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March
Togetherness Foundation, an organization of intercultural consultants from the Netherlands, visited the Interfaith Network on AIDS from Thailand
28 Feb – 4 March 2010
Togetherness Foundation, an intercultural organization from the Netherlands, visited the InterFaith Network on HIV/AIDS from Thailand. Together with Constellation coaches, they introduced the SALT approach and did several SALT visits together. This exchange is supported by Oxfam Novib from the Netherlands. The focus of the exchange was about SALT and interfaith work with communities.
“A kind of magic”
23-25 March, Thailand
From March 23rd to 25th, the Constellation received representatives from 6 Asian Country Teams, for a 3 day-meeting in Chiang Mai. The Asian Development Bank will support the start-up costs for the 6 teams so that they can scale up the AIDS Competence Process in their country. “It is refreshing that India, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are on the same journey, flowing on the same river”, said Myrna, from Pinoy Competence (Philippines). And what a journey! Indeed, during the meeting, we really travelled together on the same boat, on the SALTy river, all around Asia.
The Constellation Support Team works from the heart of Africa, in DR-Congo
Leaving from Thailand, via Guyana, with a stop-over in Belgium and finally arriving in Kinshasa, Laurence and Gaston, Facilitator Share and Transfer of the Constellation Support Team, came to learn from RDCCompétence, the national facilitation team in DR-Congo, and exchange experience. The team spends eight weeks together to share and enrich experiences. "We've already seen a lot of facilitation teams in the world. RDCCompétence is so strong and is an example for others," Gaston said after a few days.
Disabled people show their abilities by sharing their experience at the Knowledge Fair in Maputo
22-23 March, Maputo, Mozambique
Associations of disabled people (blind, deaf, physically disabled) and AIDS organisations across 3 provinces in Mozambique met in Maputo to share their experience with local responses. “I learned some good practices. I believe that there are some organizations that are doing much more than what we heard so far, but they don’t think it is that important. The Knowledge of what is happening is not only on paper,” shared a participant at the Knowledge Fair.
During this Knowledge Fairs, participants also took stock of progress in the country. The AIDS Competence Process has been transferred to 269 facilitators, 113 organisations and 176 communities.
Blog of the month: Honouring Commitment to Women as Standard Bearers of Humanity...The Beijing Declaration needs implementation now
Nicole Rhonda Cole from Guyana share: “The time has arrived for Women to be treated with Value and Respect by their male Partners...For too long Women were made to endure slavery, debauchery, exploitation and oppression by the Men in their lives who continue to beat, maim and kill them with impunity and without remorse...” Many members reacted to her blog posting but also to the comments. Marijo, John-Pierre, Laurence and other friends from Guyana shared their experience or showed their care and support to Nicole. The exchange is a beautiful expression of our common humanity.
More on Nicole’s blog: Honouring Commitment to Women as Standard Bearers of Humanity
Member of the month: Sandrine Ruppol, the god-mother of RDCCompétence
"The AIDS Competence Process allowed me to overcome the prejudices I had. I interact with people in a totally different way from before because I saw them differently. I'm listening more and I’m more aware of the other person’s differences, questions and his or her value. We're in a world where we all exchange a lot between cultures, social groups or colors. We need to create another universe. "
February
A SALT revolution in Guyana
2-10 February, Guyana
Five teams in Guyana learned about the facilitation of the AIDS Competence Process during a 9 day learning event. This first learning event in the Americas was financed by UNAIDS.
“After 28 of years being involved with drugs and crime, the old Marc has died, a new Marc is implanted and it has been a remarkable transformation,” shared Marc Dannett, one of the participants who works with prisoners.
Mali learning event à Sikaso
8-12 February, Mali
About fifty participants from Sikasso, a region in Mali, met for 3 days to learn about the facilitation of the AIDS Competence Process. Participants were introduced to the new Apprenticeship programme or ‘Blended Learning’ available on CD-rom. Teams throughout Sikasso will go through the programme together with the accompaniment of a coach, reading the modules and practicing every step of the process in the field. Within the next five years, 50% of communities will be reached.
Hivos partners from India, Eastern and Southern Africa exchange their experience
8-10 February, Kenya
Participants from 11 Hivos partners from India, Eastern and Southern Africa came together from 8-10 February in Nairobi. During this first meeting, partners identified issues and learned methods to exchange their experience and they planned to do joint activities with other partners.
Indumathi (SIAAP) added that “One person at a lower level does not need to reinvent the wheel to get to a higher level in a certain practice. They need only to connect with someone with higher experience”.
Member of the month: “The SALT approach saves lives”
“My name is Dadi Ndeli. I am facilitator of RDC Competence, the National Facilitation Team in DR-Congo. Since my childhood, I dreamt of contributing to the development of human beings. In the beginning when I was peer educator, I felt more important than all the rest because all the information came from me. With the SALT approach, I discovered that that most of the solutions to problems of the community are in the community itself. In the village of Djese, in Kasai, for instance, the SALT approach even saved lives.“
Blog of the month: Not easy to be gay in Burundi
I'm Diomede, I'm gay, I'm 27. I am the eldest of four children, from a peaceful family who gave me everything (I mean all that was necessary without giving in to all my desires). I was born and I grew up in town.
Currently I work for an NGO where I am responsible for social issues. Before having this job, I volunteered in the association Humure that fights against all forms of discrimination and supports the development of those who suffer. Being Gay in Burundi is not easy, but compared to other African countries I would say that we live in a fairy tale. More on the blog on Community Life Competence community
News from national facilitation teams
Sierra Leone Competence: The Fight against Malaria in Imperi
February 2010, Sierra Leone
The Malaria Competence Approach is having tremendous impact in reducting malaria sicknesses and deaths in the community particularly children and women in Imperi Chiefdom as reported by the local communities. “To date, no infant, child and maternal deaths were recorded since April 2009 after the facilitation of the Malaria Competence Approach,” shared a community members.
Funded by World Vision Ireland, the Malaria Competence Approach was piloted by World Vision Sierra Leone to Roll Back Malaria in 9 villages in the Imperi ADP, Bonthe district, Southern Sierra Leone. Four villages that chose to intervene on malaria such as Momaligie, Samahun, Mowonde and Sokoloh implemented a targeted LLIN distribution for school children, pregnant women and lactating mothers in June 2009.
BarnaCompetence: Spain also starts dreaming...
On Monday we had our first meeting in Barcelona with about 30 people to start working on TB Competence. A group with an incredible energy and motivation and enthusiasm with which they could change the world. In just four hours, we have built a common dream and started to outline some 12 practices to become TB Competent. More about TB Competence in Spain
January
Peer assist on the Blended Learning Programme in Geneva
The Constellation and Norwegian Center for Telemedicine (NST) have completed a two year project to develop a Blended Learning Programme. They invited a group of about twenty people representing the World Council of Churches, Aga Khan Development Network, UNAIDS, WHO, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others to a workshop in Geneva on 12 and 13 January 2010. Participants gave their advice in the implementation of the Blended Learning Programme.
Florence Beraud, a participant, commented: “Blended learning fully reflects the approach of the Constellation. It is a learner-centered approach. You sustain people’s learning through connections to peers, a mentor and interesting content.”
From AIDS to Life
Aids is a source of suffering. Yet our experience tells us that where communities have dealt effectively with a specific life concern, people are competent to deal with other life issues as well. "The issue of HIV forced us to get organized. Now, we feel confident that we can deal with any other issue in the future," explains Khun Sumalee from Ban Pang Lao in Thailand.
And so we have come to understand that we need to build a bridge that links AIDS Competence with Community Life Competence. Visit our new website, which reflects our thinking: http://www.communitylifecompetence.org
Mobilising our efforts for a voice at Vienna
Can we as a constellation of connected people, groups and organizations who have experience with facilitating local responses, mobilize to share our experiences and results at the upcoming XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna?
Here is the catch: we need to submit as many abstracts as possible by February 10. Please go ahead and submit abstracts with your experience using the Community Life Competence Approach and/or elements of it, such as Aids Competence, Self Assessment or SALT, Human Capacity for Response. Highlight results and measurable progress, for example through self-measurement of change.
Khadija Ounchif supporting immigrant communities in Brussels
Khadija was sitting across from me in an old cafe near Madou, Brussels. We just did a visit to an association that teaches French to immigrant women. During the visit, Khadija was so radiant among the Turkish women, Moroccan, Congolese, Colombia and Bulgaria.
"What inspires me is to build bridges between different immigrant communities in Belgium. The 'mothers' from Moroccan and Congolese origin certainly have common challenges. Ultimately, we experience the same thing, we experience immigration. "
Membership meeting approves the 2010 plan and budget
18- 25 Jan, around the world
Voting members of the Constellation approved the 2010 Work plan and budget of the Constellation Support Team during the Membership meeting of 18-25 January. The plan has as theme: Reaching out to the Global Facilitation Team, towards Community Life Competence
Happy 2010
“2009 saw four major advances: first, our common vision evolved from AIDS Competence towards Community Life Competence; second, we consolidated our way of thinking, our way of working and related facilitation tools through the development of our blended learning program; third we can now learn and share with other Constellation members through Ning; fourth, we better understand our organizational model –the starfish!- and have at our disposal a “suitcase” of processes and tools for the Constellation Support Team and the support teams of Member organizations.” Jean-Louis Lamboray, chair of the Constellation, in his New Year’s message.
December
Teams from across Mali shared their experience in Sikasso
16-17 December, Mali
Support and Learning Teams from across every region in Mali came together for two days in Sikasso, Mali for a National Knowledge Fair. Participants shared many stories of local responses against HIV. “Participants highly appreciated the Knowledge Festival. Communication was easy because there was no strict protocol. We exchanged as if we were sitting under the tree in our village,” explained Mr Samoura, from ‘Mutuelle de Santé Régionale’ in Sikasso.
Constellations first Lustrum: a purification ?
« Today, 7 December 2009, is a grey and rainy day in my part of the world. And the day risks to go by without further mentioning. But it is not that we have no reason to celebrate. Exactly 5 years ago on a day that was exactly as grey as today, eleven people came together in a dark meeting room just outside Geneva. They lightened up that day with a vision of a Constellation of connected stars supporting each other in becoming AIDS Competent. They made that vision concrete with the foundation of the Constellation.
How SALT and Religion can explain each other?
« We had a good chance to welcome people from Myanmar and Indonesia to experience “ SALT ” through our SALT Visit Programmes in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. In the programmes, we visited the communities where they are applying SALT as their way of thinking/working and also linking it to their religion’s beliefs. […] Our friends from Myanmar were very impressed by the role of the Buddhist monks at this center and how the Buddhist’s principles/teachings helped community people to understand better about HIV/AIDS. « As a monk, I believe that I have a responsibility to ensure that people in my community will behave good, think good, do good […]» said the abbott of Jedi Maekrua, Phra Kru Samuhhavichern. » More on the blog of Lawan
November
Facilitators from pastoral communities eager to reduce their HIV risk
2-6 November, Ethiopia
Fifteen representatives from the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction and its partners met for a five-day learning event in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. They explored how to integrate the AIDS Competence Process and Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction approaches in disaster risk locations. “We have been focusing more on visible threats to communities [like floods and droughts], but now we see how we can use CMDRR and ACP to address the concern of HIV which is often invisible for a long time,” shared a participant.
Burmese and Indonesian NGOs learn from Buddhist and Muslim communities in Northern Thailand
9-10 and 16-17 November, Thailand
In November, the Constellation organized two SALT visits: one with a group of Burmese NGOs and one with members of the Layak Foundation from Indonesia. Participants interacted with three different communities: the Buddhist temple of Jedi Maekrua, the health center of Ta Wang Tan, and the Young Muslim Network in Thailand. Both groups learned a lot from the strengths of Thai communities.
Young people talk about reproductive health in a strict Muslim district of Indonesia
17-20 November, Indonesia
Since June 2009, facilitators in Manonjaya, West Java, have been applying the Constellation’s approach in Adolescent Reproductive Health. In November, a group of national facilitators and a Constellation coach visited the team to review the progress and conduct SALT visits. The local team realized that the approach was not limited to reproductive health of adolescents. One of the mothers shared her insight: “It is not about others, it is about me. I have to look at myself first. Then I can work with others, like my children.”
The Indonesian Knowledge Fair: a huge success
23-25 November, Indonesia
More than 45 facilitators from seven provinces in Indonesia came together in Jogjakarta to share their experience with the AIDS Competence Process. They reconnected on a human level, as Rebeka Sultana shared: “The meeting was a blast! We are one team. We are Indo Competence. We are connected and we learn from each other about our lives.”
Article in KM4Dev Journal
We are happy to share with you the pre-print of the article 'Believing in the human capacity to respond to HIV and malaria: sharing experiences on a human level for global impact', by Schmitz, Gaston and Forth, Philip. The final version was published in the Knowledge Management for Development Journal, 5;2, 173-184. 2009, copyright Taylor & Francis and is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?bios=tru &content=10.1080/18716340903201512#b916991487
Download the pre-print version
The Constellation in the Starfish newsletter
The Constellation is included in the Newsletter of Rod Beckstrom, one of the top CEOs in the US who co-wrote the book: “The Starfish and the Spider”. “We gradually realized that our global support team of five people fulfils the same functions as a district team in East-Congo or a community team in India. They just have a different scope. We naturally evolved into a fractal organization,” wrote Gaston Schmitz, facilitator Transfer, in the article published in the Starfish newsletter.
SALT visit with Truckers - Nagaland (India)
"The parking lot owner, the drivers, helpers, and garage workers gathered around in anticipation of an awareness session on HIV. We however introduced ourselves and started sharing about the hopes and concerns in each other’s family and professional life. They shared how eager they were that their children be healthy, educated and eventually become professionals. One of them is saving money to buy a truck." Read more on Father Joe's blog
RDC Competence
Capacity building day for facilitators
Once again, learning doesn’t stop on our journey. On 3 October 2009, the secretariat of RDCCompétence organized a capacity building day to share experiences around Malaria Competence.
The Concertations on AIDS reach momentum
Friday 23 October, representatives of all the concertations in Kinshasa organised, at the office of RDCCompétence, a meeting to reflect. They reflected on what works well, what doesn’t work, on the way of doing in order to improve and on the best strategy to adopt to involve the health zones.
(Concertations are local networks of associations, communities and health centers, organized par neighbood.)
More about news from RDCCompétence
October
Mizoram leads the way in community response to HIV
29 Sept- 1 Oct, Mizoram, India
An event was organised from 29th Sept to 1st Oct for NGOs from Nagaland and Assam in India funded by UNAIDS and SIDA, to provide insights into the highly successful community based approach of the Community Health Action Network (CHAN), Aizawl. CHAN approach is significantly related to the AIDS Competence Process, that people are the principal actors of their own change. “I have not seen or heard the AIDS competence Process (ACP). I have seen ACP lived”, said, Fr. Joe, Director, People in need Foundation.
Mainstreaming HIV Competence in Churches
12-15 October, Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya
Three Constellation coaches met the Church leaders in a consultation meeting at Nairobi in October 2009. One of the objectives was to share the Constellation’s experience on ‘measuring HIV Competence’. After a SALT visit in Kithituni, Calle Almedal, one of the participants said: “I did hesitate a lot before going to the exposure visit, I do not like the visits and thought we would see endless rows of HIV positive people in despair. That visit, and all your answers to my endless questions, made the curtain go up.”
Constellation Voting Members meet virtually
26-30 October 2009, around the world
The twelve Constellation Voting members have been meeting virtually in the week of 26-30 October 2009. Also some Constellation friends ‘listened’ to the conversations and gave their suggestions. The meeting discussed the update of the Constellation Charter, the Memorandum of Understanding for Member Organizations, Strategic Direction for Work plan and Budget 2010 and the nomination of a Statutory Auditor.
Acknowledgement and recognition - the flip side
“In the context of a (fiercely) competitive work environment how does one publicly acknowledge someone for their outstanding contribution or excellence without generating jealousy and insecurity among peers/ others? Even within a family or community setting the by-product of acknowledgement and appreciation could often be resentment and agony among others.”
From Meera Mishra, India. Read more on Meera’s blog
September
Burundi Alliance on AIDS and the Constellation are now partners
September, Burundi
The Burundi Alliance on AIDS (ABS) has signed an agreement with the Constellation to act as host organization in Burundi to spread the AIDS Competence Process. This nationwide network will support the development of Burundi Competence, the National Facilitation Team.
Nomadic communities learn about SALT from the Kithituni village
1-4 September, Kenya
Representatives from nomadic communities in Ethiopia and staff members of International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) visited the village of Kithituni in Kenya during the month of September.
The team chose this village because of the long history (since 1997) of local responses. Participants learned about AIDS Competence from the experienced local facilitation team and the community members. They visited two communities during the week, which included home visits and neighbourhood conversations. “We saw that the most important thing is the ‘mind’ of the community – if they believe they can do it, they do it,” shared a participant from Afar.
Thailand National AIDS Foundation came to a deeper understanding of the HIV issue
14-25 September, Thailand
“We have to be aware of our own bias as development workers,” explained Usa Duongsaa during a learning event with the Thailand National AIDS Foundation. Dusit Duangsa and Usa took representatives of 8 provinces on a learning journey to discover more about the AIDS Competence Process, how to deal with stigma and behavioural change issues, and to map resources in the community.
Truckers in Kenya and India will connect virtually to learn from each other
From September to December 2009, truckers from Kenya and India exchanged their experience online. They start by sharing their experience in a sub-group on Ning. The teams will organize a video conference around a specific topic. To enhance the experience, participants will send a ‘package’ with spices, cloths, pictures, music and also concrete material to the other group.
Virtual board meeting on September 28
September 28
The Virtual Board Meeting was held on 28th September to prepare for the Virtual Membership Meeting scheduled in end October to decide on key policies and strategic directions for 2010.
August
“Many people who were hiding at home come out and disclose”
28 July – 4 August, second support visit in Mozambique
Associations working on HIV and disability - like Monaso and Rensida - have set in motion a movement of responses throughout Mozambique. “There has been an increase in the quality of care and support since we started with the AIDS Competence Process. But, it’s been more than AIDS; the tools have been applicable to deal with interpersonal conflicts in the community, and decreasing stigma and discrimination,” explains Olga, a team-member from Monaso.
AIDS Competence at the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific
10-12 August, Indonesia
The sessions about AIDS Competence at the ICAAP in Bali, were a great success. At the skills-building the room was packed with 40 participants. “People did not want to stop their self-assessment exercise even when the organizers came to remind us that there were only 5 more min for our session,” said Sirinate Piyajitpirat, Constellation coach. Many participants expressed their enthusiasm for the approach.
What’s your experience with Acknowledgement and Recognition of HIV?
The Constellation is further shaping the knowledge asset about Acknowledgement and Recognition that was started during the international Knowledge Fair in Chiang Mai, February 2009. On the interactive platform members share experiences and summarize good practices. Our aim is to develop a global knowledge asset that will include experiences from around the world. Therefore we want to learn how communities are improving their competence on Acknowledgement and Recognition. What actions did your community take that have led to progress? Share your experience in the forum.