Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/community-building-locally-helps-children-living-in-poverty-globally/5021155/
It has often been said that it takes the village to raise a child. While that overworked axiom may be just words to many, for those of us who struggle to improve conditions for children living in poverty around the world, it has taken on a deeper meaning.Since 1981, the International Child Resource Institute (ICRI) has been working to develop community solutions to the challenges of early childhood development and education, maternal and child health, orphaned and displaced children, women and young girls, and other key needs as assessed by local communities. ICRI was founded on the belief that we could avoid reinventing the wheel by chronicling and cataloging best practices and key innovations that would allow children to develop best into healthy adulthood. Along this journey, we have reached some key conclusions regarding ‘what works’ when it comes to changing the world for the youngest and most vulnerable children living in poverty.
In order to meet the challenges of change for children, we have conducted hundreds of experiments in program building and community building in the United States and more than 50 other countries in the last 32 years. Those experiments have taught us the following lessons.
All Community Building is ...