Send us a textWhat happens when we stop viewing rural communities as problems to be fixed and start recognizing them as powerful agents of their own transformation? The answer unfolds beautifully in this eye-opening conversation with Aminata Kamara and Sheku Mohamed Gassimu Jr. from One Village Partners (OVP), a Sierra Leonean organization revolutionizing how sustainable development happens in remote communities."Communities are not like a white paper. They have knowledge of their lives. They have knowledge of what a thriving community looks like," explains Aminata, OVP's Country Director. This profound respect for local wisdom forms the foundation of their approach, which they describe through the powerful metaphor of a "sharpening stone" – not doing the work for communities, but enhancing capabilities that already exist.Since 2010, OVP has partnered with 70 communities across Sierra Leone, impacting over 75,000 people through three interconnected programs that build local leadership, empower women economically, and enable communities to design and implement their own development solutions. Their methodology stands in stark contrast to traditional aid models, as they intentionally transfer decision-making power to community members at every step – from identifying needs through participatory assessments to collaboratively budgeting for solutions.The conversation delves into the challenges of this approach, including the struggle to secure flexible funding from donors who often prefer predetermined outcomes over community-defined indicators of success. Yet the transformations they witness – women gaining stronger voices in household decisions, men embracing more equitable gender roles, and communities independently solving complex problems – confirm that true sustainability comes when people lead their own development journey.Perhaps most impressive is how OVP practices internally what they preach externally, having transitioned to completely Sierra Leonean leadership while distributing power throughout their organization. As Sheku powerfully concludes, "When communities have the space, the platform to actually lead their own development, they are able to surmount the insurmountable."Ready to rethink how sustainable change happens? Listen now and discover a model that trusts communities to write their own success stories. ____Firmly Rooted - A new documentary on orphanage response - the right way!To view the released trailer and sizzle reel, go to https://firmlyrootedfilm.com/or to https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org__________ ____Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.Contact [email protected] to discuss how. Give to a 25 year legacy - plant seeds of hope! ________Travel on International Mission, meet local leadership and work alongside them. Exchange knowledge, learn from one another and be open to personal transformation. Step into a 25 year long story of change for children in some of the poorest regions on Earth.https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/mission-trips.html******Support the showHelpingchildrenworldwide.org

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