Community is the Solution: My Journey with CLCP and SALT

[Vicky Mahato]

After nearly 15 years of working in the social sector, I have participated in many projects, led several initiatives, and achieved many accomplishments. Yet today, I openly admit there is still so much I had yet to understand.

For the first time, I had the opportunity to participate in a program by the Global Fund for Children in Kathmandu. There, I gained a deeper understanding of the Community Life Competence Process and the SALT Approach.

When I joined this learning space, a deep transformation in my thinking began. My perspective on society started to shift. This change was not just about gaining knowledge, it was an inner awakening, something that stirred within me and began to challenge my long-held beliefs.

As I reflected on the past years, memories of the many projects, efforts, and struggles I had been part of came vividly to mind. From the beginning to the end of each project, we invested so much energy and effort, and those moments replayed clearly in my thoughts.

Through many projects, we achieved outcome-level results. Yet one question always remained. why were these achievements not sustainable? Why did their impact fade over time? Why did the changes we created not last in the long term?

After participating in this program, I began to deeply reflect on my own work. Gradually, I realized the issue was not only about resources or effort… the real issue was our approach.

I was reminded of my childhood village. At that time, the ward budget was very limited. Yet whenever a road needed to be built, each household would send one person , some carrying spades, some baskets, some tools. There would be music, and everyone would come together to build roads, dig wells, and create irrigation canals. That was not just development—it was shared responsibility. That was not just work , it was ownership. That is why those structures lasted. Because they carried everyone’s labor, everyone’s care, and everyone felt it belonged to them.

But gradually, this practice disappeared. Today, budgets at the municipal and ward levels have increased. Plans exist, structures are built. But community participation has declined. User committees are limited to a few individuals, and external contractors often carry out the work. Because of this, community members do not feel that the work belongs to them even if the road is built in their own village. They neither actively monitor it nor show strong concern for its quality. That is why many of today’s structures do not last long.

At the same time, divisions within society have increased based on political affiliation, education level, wealth, and caste. These divisions suppress people’s capacities and strengths. Even when people are capable, they begin to depend on others for solutions, increasingly looking outside rather than within.

In many of our projects, we as organizations identified the problems and designed the solutions ourselves. When these projects were implemented in communities, people often perceived them as “the organization’s work.” As a result, groups remain active only during the project period and become inactive once it ends. This is why sustainability becomes a challenge—I have come to deeply realize this.

In this context, the Community Life Competence Process deeply resonated with me. CLCP teaches that communities themselves are capable. They can identify their own challenges, find their own solutions, and take ownership of their development. It is a continuous learning cycle—where communities act, learn from their experiences, and use that learning as a foundation for the next step. And the approach that brings this entire process to life is the SALT Approach.

SALT taught me that:
We are not here to teach, but to learn together.
We are not here to direct, but to walk alongside.

• To stimulate and support communities
  • To appreciate their strengths
  • To listen deeply and learn
  • And to transfer learning while building trust

This process is the foundation of transformation. It changed not only my thinking but my identity. I no longer see society through problems and deficits. I now see the strengths, capacities, and hidden potential within communities. Earlier, I believed that we must provide solutions. Today, I am convinced that solutions are born within communities.

I was reminded of mathematics in grades 9 and 10. To solve any complex problem, the correct formula was essential. If the right formula was applied, even difficult problems became easy to solve.

Today, I feel that social development also requires the right “formula”the Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) and the SALT Approach.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Ritu and Srishti Joshi for giving me this opportunity. Especially their facilitation style, which touches the inner self and inspires us to discover our own strengths has been deeply meaningful to me.

This is not just learning for me. This is an awakening.

And today, I say this with full conviction, our work will no longer remain projects.
our work will become a movement.

समुदाय नै समाधान हो: CLCP र SALT सँगको मेरो यात्रा

समाजिक क्षेत्रमा काम गर्दै आएको करिब १५ वर्ष बित्न लाग्दा, मैले धेरै परियोजनाहरूमा सहभागिता जनाएँ, धेरैको नेतृत्व गरें, र धेरै उपलब्धिहरू पनि हासिल भए। तर आज म खुलेर स्वीकार्छु—धेरै कुरा अझै बुझ्न बाँकी रहेछन्।

पहिलो पटक मैले Global Fund for Children को कार्यक्रममा काठमाडौँमा सहभागी हुने अवसर पाएँ। त्यहाँ मैले Community Life Competence Process र SALT Approach बारे गहिरो रूपमा बुझ्ने अवसर पाएँ।

जब म यस कक्षामा सहभागी भएँ, त्यसपछि मेरो सोच्ने तरिकामा एउटा गहिरो परिवर्तन सुरु भयो। समाजलाई हेर्ने मेरो नजरिया नै बदलिन थाल्यो। यो परिवर्तन केवल ज्ञानको थिएन—यो भित्रैबाट आएको एउटा कम्पन थियो, जसले मेरो पुरानो सोचाइलाई हल्लाइरहेको थियो।

विगतका वर्षहरू सम्झिँदा, मैले गरेका धेरै कामहरू, धेरै परियोजनाहरू, धेरै संघर्षहरू—सबै आँखा अगाडि आए। परियोजनाको सुरुवातदेखि अन्त्यसम्म हामीले जति धेरै मिहिनेत र ऊर्जा खर्च गर्यौं, त्यसका झल्काहरू मनमा फेरि जीवित भए।

हामीले धेरै परियोजनाहरू मार्फत आउटकम स्तरका परिणामहरू हासिल गर्यौं। तर एउटा प्रश्न सधैं मनमा रहिरह्यो—किन यी उपलब्धिहरू दिगो बन्न सकेनन्? किन तिनको प्रभाव समयसँगै हराउँदै गयो? किन हामीले गरेको परिवर्तन दीर्घकालीन रूपमा देखिन सकेन?

यस कार्यक्रममा सहभागी भएपछि, मैले आफ्ना कामहरूको गहिरो पुनरावलोकन गर्न थालेँ। र विस्तारै मैले बुझ्न थालेँ—समस्या केवल स्रोतको थिएन, केवल प्रयासको पनि थिएन… समस्या हाम्रो दृष्टिकोणमा थियो।

मलाई मेरो बाल्यकालको गाउँ सम्झना आयो। त्यतिबेला वडाको बजेट धेरै कम हुन्थ्यो। तर गाउँमा बाटो बनाउनु पर्‍यो भने, प्रत्येक घरबाट एक जना—कोही कोदालो, कोही डोको, कोही कठरा लिएर आउनुहुन्थ्यो। बाजा बज्थ्यो, र सबैजना मिलेर बाटो बनाइन्थ्यो, इनार खनिन्थ्यो, कुलो बनाइन्थ्यो।त्यो केवल विकास थिएन, त्यो साझा जिम्मेवारी थियो। त्यो केवल काम थिएन, त्यो अपनत्व थियो।त्यसैले ती संरचनाहरू टिकाउ थिए। किनकि त्यसमा सबैको पसिना मिसिएको थियो, सबैको माया थियो, र सबैले त्यसलाई “आफ्नो” मानेका थिए।

 

तर बिस्तारै त्यो अभ्यास हराउँदै गयो। आज गाउँपालिका वा वडामा बजेट बढेको छ। योजनाहरू छन्, संरचनाहरू छन्। तर समुदायको सहभागिता घट्दै गएको छ। उपभोक्ता समितिहरू सीमित व्यक्तिहरूमा सीमित छन्, बाहिरका ठेकेदारहरूले काम गर्छन्।यसले गर्दा, गाउँलेहरूलाई त्यो काम आफ्नै जस्तो लाग्दैन। त्यो सडक उनीहरूको गाउँमै बनेको भए पनि, त्यसप्रति अपनत्व हुँदैन।नत उनीहरूले त्यसको निगरानी गर्छन्, न त गुणस्तरप्रति चासो देखाउँछन्।त्यसैले आज बनेका संरचनाहरू लामो समय टिक्न सक्दैनन्।

अर्कोतर्फ, समाजभित्र विभाजनहरू बढ्दै गएका छन्—पार्टी, शिक्षाको स्तर, धनी-गरिब, सानो-ठूलो जात। यी विभाजनहरूले मानिसभित्रको क्षमता र शक्ति दबाउँदै लगेका छन्।मानिसहरू आफैं सक्षम हुँदाहुँदै पनि समाधानका लागि अरूमाथि निर्भर हुन थालेका छन्। समाधान आफैंभित्र खोज्नुको सट्टा, बाहिरबाट खोज्ने प्रवृत्ति बढ्दै गएको छ।

हामीले पनि धेरै परियोजनाहरू गर्दा, समस्याहरू संस्थाले नै पहिचान गर्ने, समाधान पनि संस्थाकै सीमित टोलीले डिजाइन गर्ने गरेका रहेछौं। जब ती परियोजनाहरू समुदायमा लैजान्छौं, समुदायले त्यसलाई “संस्थाको काम” भनेर बुझ्ने गर्छ। यसैले परियोजना चल्दासम्म मात्र समूह सक्रिय हुने, र सकिएपछि निष्क्रिय हुने अवस्था देखिन्छ। यही कारणले दिगोपनामा समस्या आएको रहेछ भन्ने मैले गहिरो रूपमा महसुस गरेँ।

यही सन्दर्भमा Community Life Competence Process ले मलाई गहिरो रूपमा छोयो।CLCP ले सिकाउँछ—समुदाय आफैं सक्षम छ। समुदायले आफ्ना समस्याहरू आफैं पहिचान गर्न सक्छ, समाधान आफैं खोज्न सक्छ, र त्यसको स्वामित्व पनि आफैं लिन सक्छ।यो एउटा निरन्तर सिकाइ चक्र हो—जहाँ समुदायले काम गर्छ, त्यसबाट सिक्छ, र त्यो सिकाइ अर्को कदमको आधार बन्छ। र यो सम्पूर्ण प्रक्रियालाई जीवन्त बनाउने शक्ति SALT Approach हो ।

SALT ले मलाई सिकायो—
हामी सिकाउने होइनौं, सँगै सिक्ने हौं।
हामी निर्देशन दिने होइनौं, साथ दिने हौं।

• समुदायलाई उत्साहित गर्ने (Stimulate) र सहयोग गर्ने (Support)
• उहाँहरूको सामर्थ्यको कदर गर्ने (Appreciate)
• धैर्यका साथ सुन्ने र सिक्ने (Listen & Learn)
• र सिकाइलाई बाँड्दै विश्वास निर्माण गर्ने (Transfer & Trust)

यही प्रक्रिया नै रूपान्तरणको आधार हो। यसले मेरो सोचाइ मात्र होइन—मेरो पहिचान नै परिवर्तन गरिदियो। अब म समाजलाई समस्या र अभावको नजरले हेर्दिन। अब म समाजभित्र लुकेका शक्ति, क्षमता र सम्भावनाहरू देख्छु। पहिले म सोच्थेँ—समाधान हामीले दिनुपर्छ। आज म दृढ छु—समाधान समुदायभित्रै जन्मिन्छ।

मलाई कक्षा ९ र १० मा पढेको गणित पनि सम्झना आयो। कुनै पनि जटिल प्रश्न समाधान गर्न सही सूत्र आवश्यक हुन्थ्यो। सही सूत्र प्रयोग गरियो भने कठिन प्रश्न पनि सजिलै समाधान हुन्थ्यो।

आज मलाई लाग्छ—समाज विकासका लागि पनि सही “सूत्र” यही रहेछ— Community Life Competence Process र SALT Approach।

यसका लागि म रितु र सृष्टि जोशीप्रति हार्दिक आभार व्यक्त गर्न चाहन्छु, जसले मलाई यस कार्यक्रममा सहभागी हुने अवसर दिनुभयो। विशेष गरी, सहजीकरणको त्यो शैली—जसले भित्री मनलाई छुन्छ र आफैंभित्रको क्षमता पत्ता लगाउन प्रेरित गर्छ—मेरो लागि अत्यन्त महत्वपूर्ण रह्यो।

यो मेरो लागि केवल सिकाइ होइन ।यो एउटा जागरण हो।अब म पूर्ण विश्वासका साथ भन्छु । हाम्रो काम अब केवल परियोजना रहने छैन। हाम्रो काम अब आन्दोलन बन्नेछ।

 

[Santi rambari]

Your writing is truly inspiring. I fully agree with your perspective of CLCP as the right “formula” for social development. Looking forward to reading more of your thoughtful insights please keep sharing!

[shristi joshi]

Thank you⁩ for sharing your experience so honestly. The shift you described from doing for the community to walking alongside with them wasn’t just about learning a new process or an approach but it was more about unlearning especially the need to fix, to lead and define outcomes for them. Beautiful!

[Rituu B. Nanda]

The model of development needs to change. Your courage to share such an honest reflection is something we can all learn from, Vicky. Thank you.

[Rowshon Benthi Hossain]

This reflection is truly inspiring and deeply thought-provoking. It beautifully highlights how real, lasting change comes from community ownership, not just external efforts. Your learning from CLCP and SALT reminds us to walk with communities, not ahead of them. Thank you for sharing such an honest and powerful journey.