Barefoot Guide 4
​Exploring the Real Work of Social Change 

This is a book about social change practices from many countries. It contains a variety of stories, analyses, and ideas, with many poems and illustrations to illuminate and enhance the text.

​This Barefoot Guide is not a book of answers, but one of questions, experiences and learnings. “What is the real work of social change?” Inside there are stories of change, of determined and courageous people taking creative initiatives, presented here not as some vain or prideful “best practice model”, but as something to be learned from, to deepen our questions, to be more thoughtful in our practice.
Contents and download by Chapter

INTRODUCING OUR STORY... Two worlds One planet - Download

CHAPTER 1 
Histories of social change: from way back into the future… 
Working with Questions: What is Social Change and Resistance to Change?
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CHAPTER 2 
Start counting from one: Individuals and social change 
Working with Questions: How do we See and Work with Power?
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CHAPTER 3 
Creating space and time for learning to enable social change 
Working with Questions: What is Horizontal Learning and how can it Contribute to Social Change?
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CHAPTER 4 
How communities change: from despair to possibility... 
Working with Questions: What is our primary role as development practitioners?
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CHAPTER 5 
Through the gathering storms: From community to societal change 
Working with Questions: What social change approaches and strategies work best?
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CHAPTER 6 
Rigorous humility: Measuring and evaluating the real work of social change 
Working with Questions: What Kinds of Organizations and Leadership do we Need to Face the Future?
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CHAPTER 7 
Another World is Possible and is Already Happening: Towards a Great Transition through a Global Citizens Movement 
Working with Questions: Who is Participating in whose Process?
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The Fourth Barefoot Writers Collective

The Writers

Barbara Klugman, Strategy and Evaluation Practitioner, South Africa
Bartholomew Mupeta, Plan International, Zimbabwe
Benson A. Khamasi, Change Agents For Peace International (CAPI), Kenya
Bernice Roeland, Wellness Foundation, South Africa
Charlotte Boisteau, F3E, France
Clothilda Babirekere, Uganda Media Women’s Association, Uganda
Dorothee Gueneheux, World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS)
Doug Reeler, Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Elis Motta, Barefoot Guide Connection Curator and CDRA Associate, Brazil
Emmanuel Mkandawire, Plan International, Zambia
Heather Wood Ion, independent practitioner, USA
James Taylor, Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Jenni Kauppila, United Nations Association, Finland
Jennifer Lentfer, Oxfam America, USA
Julie Smith, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action (PACSA), South Africa
Laura Lager, Kehitysyhteistyon Palvelukeskus (KEPA), Finland
Le Minh Vu, Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV), Vietnam
Luciana Almeida, DEEEP / CONCORD Europe, Belgium
Lyazzat Kaltayeva, Association of Women with Disabilities “Shyrak”, Kazakhstan
Mandlenkosi Gcwabaza, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action (PACSA), South Africa
Mario Machimbene, KEPA, Mozambique
Mary Ann Mhina, Partnership Matters, United Kingdom
Milla Makinen, The International Solidarity Foundation, Finland
Moctar Sow, Réseau Francophone de l’Evaluation (RFE), Senegal
Neville Meyer, InsightShare, South Africa
Nguyen Thanh Tung, Medical Committee Netherlands-Vietnam (MCNV), Vietnam
Nick Lunch, InsightShare
Nomvula Dlamini, Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Nyambura Rugoiyo, Kenya
Pamela Atieno-Olwal, Organizational & Community Dev. Facilitator, Kenya
Peter Westoby, lecturer, Univ. Queensland, Austraila
Ravi Badri, EktaParishad, India
Rebecca Freeth, independent practitioner, South Africa
Saida Inoyatova, Disabled Women’s League “Ishtirok”, Tajikistan
Simric Yarrow, poet, South Africa
Tirivafi Shuro, Christian Aid, Zimbabwe
Tobias Troll, DEEEP / CONCORD Europe, Belgium
Tracey Martin, independent practitioner and CDRA Associate, United Kingdom
Undine Whande, independent practitioner, South Africa
Warren Feek, The Communication Initiative Network, Canada

Illustrators:
Galvão Bertazzi – [email protected]
Jacobus van Beek – [email protected]
Niall Rixon – [email protected]
Tayla Nicoletti – [email protected]

Writeshop Facilitators and Editorial team:
Doug Reeler – Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Elis Motta – Elis Motta, Barefoot Guide Connection Curator and CDRA Associate, Brazil
Tracey Martin – independent practitioner and CDRA Associate, United Kingdom

Orla Cronin – Online process facilitator, United Kingdom

Copy editor: Hilda Gertze
Proof-reader: Alison Coals, Hilda Gertze
Website curator: Elis Motta, Brazil
Layout artist: Paula Wood – [email protected]
Administration: Marlene Tromp – Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa

Core Organising Team
Charlotte Boisteau – Chargée de mission Etudes / International – F3E, France
Doug Reeler – Community Development Resource Association (CDRA), South Africa
Elis Motta – Elis Motta, Barefoot Guide Connection Curator and CDRA Associate, Brazil
Laura Lager – Kehitysyhteistyon Palvelukeskus (KEPA), Finland
Tracey Martin – independent practitioner and CDRA Associate, United Kingdom

WHAT HAVE OTHERS SAID ABOUT THE bAREFOOT gUIDES...

The Barefoot Guides have been the key influences in my life and work… my constant companions in my community and organisational development work. 
Marie Corcoran-tindill, Trainer, Facilitator of community and group processes, Dublin 

The Barefoot initiative is itself an exciting expression of social change. 
Inez Hackenberg, Utrecht University 

As a trained action learning facilitator their guides have helped me work with grassroots communities in Myanmar and Thailand. 
Kevina Maddick, Program Manager at Right To Play, Bangkok 

The Barefoot Guide's transformative process… shows us the way to transcend borders, sectors, limits, to break the silos! 
Vincent Stevaux, ITECO, Bruxelles

Barefoot Guide has been creating phenomenal content for the critical process of experiential reflection at both individual and organizational levels. 
Jesse Chen, Changemakers, Washington 

…a wonderful contribution to open access knowledge, grounded on a great depth of experience and horizontal learning from across the world. 
Samantha Button, East Africa Program Head, Maliasili 

…the Barefoot Guide collection is having a great influence, especially the lives of field workers and communities. 
Muta Wakilu Tamasco, Ghana 

The Barefoot Guide Connection has a unique and truly transformational approach to collaboration, learning and facilitating social, transformational change across borders. 
Tobias Troll Director, EDGE Europe at EDGE Funders Alliance, Bruxelles 

This unusual and exceptional volume (and series) is hugely accessible yet deeply rooted in solid theory and extensive practice across a wide range of contexts and fields. Expect from it something truly unique in its combination of insight, reflection, experience and highly usable mixed text/visual presentation. It is not "dumbed down." I have seen it bite as deeply at high academic and professional level as at grassroots community leadership level, an astonishing achievement worth honouring. 
Professor Jim Cochrane Cape Town 

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