“This is me, this is what I should be doing,” Patricia Kamende from Kenya is full of excitement when she talks about the Visual Journey filming training she is currently following in the context of the Link and Learn process.
News from the field
Voice Multi-Country Grantees Built a Common Dream
On the 25th of August, representatives of all 19 multi-country grantees from the three regions built the common dream for an inclusive world.
“We are all diverse in terms of the work that we do in our organization and of our personal advocacy, but we bloomed into having a common dream of equality, respect, and caring for one another and for nature.”
“The sharing; the presence of the people, though virtual, is full of positive energy complementing one another!”
In Algeria, SALT Continues Spreading!
In June, new groups of facilitators were trained in the SALT-CLCP approach in the cities of Annaba, Béjaïa, Oran, and Tamanrasset. In total 71 persons from civil society and the medical sector came together. They applied SALT and CLCP to themselves as they built their dreams for their cities in 15 years from now, when free and equal access to health would really be achieved.
First concert of the International Women’s Choir of IJburg & Zeeburgereiland
The members of the Women’s Café made one of their dreams come true. On the 20th and the 21st of May, women from Amsterdam performed with music and stories of strong women who were Heroines to them.
CAMEROON—The Cho Ngafor Foundation’s Online SALT Programme
“The Cameroon team’s Online SALT Programme is progressing well despite challenges related to national insecurity, poor electricity, and internet. The team members remain enthusiastic and determined,” says coach Autry Haynes.
KENYA—L’Afrikana’s Dream Building Training
“When we bring our individual dream to the circle, we discover that we have so much in common.”
SALT-CLCP training of L’Afrikana in Kenya on the 20th of May.
First SALT Visits in Algeria: Migrants, Iftar, and Emotions
The new teams of SALT-CLCP facilitators in Algeria have started their first SALT visits, with distance support from The Constellation coaches Taha, Luc, Loli, and Marlou.
Shared organisation dream—a driving force for the staff
“Everyone joins an NGO with a dream to achieve something. Generally, no one asks the staff what their dream is. So, when you asked this question, it forced me to think about my own dream. Collective dream building enabled me to align my dream with other staff. Now I feel that I am working towards a personal as well as organisational dream.” Imran, one of the Avani staff members.
A Joyful Kick-Off for The Constellation in a New Partnership with Voice
In The Constellations newest partnership, Voice and The Constellation collaborate to facilitate a learning from experience process between 19 rightsholder groups that have their activities in Cambodia, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, The Philippines, and Uganda. Their activities are aimed at reaching an inclusive world through emancipation and listening to all: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people, people with disability, vulnerable elderly and youth, women facing exploitation, abuse, and/or violence, and indigenous people and ethnic minorities.
Four-day training of actors involved in improving the access to health services in Algeria
As part of his project initiated by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and supported by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) local office in Algeria, a team from The Constellation trains 32 people in facilitation of SALT-CLCP. This training is the first step in a capacity building process aimed at increasing and improving the involvement and access to health care of target populations, including migrants.
Virtual Global Learning Festival – Positive impact in Kenya
In January, the Kenya Facilitation Team made a visit to communities that hosted the 2021 Global Learning Festival (GLF). The intent of the visit was to Stimulate, Appreciate, Learn and Transfer (SALT) together and reflect on the GLF experience.
Sujaag – Collective Action for HIV de-stigmatisation in District Larkana, Pakistan
Historically, HIV campaigns in Pakistan have focused on fear-based messaging around prevention and medical information, which may have further propagated stigma and discrimination, deteriorating health outcomes of those affected. To address this challenge and create acceptance for, while addressing stigma against, people with lived experiences of HIV, Sujaag (meaning ‘to-awaken’) – a hybrid community engagement and mass communications project by IRD – was launched in the region.
Funding Community-Led Responses – A Conversation
“It is amazing what you can achieve in connecting from all over the world for 90 minutes!”
The community development process in Lumsi, Thailand, is moving forward
After self-assessment and identification of 3 priorities, villagers started to clean up their canal even before the development of their action plan.
Faith Foundation’s first SALT visits preparation and feedback
“We began our first SALT visits in the beginning of 2022. We were thrilled to explore and learn with & from the people in the community.”
Flourishing Neighbourhoods Webinar: “Transformative and inspiring”
In November 2021, The Constellation hosted a two sessions webinar on the topic of Flourishing Neighbourhoods. People from different continents attended the webinar session and shared their thoughts, ideas, and experiences regarding the topic.
Go Girl Kenya, creating a safe space where teenagers flourish
Onesmus Mutuku facilitated a 3-day workshop at l’Afrikana, a community-based organisation that, among other activities, facilitates sharing and learning to prevent teenage pregnancies.
The team explored SALT, home visits, and action plans.
Launch “Dorcus Beads: Bringing Back Life” leaves audience moved
The short movie ‘Dorcus beads: Bringing back Life’ was launched on Saturday 13 November, online for a small international audience and offline in the community in presence of the new filmmakers and local movie stars. Communities share their own story: that is now possible.
Virtual Global Learning Festival – Feedback from participants
“V-GLF—a spark plug for learning from the Community.” “We are not telling what to do, but we share what we do.” “First time ever interacting with people all over the world. It was overwhelming. I did learn about the work of different organisations, especially during COVID times and how they carry out their SALT process with the communities.”
More participants feedback
“All Women Aboard – Daring to Dream”
Photo: The participants of the All Women Aboard SALT-CLCP training guide us in how the training is shaped. As we were sharing thoughts and feelings, a participant proposed to sit on the floor, just as it is done in Syria. This picture shows how the atmosphere within...
Virtual Global Learning Festival – SALT visits in Kenya
The second day of the V-GLF, participants were invited to dive into communities in Kenya in real time as if they were in the homes and villages on the spot, asking questions directly, then synthesising the lessons learnt and experiences, by teams then in plenary.
We visited communities and homes in Kithituni, Iiani and in Khumbuni, and the Dorcus Beads organization.
Virtual Global Learning Festival- Warming Up 2
Less then 2 weeks to go to the Virtual Global Learning Festival!
Update number 2 for participating teams and individuals.
Virtual Global Learning Festival- Warming Up 1
Warm Up message 1, for participants in The Constellation Global Learning Festival.
Local SALT Teams across the globe getting ready for the Virtual Global Learning Festival (V-GLF)
Thirteen local SALT teams and 20 individual SALT supporters, a total of 60 individuals, have enthusiastically registered for the V-GLF that will take place between the 1st and 4th of October 2021. The teams come from Belgium, the Netherlands, Pakistan, India, Singapore, RDC, Burundi, Indonesia, Uganda, and the USA. They will share and learn from their very diverse experience with community actions on global issues and especially from the Kenyan team and communities. During virtual SALT visits, the communities in Kenya will also share what they are proud of and what they have learned.
Visual Journey in Kenya
In The Constellation’s project “Visual Journey”, we are handing the camera and microphone to the community, so that they fully take ownership of their story and how they tell it. After two months of online training in filming, the young team in Kenya, Anthony, Francis, and Florence, now feel confident. They have started filming beautiful scenes, and they have done the first interviews in their community. Anthony says: “We were excited about the interviews. Actually, we were having a normal conversation – through the lens of a camera.”
Presenting Dorcus Beads community in Kenya
Dorcus Beads is one of the communities that The Constellation will visit during its annual Global Learning Festival (virtually, this year) and that will capture their Visual Journey.
The Constellation’s 2020 report is available!
We are pleased to share with you The Constellation 2020 Report: https://the-constellation.org/the-constellation-report-2020-english
“2020. Covid-19 put the world upside down. The ‘normal’ in the lives of organisations, communities, neighbourhoods, families, and individuals was challenged. Also, for The Constellation, its teams, its partners and its members. This annual report makes a tour around the world and the account makes us hopeful.”
Visual Journey
The Constellation is developing a new film project called Visual Journey. It is inspired by the lessons learned from the As You Open Your Eyes film project.
Online training for Beyond Social Service Singapore
The facilitation team at their After-Experience Reflection on the first day of the SALT-CLCP virtual training for Beyond Social Services Singapore. Gerlita Condino-Enrera and Myrna Alvarez Maglahus of Pinoy Competence (The Constellation in the Philippines),...
Go Girl! Virtual SALT visit of local teams from three continents to the Cho Ngafor foundation in Cameroon
Under the Go Girl project, local teams from three continents made a virtual SALT visit to the Cho Ngafor foundation and talk of menstruation.
Good news from Go Girl project
The Triodos Foundation contributes 10’000 Euro to the multi-country project for teenagers. And inspiration from a Virtual SALT visit to Babes, Singapore.
Global Learning Festival goes online
The Global Learning Festival (GLF), leading event facilitated by The Constellation, is this year organised online in response to the need for international connections and continued work despite the pandemic. From 1 to 4 October 2021 The Constellation and Kenyan communities offer a unique opportunity to share and learn around the theme: ‘ANCHORING ENERGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE LOCAL RESPONSE’.
Inclusive projects by neighbours for the neighbourhood in The Netherlands
During 2020, eight neighbours in Amsterdam-East followed the SALT-CLCP training, online when required. They were accompanied during one year by a coaching team of The Constellation. Two inclusive projects by neighbours for the neighbourhood have started.
Evaluation shows the impact of our SALT-CLCP methodology
RICPHI report improvement in behaviour towards better health thanks to community conversations, peers/family support and community engagement.
Hope and Resilience for 2021
Hope, connection, resilience, respect, challenges and Coiwepo*. When The Constellation Board Committee reflected on 2020, they found those words were both our strength and our challenge this past year. “We will bring all the good things that we learned from it with full energy into the new year”.
16 years The Constellation
On the 8th of December 2004 the founding members of The Constellation formulated their dream: We would stimulate and connect local responses around the world. Happy birthday to us!
Success stories for the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases
Stories of change are part of the mixed method evaluation of the effectiveness of the SALT-CLCP approach for enhanced community ownership of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Patients and health workers share how SALT impacts their lives.
Wisdom Centre opened in Entebbe
The older persons in Entebbe are one step closer to living their dream, as Uganda opens a unique Wisdom Centre! The centre is a safe space for young and old.
SALT and Primary Health Care in Action
The Constellation is proud to contribute a chapter with learning about SALT-CLCP in the recent book publication Achieving Health for All: Primary Health Care in Action, edited by David Bishai and Meike Schleiff.
SALT and the Stage
Ghalia and iSiZ from VrouwenCafé Amsterdam sought advise from CLCP-SALT facilitators in a peer-assist: How can we make sure there are equal opportunities for all to contribute in the production of a creative performance?
SALT on alcoholism and bonded labour in participatory action research
SALT was used with participatory action research to respond to bonded labour and to alcohol abuse in the state of Bihar, India, where all alcohol consumption is stigmatised and illegal.
Wrapping Research Questions in SALT
The Community Engagement Centre (CEC) and the Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre used the strength approach of SALT to a bilateral learning experience about living with COVID. This meant unlearning some of the conventional research practices and getting the hang of reflexivity* as a tool to monitor one’s own learning.
Amsterdam SALT trainees gather inspiration during lockdown
In Amsterdam a group of neighbours have found in SALT visits a good tool to stay inspired during lockdown. They learned from others, about sustaining connections in the neighbourhood, both online and offline.
Staying connected after the end of the project
Roots of Hope stimulates youth entrepreneurship in Burundi with SALT-CLCP. This impressive harvest of colocase by one of the youth has made people curious to know how he was able to obtain it.
The Constellation Belgium 10 years old
BelCompetence (BC) celebrated with joy its 10th anniversary and the family spirit that unites its members.
Valenciennes’ Youth Council for Development
Youths in Valenciennes have their own Development Council. The Constellation Belgium helped the group to build a common dream for Valenciennes and to reflect on how to materialise it. Thereby was born the project of the Talents Festival of the Valenciennes Region. COVID-19 has turned the action plan upside down, but the path was worth it.
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