Journal of Social Development in Africa (1986), 1, 111-115 
Book Reviews 
Anne Hope and Sally Timmel, Training for Transformation: a Handbook 
for Community Workers. 3 Volumes, Mambo Press, Gweru, 1984 Z$20, 
18c per set. 
A new handbook for people working with communities at grassroot level 
was published in 1984 in Zimbabwe. The book, 'Training for 
Transformation', is suitable for those who are concerned with the process 
of transforming society, and is particularly invaluable to adult educators, 
social workers, community development workers and also to church 
workers. This easy-to-read handbook makes generous and extensive use of 
illustrations. Furthermore, discussion questions and exercises in different 
formats are provided, presumably to encourage total involvement when 
using the book. One other refreshing aspect of the handbook is that it has a 
'human touch'. For instance, the authors point out at one stage that the 
exercises in the book are a "means to help us express our love and concern 
for people more effectively" (vol. 1 p4). 
The handbook has been reproduced in three parts (or volumes) and the 
authors argue that this will make it easier to use in the field rather than one 
large bulky book. I beg to differ: in my view it is easier to carry around a 
single bulky volume in the field than carrying three different (though less 
bulky) books. Part one covers the theory of Paulo Freire on the issue of 
developing critical awareness and how to put this theory into practice. It 
argues that development and education are first and foremost about 
liberating people from all that holds them back from a full human life and 
that development, liberation and transformation are all aspects of the same 
process. It further contends that because the bonds of poverty and 
oppression make the lives of vast numbers of people increasingly inhuman, 
it is amongst the poor and oppressed that development programmes and 
adult education must start. This section also tries to show how community 
workers can create a friendly climate in the community so that even the 
shyest person will gain sufficient self-confidence to contribute his/her 
experience and insight to the common search for solutions to the enormous 
problems faced in today's world. 
The second part addresses itself to ways of breaking what Freire termed 
the "culture of silence". It argues that in order to achieve this people need 
to gain a sense of self-confidence and know that what they think is 
important. There is no better way of achieving this goal, argue the authors, 
than through the importing of group skills necessary for conscientisation. 
Conscientisation can only be achieved, in the main, through dialogue; and 
dialogue begins at the local level, in small units and thus in groups. Groups 
should be able to facilitate a climate of participation. Various aspects of 
general group work theory and group dynamics in particular (including 
issues such as room arrangements that facilitate maximum participation, 
group size etc.) are covered. My only reservation here is that those 
community workers who may not have had prior training in general group
112 Book Reviews 
work theory, might find it a bit difficult to follow certain aspects of this 
section. To me the workers seem to have assumed, wittingly or unwittingly, 
that all those who will use the handbook would have had a background in 
group work theory, and the assumption may not be necessarily correct. In 
my opinion, the handbook itself cannot serve as an introductory text for 
training in group work theory. 
A number of practical exercises, complete with directions for application, 
the time scale required for each exercise, and the material necessary for role 
play, etc., are also included in the book, and the user will certainly find 
them useful. The often controversial issue of leadership is also dealt with at 
length. The 'myth' that leadership is a mysterious 'charismatic' quality is 
dismissed with the contempt it deserves and a more realistic view that 
leadership can be a skill that many people can develop if they are willing to 
give it a go, is strongly advanced in the book. Various leadership skills such 
as those in decision-making, action planning and organising workshops are 
dealt with at considerable length. 
Part three concerns itself mainly with the social analysis necessary for the 
development of critical awareness among individuals. It also deals with the 
steps needed for building a spirit of solidarity in people's everyday 
activities. A number of tools necessary for carrying out social analysis are 
identified. Furthermore, the reader's attention is drawn to an introduction 
to simple economics where economic aspects such as types of production 
and distribution of resources are covered. The handbook tries to show, in a 
most refreshing manner, that not only is it impractical to divorce politics 
from development issues, but it is equally unrealistic to divorce religion 
from the same question of development. 
On the controversial question of politics, concern is raised over the 
topical issue of why the poor remain poor. An argument is developed that in 
a capitalist socio-economic order, society is divided into three classes — 
rich, middle and poor. In such a system, although functional change is 
required in order to take some of the wealth from the top group and 
distribute it among the poor, this in fact is not enough. What is required is 
structural transformation; there is heed for people to get involved in 
production and hence in development of their society. A bottom-up 
approach is therefore advocated. It is further reasoned that a bottom-up 
approach is best workable in a climate of socialism. But, while socialism is 
thus advocated, the book is quick to charge that the present blend of 
socialism pursued in most countries is unfortunately based on bureaucracy. 
What is needed is a community based movement. Thus the people 
themselves must participate, and this implies of course that there must 
prevail a climate conducive to the realisation of self-determination. Adult 
education and literacy training are identified as some of the most important 
tools for the achievement of this goal. 
On the issue of religion, the handbook goes out of its way to try and show 
that there is a positive relationship, not only between Christianity and 
development, but also a tripartite one encompassing Christianity, socialism 
and development. Various quotations either from the Bible or from"
Book Reviews 113 
prominent church and state leaders are cited in support of this contention. 
At one point, the book even argues thus "There is no doubt that the 
message of Christianity calls us to complete commitment to the struggle for 
a world where every person will have the opportunity for full human 
development..." (volume 3 p. 49). This should make the book even more 
appealing to church workers in socialist countries, particularly since this is 
often an area fraught with controversy. The parallel with the stand taken by 
the churches in South America is obvious and we must wait and see if 
churches elsewhere in the Third World follow this lead. 
Perhaps the central question to be asked about the book is: How does it 
fare in its venture to rewrite Freire's philosophy in a simplified form? In 
attempting to answer, one would first point out that it is always a daunting 
task to rewrite something in a simplified form and still manage to retain 
completely the original meaning. Having said that, in the work under review 
the authors seem to have fared reasonably well in this task, and it seems to 
me that the basic theory of Freiran philosophy has been retained with 
considerable clarity. 
The general impression one gets from browsing through the book is that 
the book should be welcomed in all socialist societies, but in capitalist 
societies the 'status quo' might feel threatened by the themes from such a 
book. However, some critics have also argued that in socialist societies 
some 'powers-that-be' do not feel comfortable with the Freiran philosophy 
because conscientisation, by definition, implies a confrontation with 
authority; in centrally planned economics and societies such an attitude is 
not judged acceptable. 
One final comment: some readers, after going through the book, may feel 
that they have heard it all before, while others might feel that it is too much 
of an oversimplification of Freire's ideas. Even those who feel they have 
heard it all before should find the experience of reading this handbook a 
refreshing, and above all, a rewarding exercise. In spite of the book's flaws 
and controversial statements (some of which have been cited above), I can 
only hail it as a valuable and welcome contribution to the field of social 
development. I would urge all those who work with communities in 
developing countries, (in whatever capacity) to read it, in spite of their 
different political or religious persuasions. 
Reviewed by R. Mupidziswa, School of Social Work, Harare.