Ever been part of a project for you or your community? Who brought it? What was it supposed to do? Why did people participate? What resources were given? How long did it last?
The problem with traditional projects is that
- Someone else decides what they think you or your community needs
- The project brings resources, but no one is assigned to manage, fix or maintain the resources after the project
- The community has no power to direct or change how the project works for the community
- The project has a limited time and then it’s gone
This project has a different design. We believe that successful projects are:
- guided by the community
- teach the community how to sustain the project
- has built-in rewards for the community and its members
- expands opportunities, networks, skills and possibilities for participants
- can continue to operate once the community can direct its benefits