When roots are deep, branches will grow

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Global Fund for Children (GFC) emphasizes funding cohorts, groups of organizations with shared interests, to harness social capital and foster transformative change. Within the Addressing Root Causes (ARC) initiative, I co-facilitated the Mangrove Hills Cohort, comprising 5 West Bengal, India organizations. The convening in Sep 2025 marked the fourth cohort under this initiative. We used the SALT & Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) to cultivate ownership in the cohort.

Understanding of a cohort Participants demonstrated a deep understanding of networks and collectives. Drawing from their experience, they emphasized that bonding is essential for bringing people closer. Cohort can be a space through which resources like knowledge, information, contacts, and emotional support can flow between individuals and organizations. 

Non-hierarchical leadership The cohort placed value on rotational leadership, ensuring that younger staff also have opportunities to leadThe Global Fund for Children (GFC) emphasizes funding cohorts, groups of organizations with shared interests, to harness social capital and foster change. 

Reimagining NGO-community relationships Cohort members reflected on their existing mode of engagement with communities, acknowledging that they often “deliver to communities” rather than enabling communities to lead.  ARC initiative, they observed, provides an opportunity to shift ownership to communities as actors of change rather than passive beneficiaries.

Learning and unlearning  Mangrove Hills cohort expressed a desire to learn from earlier cohorts, acknowledging that “we don’t have to repeat the same mistakes.” They underscored periodic reflection for self-correction and collective development.

Connecting communities across cohorts Participants recognized the need to foster inter-community connections across the four ARC cohorts in South Asia. As one participant noted, “we often limit ourselves to connecting with other NGOs, but we need to go beyond this and connect communities to each other.” Communities can also learn from and inspire each other.

Power of appreciation  Participants resonated with the appreciation aspect of the SALT approach, realizing that appreciation must be practiced consciously to shift power both within organizations and toward communities.

Promita, Tomorrow’s Foundation raised a question what can trigger and sustain change I reflected on what I learned from three other ARC cohorts. Cohorts, organizations & communities are like living systems.  Relationships, connection and trust are what build and sustain them. Trust takes time especially when people from multiple organizations come together, they bring different histories and leadership styles. That is why start with relationship building and avoid over-structuring too soon.

Continuous SALT conversations are like oxygen that keeps the cohort alive Sometimes what feels like slowness is the rhythm of people learning to see each other as human beings. When the cohort seems to go off track, we re-center on the cohort's dream and to conduct  the next self-assessment.  In short, the depth & degree of connection are the strong indicators of a thriving cohort

(Facilitation by Indrani, Momota, Sayan, Rana, Ayan & Rituu. First drawing  by Pamela, PSJKS. Drawings of cohort dream are by participants)