Research on the issue by local implementing organization must guide the intervention design. The communities must be involved in the design and the interventions. TA efforts can guide the local organization through the research process. Assumptions should not be made by the local organization regarding underlying issues or reasons behind the practice. TA works best when it is district or state specific.
Research bears out the differences in practices among or even within districts, states, or villages.
The needs and approaches must therefore differ from place to place as it is critical to respond to the community's felt needs. Providing TA and training through a workshop setting is very important, as it allows for the exchange of ideas and personal enrichment. PATH has learned that the local implementing group and the community have excellent ideas regarding project activities but often need assistance translating ideas into action interventions requiring skills training. Project staff at the local level need assistance not only in skills training but very often need support on an individual level for their efforts. Often the staff from the local implementing organization feel they are part of the local culture and, yet, at the same time, they are on the outside.