"Addiction lives in solitude, aloneness and darkness. It doesn't live in community, togetherness and connection."

Jon is a recovering alcoholic from the UK. In this latest episode of our 'How To Build Community' podcast, he shared with me a raw and powerful story of his struggle with addiction and journey of recovery. Along the way, he reflects on how best you can support people you know who are facing similar challenges. Listen here!…

I work with L'Afrikana in 10 slum areas like kabiria,kibera,waithaka and kawangware in Nairobi, Kenya. We work with adolescent girls, particularly on the issue of teenage pregnancy. Although the law allows abortion in exceptional medical circumstances, girls tend to go to quack doctors for termination of pregnancy. Unsafe abortion and its complications like excessive bleeding is a major problem in Kenya, endangering the lives of many young women. Young girls who are pregnant are under a lot…

In my role at Global Fund for Children, I am fortunate to work  with NGO Avani. I facilitated Community life competence process (CLCP) at organizational level with some members of Avani team- deeply listening to them and learning about their individual and organizational strengths and gifts they have. When I facilitated a common dream with them, the dream was in the form of text, drawing and song. …

What does it mean to love your enemy? Why is it important? And how can you go about doing it? In this episode we put these questions to world leading climate campaigner ALASTAIR MCINTOSH.

His work is inspired by his Quaker faith, and in this interview he describes how he approaches encounters with his own "enemies", as told in his most recent book Riders On The Storm.…

Three mentally ill patients admitted at CPR Hospital for treatmentthrough a  EKATI Organization.

In the last one week, 3 mentally ill patients were admitted to the psychiatric ward for treatment at CPR government Hospital. Men from Takala Ramakrishna Hotel, women from Wakhre Fata and men from Inchalkaranji Hanuman Temple were rescued. After bathing and cleaning, all the tests were done to get the three admitted for treatment. He used to do strange things like singing songs in the…

SALT activity was conducted on the brick kiln project at Ankli at Sangli.

Teenagers do not want to participate in our acitivities. When we invited them they refused to come. 

We convinced them. We held the meeting using different skills. In this meeting, girls and…

We at Avani NGO are working on gender equality.

Recently, I had individual SALT conversations with three people from Village Nandwal, Kolhapur (India). Two were farmers, one male and one female and one is a clerk at the local university.

SALT is allowing open conversations with people. The lady shared that when she was in high school, they had take a bus as the high school was far from the village. At the bus-stop, while young boys and girls waited every day for the bus…

Imran, Shahrukh and I (from Avani NGO)  visited the women members of a family from four generations on 27th Jan in the village of Nandwal, Kolhapur District, India. As we appreciated and listened to them, they shared the difficult situations they had tackled but not shared with anyone even their family members. There were moments of joy, moments of tears. We build a very strong bond we did not realise that we had spent more than two hours together.

• Results of the SALT…

Why is it important to make people who are different to you feel welcome? And what impact can it have when you do?

MUNA ABU GHAZALEH from Jordan was born with various disabilities that meant she would struggle to ever talk, walk or live an independent life. But she is now an expert in the theology of inclusion, and in this new episode she is sharing her story and expertise with us.…

Hi everyone, I’m Rati Lama, a facilitator of Rural Aid organisation, Kalchini Block, Alipurduar District. Here is my 2^nd SALT blog story from a 34 years old man who himself is a Panchayat member of Gangutia Tea garden, Kalchini Block.

On dated 3^rd February, 2022, I had SALT visit with a 34 years old man who himself is a Panchayat…

Hi ! Everyone.. Here is a story of Strong widow woman who rose up as an independent woman.

A 32 years old widow woman who lived with her five (5) years old child at the teagarden of Kalchini Out Division, Kalchini Block, Alipurduar District, West Bengal.

On dated 22^nd of January’2022, we, the facilitators of Rural Aid team, Sanjay Lohara, Rati Lama and Dheeraj…

A short proud story from the life of 45 years old woman, who is also a member of SHG at Bhatpara tea garden.

Hi everyone, I’m Nityam Ghosh. I work with Rural Aid NGO with support from Global Fund for Children is in Alipurduar District, Kalchini Block, State of West Bengal, India. We work in the tea gardens on the issue of trafficking and child labour.Here is story from my SALT visit in blog.…

     The SALT visit was conducted in the evening at village Kerli with the 80-year-old young boy on 3rd Dec'21 evening. An 80-year-old man was sitting on the bench chatting with his peers. I went to him and said, "I want to chat with you. Will you take me in your group ..?" he said, in the local language “Ya ki rao” which means yes you are welcome. After that,…

A strong determination story from a 21 years old female youth who works hard and sacrifices her dream for the education of her brother

Hi everyone, I’m Pancham Minj. I work with a Rural Aid NGO with support from Global Fund for Children in Alipurduar District, Kalchini Block, State of West Bengal, India. We work in the tea gardens on the issue of trafficking and child labour. Here is my first blog from my SALT visit.

This is a story of a 21 years old female youth who live with…

Hi all, In this episode of the 'How To Build Community' show, CALLY MAGALHĀES shares a story so remarkable it's being made into a feature film. In the Brazilian prison in which she worked, she started a drama project where youth offenders reenact the crimes that put them in prison in the first place. But crucially, they play the role of their victims. Here she explains how this idea has led to a 70-80% reduction in reoffending rates.…

A simple 35 year old woman Usha (name changed) was married into an aristocratic, traditional political family. Many restrictions came after marriage. She had to do everything with the permission of her mother-in-law and husband. She was restricted to the home, her opinion was not considered in any important decision of the house. She could never leave the house alone for any work. Usha had a lot of interest in sewing, but she was not allowed to go alone to the market to buy sewing material…

A girl or woman can do anything whether she receives support from her husband or not, if she has a strong determination in their heart”

A strong determination story from a 48 years old married woman who works hard and sacrifices her life for the education of her children.

Hi everyone, I’m Rati Lama.  I work with a Rural Aid NGO with support from Global Fund for Children in…