Should community decide what they want? why should they dream?

[Rituu B. Nanda]

National Institute of Labour Economics Research and Development (NILERD) is an autonomous Institute under NITI Aayog ( erstwhile Planning commission), Government of India. NILERD organises M&E course for foreign professionals. I took a session on SALT and its application in M&E and development.

We had a lot of discussion around importance of us asking the communities what they want rather than going with our pre-determined agenda. A participant from Kenya remarked that the Kenyan constitution has recently incorporated participatory budgeting and SALT is in tune with that...what are communities priorities.

Here are perspectives of 32 participants from 19 countries on why should we ask the communities what is their dream and support them in realization of their dreams.

Why is it important to dream?

• Dreams make us passionate about the issue we are working on because they are our dreams. “ I feel ownership of my dreams.”- Ashna, Fiji  We are more likely to take action when it is our dream and not the dream of others for us
• Dreams give us hope
• Dreams also make us determined to realize our dreams
• Dreams help us reflect and make us feel alive. When you start dreaming you start living“ Dream makes me feel alive.”-  Harpreet Singh, Fiji
• Dreams give us a sense of purpose what is our destination. They give us sense of direction
• Dreams remind us that it is time to take action
• When others share their dreams with us we feel connection as their dreams our similar to u. One feels with others dreams. 

(Notes were taken during the class by Faizullah from Afghanistan)