Building Relationships With Community Members Is Critical in CER

Building relationships that are based on mutual respect, trust, cooperative learning, and shared interests are fundamental to the success of a community-engaged research project.  From the beginning, our UKZN partners embraced us as more than outsiders but as colleagues and friends.  Their faith in us helped to allay any misgivings or mistrust that key community stakeholders may have had about us as outsiders; we were able to enter into the community with a warm reception.  Tonight's community meet-and-greet was a wonderful and uplifting experience!  I can't wait to begin our research there with the students and our UKZN partners.