---

Rural growth centres have a great potential for the surrounding areas, as these highly benefit from the economic development. Development agencies like the Austrian Development Cooperation are interested in the development of rural areas since the difference in quality of life between rural and urban areas is a decisive factor for migration into bigger towns, which provokes poverty in both. Therefore a survey was carried out using multidisciplinary perspectives in order to verify people´s demands and key factors determining rural development. Significant in this study is that the voices of the people themselves were made heard. Using methods of participatory rural appraisal, core of the study were semi-structured interviews carried out in three small towns within the area of the Southwestern Towns Water and Sanitation Project (SWTWS), thereby emphasising aspects of quality of life as well as addressing issues of physical and social infrastructure. This book shows the very diverse opinions of the interviewed people and the strong interconnectedness of the identified factors. It furthermore draws attention to the importance of multidisciplinary perspectives in development assistance.

---

Dipl.-Ing. MSc Henriette Pauline Friedrich studied land and water management in Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom, specialising in the field of water and sanitation in developing countries. After her studies she worked in the construction business and in river flood prevention.

---