Formation of the CIIMSA coincided with activities to
define and characterize the community. The SAU
Project conducted a broad-based needs assessment
(Diagno´ stico Amplio Participativo (DAP) in Spanish).
Information from 12 key informant interviews,three
focus group discussions,and disease data routinely
collected and maintained by CLAS Cardozo provided
an understanding of the environmental health situation
from the local perspective. CARE Peru chose a project
kick-off workshop as the forum to present local
environmental health information to the community.
Local officials used the workshop to describe the
urbanization process in the southern zone of the city.
CARE Peru project staff presented qualitative information
from DAP. Additionally,committ ee members
learned about demographic,social,health , and economic
factors from the CARE Peru staff (Rojas and Rojas,
2000). Presentations provided community members
sufficient information to generate an environmental
health issues list. Discussion groups,co nsisting principally
of community residents,defined the scope of their
environmental assessment. The result of the workshop
was community consensus on the top three environmental
health priorities for Manuel Cardozo Davila:
lack of safe water,
lack of sewage system,an d
unpaved and poorly maintained streets,resul ting in
air quality impacts caused by the large amounts of
dust generated.