"Todos têm certas coisas na cabeça e querem lutar": lições do Patac: uma ONG que se propõe a melhorar as condições de vida dos camponeses do Nordeste do Brasil.

Abstract

This article is a critique of the educative work of a Nongovemmenlal Organizai ion (NGO) called PATAC - Program of Applied Technology Appropriate in Communilies. It is the vision of lhe author, technicians of PATAC and popular inlellectuals. This institution intends to hetter the living condilions of rural workers in the Northeast ofBrazil through the use of technologies that are "socially appropriate". It is two analyses of methodological proposals of lhe action in the Paraíba, togelher with the workers in the regions of Curimataú and Cariri, during the period of 1986 to 1991. The first part is related lo the experience of assessing the rural families in the municipality of Barra de Santa Rosa - PB. In this phase, PATAC visiled the farms and through informal conversations in homes and in the fields lhe exisiing technical problems were identified. What prevailed was a definition of priorities that offered direction using technical proposals already used by PATAC. The evidence of farmers and lhe technicians of PATAC that participated in this experience created a reflection about the efficiency of this technical proposal, supplying direction and indicating condilions for greater results in educative work. The second part is about lhe process of PATAC"s educative intervention in the rural farm called "Paus Brancos". This experience adopted a work method wilh an objective to research in a participatoiy form, lhe potential and limilations of the farm, so to prepare a plan of action for the community. The evidence presented by some of the people have revealed different interpretalions about lhe results obtained by this work. To finish, the author comments on the process of the apprenticeship in elaboration of this article and reflects on the contribution of the technicians in affirmation of lhe inleresls of the farmers.