SALT visit in Dhangadhi, Nepal

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On 26th November Rafique and me conducted one day CLCP workshop followed by a community visit in Dhangadhi. The workshop was participatory with role plays. The participants consist of program staff of both partners from Kanchanpur and Accham.

After demo of the tools in CLCP we went for the field visit. The village name was Amar basti hardly half a kilometer from Gaurifanta. The community members liked the SALT approach very much as seen by this comment " No funder or any organization has previously talked to us in this manner by which we were able to see our own strengths."

we gave examples of our own strengths and asked them to tell likewise. The follwing were strengths noted in the community:
1. committment
2. Leadership
3. confident
4. Good cooking skills
5.Reading
6. Make up (beauty)
7. Mathmatics
8. Long journey
9. Ready to do any jobs
10. Football
11. Farming and cycling
12. Learning
13. Social work
14. Accounting

We introduced the theme of dream and stated that everybody has some wishes, hopes and aspiration. we told our dreams first and then asked them
to tell theirs. The following dreams were stated:
a) Reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity
b) Removing poverty
c) Preservation of wild lives and environment
d) Youth and community unity, association or organization
e) All children in the village are educated
f) Everyone gets a job

Some of the dreams were individual onece like;
1. Expert in IT
2. Engineering
3. Scientist
4. Be responsible in the job
5. Good employment

We asked the community members to tell us how they would achieve their own dreams. They responded as;
1. skills development
2. Change behaviour so they are not spend thrift
3. Education
4. If somebody is good in cooking we will see ways of setting up a local restaurant
5. Those who are good leadership can mobilize the community for forming association or organization of the community.

This was followed by a short After Action Review (AAR)
1. what did we plan?
We planned to conduct SALT visit to do a dreaming session and reveal the strengths of the community. we had thought of linking the dreams to the EMPHASIS goals.

2.what happened?
we did not discuss on EMPHASIS project.

3. Why was the their difference?
There was no discussion on HIV because we were practicing CLCP.

4. How will you do it differently?
Meeting could have given more information on migrant support, PLHIV support.
The community suggested to inform them two days in advance by mobile phone.

[Lawan Vejapikul]

Hi Darinji,

 

Nice to read a wonderful story of what was happening in Nepal

Also great to know that the inspiration has been flown from India to Nepal

 

We are looking forward to see more and more inspiration flows.....

So, when will you come and bring some inspiration flow to Thailand!!!??? 

 

Cheers,.....Lawan : D

 

 

[Tapati Dutta]

Thanks for sharing Darinji. Could you also brief on the profile of the community, which makes it easier, especially for people from other cultural contexts to relate better? Positive vibes from the community are the real perks our profession has....and congratulations to you and your team members for being able to reach out to them without the glass wall called 'inhibition' ...... 

[Dr. E. Mohamed Rafique]

“No one has ever come and talked before like this; No NGO, No funding agency; not even the UN. So, for the first time we have talked of our own dreams, our own strengths and tried a bit to see how we can use our own resources to tackle our own issues."

(Ref: Individual Feedback from a community member to one of the facilitators of the Dhangadi SALT Visit.)

Dear Darinji,

The proof of the pudding lies in the eating. So, what better way to know that your first SALT visit was a good one, than to hear it from a member of the community itself.

The above voice from the community will sing sweet music in my ears, for a long  time!

Keep up the good work, and look forward to join you in Accham soon.

With best regards,

Rafique

[Joao Arnaldo Vembane]

wonderful Darinji

this is what we all seek to learn

[Gaston]

Good session to get to know each other better and on a deeper level and well documented. I recognize similar AAR improvement points in other contexts. Keep us informed on the progress.

[YERUVA ANTHONY REDDY]

Dear Dharinji,

Thanks for sharing this and great to know the process that you have followed in conduct of SALT visit. We hope to learn more from you. 

 

anthony