Salt-visit at Worldhouse in Amsterdam, November 6th 2017

During the visit I liked a lot the conversation I had with a woman who was colouring a mandala. I started talking to her in English (because we were talking English with the men). It turned out that she was speaking excellent Dutch. I didn't know if that is her mother tongue. What I realized: I automatically spoke English to her because that was the mode I was in. 

Learning point in a situation like the Worldhouse: don't…

Humanity and Unity pushing through bureaucracy

SALT WITH COFFEE AND POPCORN

No-one panics when the fire alarms goes off.

The odeurs of fresh coffee and crusty popped popcorn have filled the room - the steam causing the alarm to warn for ‘danger’. People…

Dream of the village Dhanout in Himachal Pradesh is to stay healthy. One of the action decided by Patient Support Group (PSG) during action plan meeting was to organize screening camps for Diabetes and Hypertension regularly at Panchayat or village level.

Anil Sharma followed up the members of the group and came to know that the group is planning to organize screening camp at village level. The group decided the date, venue of the camp and called Anil to attend it.

PSG…

The dream of Patient support group (PSG) in Junga Panchayat, Himachal, India had focus on health. We have set up PSGs in a large number of villages and have used CLCP and SALT in 14 villages. Each PSG is composed of patients with diabetes and hypertension, their families and village leaders, health workers and other stakeholders.

PSG wanted a village, which was green, clean and healthy. This is what came up during the dream building session, which I had facilitated. I got busy in…

We walked in single file because of the narrow path leading to the end of the short ‘panhandle’. Brush was overlapping the path so much that we had to push them aside with our hands. It was a lovely morning in Eijsden.  It is a custom [level 5]  that we engage with walking in the morning during the period of our FtF engagement. Laurie, who was walking in front of me, picked up a piece of paper. I began to wonder…

Earlier people used to not share their deep concerns and personal issues. We listened to their stories and helped them find their strengths. We were able to create a good environment and they found the conversation useful. No one got up from group meetings because everyone had the desire to do something and gave their time for the meeting.People realised that they are for each other and they have to jointly find a solution. 

We work with communities on the issue of diabetes…

A SALT village after our hearts...where a young husband ensures that his wife has her Ante Natal check up (ANC)...and so does a conscientious Mother in Law...two different generations bridged by the SALT approach and exemplary instances of male involvement and family concern for girls and women...an Aanganwadi Centre (AWC) throbbing with energy and exuberance where the responses of chirpy tots are a clear indicator of an enterprising and responsible Aanganwadi worker (AWW)...…

As the Sun beat down on us on a hot, sultry summer afternoon...the women in Jongakhali village in Kamrup district of Assam, were in turns shy and reticent, but it took a few moments for the reticence to change to expressions and words and confidence...as they admitted that they have dreams, but are wary to share them...they proudly show off…

In our project on diabetes and hypertension, Patient support groups through CLCP made an action plan. Villagers in Dhanot, Himachal have begun to do yoga every morning from 6 am to 6:30 am.

In the below picture, people went for diabetes and…

For a practitioner of SALT and CLCP, our work does not finish with facilitating action plan, accompaniment of the community in taking action is critical. This is my learning in our Assam project in India where we are stimulating community response to immunization, WASH and nutrition.

In Hirajani community, water supply is a major issue and the community is getting frustrated as in spite of a lot of effort and applications to the government they have not been able to…

Its been 8 years ago when two facilitators of IndoCompetence were invited by  National Family Planning (FP) Board to present FP Competence.  The discussion was postponed since the senior officer we talked  with was retired.  Two three times after that, IndoCompetence (Dewi, me and Tuti) were invited to present our approach to program person or pool of trainers  of the institution.

This year, February, one of FP Officer in West Java who were invited to attend SALT and CLCP workshop on…

SALT Group from Dhanoth village.

About 12 Stakeholder attended the SALT action plan meeting at Dhanoth village. This is patient support group for those with diabetes and hypertension. In this meeting people came from the different area also included the village Pradhan, frontline health worker, ASHAs, Ward member and patient of diabetes and hypertension. After the dream building, the action plan was made. e.g. They have decided the date for plantation third…