The Use Of Participatory Communication In A National Social Protection Programme: A Study Of Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (Leap)

ABSTRACT The failure of the conventional theories of economic growth to significantly reduce poverty in Africa has led to a new focus on poverty reduction that emphasises on participatory policies that benefit the poor directly. One outcome of this has been the introduction in Ghana of the social grant scheme, Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP). The LEAP programme is a social cash transfer facility which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households across Ghana to alleviate shortterm poverty. This study sought to find out how communication of LEAP compared with the normative principles of participatory development communication, the role participatory communication plays in the implementation of the LEAP project, the communication channels used in promoting the participation of the beneficiaries in LEAP and the challenges, if any, that affect the practical implementation of the participatory communication in the implementation of LEAP. Through a qualitative research methodology that combined individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the top-down flow of information at LEAP did not satisfy the normative principles of participatory communication. LEAP extensively used indigenous communication channels as the main medium for implementation, depending on the socio-cultural circumstances prevailing in the beneficiary community. The study recommends among other things the use of experts in participatory development communication and also training on participatory communication for social welfare officers.