The women of Villa Paula Jaraquemada: building community in Chile's transition to democracy

Abstract

This article presents a case study of women's grassroots community development in a poor neighbourhood of Santiago, Chile. It is based on a review of project documents and interviews with participants conducted during community visits in 1995 and 1999. The account is part of a larger cross‐national study of women building community from the Andes to the Rockies. This discussion locates the project in a broader context of contemporary political history in Chile and addresses the project's history and development, women's accounts of participation, and lessons learned which may inform future grassroots efforts.