( Cho Naga for Foundation, Cameroon is a part of Constellation’s Go Girl multi-country project since April 2021 on engaging communities particularly girls in prevention of teenage pregnancies. Read more about the project https://the-constellation.org/go-girl/ ) https://cnfoundation.ch/

Doreen Bieri's team works…

Sir Ratan Tata, shares his insights on the way forward with communities in India. Hearing him I could not help feel that this is what the world needs, not only India. I took some notes. Watch the video from 4:02 mins- 3 mins of your time!

1. The worst thing you can do to a country is to give everyone a sense of dependency on an outside force. You have to create sustainability that is…

I attended  Global Insight Brown Bag in which three speakers Naama Raz-Yaseef, Ph.D., Carla…

At  Global Fund for Children. we have introduced Constellation’s SALT and community life competence process (CLCP) to some NGO partners in India. SALT helps the NGO staff to step back and create space for the children, youth and community to carve their own path based on their strengths. Recently I visited to learn from the communities of two NGOs – Avani (Maharashtra State) and Rural Aid (West Bengal state)

Weaving the common dream- Outsiders tend to offer project…

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. …

At the marketplace in the Global Learning Fest, Beyond Social Services shared about their 'Sew We Can' initiative. This is an example of CLCP and SALT in Singapore.

Challenge due to the lockdown during the pandemic

Before the pandemic, Beyond had been supporting a group of women to earn through baking products. As women lost their livelihood after the pandemic, 'Sew can we' initiative was born and example of adapting…

During the Global Learning Festival- day two i.e. 2nd Oct, we went live with a youth group in Eastern Kenya- Aun, Autry, Bhakynti, Bono, Joseph, Ornella, Sylvereen, Wiwin, Widah and Rituu

How the group was set up

The local church and SALT facilitators encouraged setting up of a village youth group. This consists of young boys and girls and also some children.What motivates them is the needs of the community. For instance during the COVID-19 pandemic they…

We met on Zoom during the Global learning Festival on 1st Oct'21 and watched the video of Thai community response to COVID-19- Loli, Rafique, Swathi, Usman, Widad,and Rituu. 

Experience_EN from As You Open Your Eyes on…

In Jan-Feb'21- Ramaiah International Centre for Public Health Innovations (RICPHI) evaluation for our project was out and Constellation team was planning a webinar on the project. The HealthRise Transition grant funded by Medtronic Foundation and implemented jointly by MAMTA- Health Institute for Mother and Child, Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), in which the Constellation, worked toward reducing premature mortality associated with NCDs through SALT and Community…

I am very upset that I am writing this as I have suffered a major loss with passing away of Dr Jana, one of my mentors.

When at UNAIDS, I had exchanged emails with him. I left UNAIDS. First of my assignments happen to be the IDRC project on documentation and advocacy by sex workers with Dr Veronica Magar. This 2 year project was with DMSC and WNU when I  got to collaborate with DMSC team of Paramita, Santanu, Mitra di, Samaita and others. I went on to…

My SALT journey- part one I will share one of the reasons which made it my path...there are many paths but I chose this.

Communities and institutions hand-in-hand

A growing trend and a positive one is to decentralise grantmaking, moving to participatory and flexible funding based on principles of trust. I found it very encouraging and want to share with members of this platform. These are my takeaways from LLC Webinar -Lessons in Leadership from the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project…

Laura Simms had joined us for a Knowledge Fair in Assam where we brought the communities together to share and exchange. So when there was a presentation organised by Taos Institute on the Assam project and Knowledge Fair, Laura joined us. Here are our thoughts on the presentation sent to me by email. The title of the blog is from Laura. …

(I am sharing the email exchange I had with Alison and Ian Campbell on how they have facilitated their local neighbourhood in the UK to respond to Covid. .Alison and Ian have facilitated community  strengths based responses to critical health issues over the past 30 years, inclusive of local faith expression. They coordinate Affirm Facilitation Associates www.affirmfacilitators.org and collaborate with…

Laura Simms, a story teller based in New York, attended the knowledge Fair in Guwahati, Assam (India). This one day event was supported by Taos Institute.

Constellation with CNES and Voluntary Health Association of Assam has been working on community ownership on health in three districts - Bongaigaon, Udalguri and Kamrup rural. On 5th and 6th feb 2020, community members came together to share and learn on the actions they are taking for health of their children.…

Laura Simms, story teller based in New York, attended the knowledge Fair in Guwahati. Constellation with CNES and Voluntary Health Association of Assam have been working on community ownership and action on health in three districts - Bongaigaon, Udalguri and Kamrup rural. On 5th and 6th feb 2020, community members came together to share and learn on the actions they are taking for health of their children. Youth role in this process has been strong.

During the festival Laura visited …

Background

United Nations’ Gender Development Index confirms that countries with a high level of gender equality have higher immunisation coverage. In India, socially constructed roles and behaviors are attributed to men and women. Too often, the burden of child health falls solely on the shoulders of mother. According a GAVI study, making women the primary target of information campaigns merely perpetuates the idea that taking children to be…