uk
  Telephone: 01793 413119

Notes for editors

1. Event: Asking the Big Questions in International Development
   Location: The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1TF 
   Date: 8 November 2014, 10.00-16.00
2. The 12th annual Festival of Social Science takes place from 1-8 November 2014 with over 200 free events nationwide. Run by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Festival provides an opportunity for anyone to meet with some of the country’s leading social scientists and discover, discuss and debate the role that research plays in everyday life. With a whole range of creative and engaging events there’s something for everyone including businesses, charities, schools and government agencies. See the full programme of events and join the discussion on Twitter using #esrcfestival.
3. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds research into the big social and economic questions facing us today. We also develop and train the UK’s future social scientists. Our research informs public policies and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective. Most importantly, it makes a real difference to all our lives. The ESRC is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter in 1965, and funded mainly by the Government. In 2015 the ESRC celebrates its 50th anniversary.