The past 2 weeks have found Boris, Autry and I in Suriname working with a fantastic team to integrate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) with the community life competence process.  There is the phrase - 'Water is Life'.  We have heard reflections this week that you can have water, but no real 'life' in communities.  Trust, respect and vision are also needed.  The skilled, passionate, committed team in Suriname is going to teach us all alot about this in the coming months.  Thank you in…

I want to share an experience on creating a new framework and would like your input on my main question: when is a framework most effective?

Creating a Self Assessment Framework in Surinam

We're applying the CLCP to WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) in 16 villages in Surinam. During the first week of the project we transfered the process to 30 trainers and facilitators. During this week we also created the…

In Surinam during 2011 we (Autry Haines, April Foster and me) facilitated a WASH program with 20 villages in the interior. We cooperated with the Surinam Red Cross, The PeaceCorps, FOB and Unicef. Core to the program was the integration of CLCP and the International Red Cross WASH program named PHAST. As this prorgram is well on its way I wanted to share my learning with you. It became quite a document so probably suited for those who really want to get into WASH and are interested in…

"I must say, at first when I was being introduced to this Process, I was apprehensive. I see potential and I kept saying yes it will work, but at the back of my mind, I was thinking somethingelse. Now that I have been with you, these past seven days in the communities, I am appalled at what I see happening, THIS PROCESS WORKS! In fact I am happy that I made the effort…

My catchment had only 20 Toilets by then in 2016. It was a pathetic place to live in.Imagin out of 700 households only 20 where functional. Being new in the area wondering were to start from clouded with alot of sorrow and thoughts seeing a lot of diarrhoea diseases such as dysentery and heavy diarrhoea. It was not easy beloved friends. Our community is gifted with a lot of natural resources but all it needed was skills.Friends down the lane we started teaching…

This journey began in May 2011 when I return from the learning experience applying CLCP to WASH in Suriname. I was aware of a similar project in Guyana being implemented by Red Cross. Now I understand that it as a collaboration of the French and Guyana Red Cross project but that had ended but that a new phase was about to begin. A casual conversation with Xavier Zimmerman and Suparna Bera-Narine resulted in “We are interested in you making us, our Facilitators SALTy or learn the…

Last night, I had a heartfelt chat with Sneha Apu, a fantastic person I met during a past training session.

Sneha Apu is as sweet as the advice she gives. We both shared our challenges and extended kind words to each other.

What made our talk even more special was realizing we were both facing similar hurdles. In no time, we bonded over our shared experiences. After our conversation, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, and a renewed enthusiasm sparked within.

In moments…

What is a local response and how can I help?

Local teams respond to their current challenges and work towards longer-term dreams by encouraging local ownership of issues and solutions. This is what we mean by a local response.

Some teams have more pressing needs than others at any given time, and would benefit greatly from your support now.

In Sankuru, together against monkeypox

In Sankuru,…

SALT Champions have been encouraging the community as part of their action plans for safe drinking water in Borjana village under Srijangram health Block, Bongaigaon district in Assam, India. The action plan came after they compiled their dream and did self assessment of their dream. As a result 50-70% people in the village have started boiling or filtering water. They use hand made water filters. 

 Photos of dream building and self assessment meeting held on 22nd…

As the Constellation ventures into 2015, it is with sincere appreciation I am reflecting on the overwhelming response from all of you towards the Nomination of The Constellation for the 2014 Health Systems Social Media Awards.

It was truly inspiring; it offers hope for what the Constellation can achieve with our accumulative support to local response. Seeing the endorsements was great, but seeing that it came from all continents was so exciting! Showing that 'seeds of SALT'…

I have been facilitating SALT process in Bongaigaon on child health but during COVID-19 lockdown these villages are responding to COVID on their own.

Some families of Kerkhabari village of Bongaigaon, Assam (INDIA) had get the problem on essential food for Lock down. They are daily wage earners and dependent on daily income for survival.

Actions

Action number 1. Daily wage earners are not able to go…

A Fungurume, dans le quartier Lukeka, se trouve le centre de santé Neema. Parmi les 13 membres du personnel de Neema, 2 personnes sont facilitatrices de l’approche SALT. Elles ont invité l’équipe de facilitation à introduire le processus dans le centre.

Les membres de Neema ont construit leur rêve et ils ont choisi de travailler en priorité sur la pratique du lavage…

Qu'est-ce qu'une réponse locale et comment puis-je aider ?

Les équipes locales relèvent les défis qui se présentent à elles et travaillent à leurs rêves à plus long terme en encourageant l'appropriation locale des problèmes et des solutions. C’est ce que nous appelons la réponse locale.

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Les équipes ont parfois besoin d’une aide ponctuelle et urgente et bénéficieraient grandement de votre soutien.

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Village Sakiapara, Udalguri District, Assam (India). We are using CLCP and SALT process for community engagement on immunization and child health. ANM and ASHA are health workers in India

ANM- Initially there were left outs and drop outs in immunization in this village in year 2017. Through SALT approach, ASHA realized that she could tap the community and rope in the women and if they are involved she could get 100% immunisation. Male participation in immunization has improved. Male…

When those in authority become too involved in the community's life, the community becomes dependent and see themselves as recipients of welfare and help. Working in a community with a good mix of low, middle and high income group, it is natural that that rich sees themselves as superior and powerful. They take charge of leadership positions and make decisions they deem to be helpful for the whole community.

I was invited by the Residents Commiittee (RC) to make a presentation to this…

As a public health practitioner and community activist working for health and well-being of community people, I have always seeks a better way to build an admirable understanding between facilitators and community people. During this search I have discover the venerable approach, which I called the “DELA” to, built a trustable relation with community people. We as a facilitator need to very conscious about the various aspects of society, when we visit community with the good…