SARAR Approach

SARAR is an education/training methodology for working with stakeholders at different levels to engage their creative capacities in planning, problem solving and evaluation. The acronym SARAR stands for the five attributes and capacities that are considered the minimum essentials for participation to be a dynamic and self-sustaining process: Self-esteem, a sense of self-worth as a person as well as a valuable resource for development; Associative strength, the capacity to define and work toward a common vision through mutual respect, trust, and collaborative effort; Resourcefulness, the capacity to visualise new solutions to problems even against the odds, and the willingness to be challenged and take risks; Action planning, combining critical thinking and creativity to come up with new, effective, and reality-based plans in which each participant has a useful and fulfilling role; Responsibility, for follow-through until the commitments made are fully discharged and the hoped-for benefits achieved. SARAR was developed during the 1970s and 1980s by Dr. Lyra Srinivasan and colleagues for a variety of development purposes. The major work describing the methodology for the water and sanitation sector is entitled Tools for Community Participation, A Manual for Training Trainers in Participatory Techniques.