The P-FIM method enables agencies to listen to communities without agency or programme bias, by asking one simple, open question: what are the most important things that have happened in your lives in recent years? This allows the community to lead the discussion about the most important issues in their lives, the impacts of these, and who or what caused them.
Piloting P-FIM for early action protocol (EAP) development
In October and November 2023, 18 people participated in a P-FIM exercise to listen to a community in Bindura, Zimbabwe, and identify and attribute impacts. These included participants from government, local NGOs including the Mvuramanzi Trust, the Farm Community Trust and Nutrition Action Zimbabwe, as well as international NGOs including Welthungerhilfe Zimbabwe and Action Against Hunger Zimbabwe.
In preparation, the inter-agency teams met with different community groups – women, female youth, men, male youth, people with disabilities, community leaders, community health clubs, and the business community – to get a well-rounded understanding of the community’s dynamics and perspectives. This also increased awareness of why community engagement is important and how it can be implemented successfully by applying the communication skills introduced by P-FIM training. “We are very happy that you came to listen to us, as boys in school,” said one young boy during a goal-free discussion. “It is the first time for us to actually meet outsiders without instructions, telling us what to do. You say you came here to listen, listen to us! And listen only! This is not usual [for] us.”
Using the results of the P-FIM exercise to develop an EAP
The findings of the P-FIM exercise were extensive, providing insights that will be valuable outside of the anticipatory action programme. These will be further examined for their relevance, feasibility and actionability in terms of developing an EAP development, which will also be done through a two-way exchange with the community.
