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As we walk alongside these communities, we embark on a journey of sharedlearning and growth. This dynamic relationship means that we are in a perpetualstate of learning, deepening our understanding and adapting our strategies. Thisflexible approach allows us to enhance our methods, ensuring that they resonatewith each community’s ever-changing dynamics. Throughout FFTP’s journey, we have come to deeply appreciate the diversity andcomplexity of the communities where we serve. Each one, with its unique set ofcharacteristics and challenges, requires a nuanced and tailored intervention. This iswhy we favor an approach rather than a fixed model when conducting SCDs. Whilea model provides a concrete and structured way of doing something, an approachdictates the perspective and methodology for tackling a challenge. An approachinvolves adapting principles that have stood the test of time to fit varied contexts.Adopting an approach means respecting the multifaceted nature of communitieswithout claiming to have a one-size-fits-all model. While we come armed withexpertise, goodwill and resources, we recognize that the communities where weserve are rich repositories of local knowledge and lived experiences. For Food For The Poor (FFTP) and our in-country partner (ICP) organizations, themost holistic approach to addressing the multiple concerns and dimensions ofpoverty is through our Sustainable Community Development (SCD) projects.Within these projects, we address vulnerabilities, build on existing assets andpromote sustainability. Our projects integrate material interventions with social andspiritual components based on each community’s unique situation. We cover thestrategic areas of housing; education; health; food security and nutrition; economicempowerment; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and social development.FFTP's Approach to SustainableCommunity Development Projects Not a model but an approachAn integrated approach to overcoming multidimensional poverty Our overarching goal with SCDs is to holistically transform lives by addressing thecomplex challenges of poverty — specifically the economic, social and spiritualdimensions — that underserved communities face. SCDs are based on threefoundational pillars: Fundamental Needs, Economic Empowerment and SocialDevelopment, with household-level coaching and Spiritual Developmentharmoniously woven across all pillars.

FFTP's Approach to Sustainable Community Development Projects Each SCD is located in a specific geographic area. In collaboration with localstakeholders, FFTP implements a series of interconnected interventions spanningfive to seven years. These projects can differ in terms of their scale, local contextand the population that they serve. Phase I: Laying the Foundation for DevelopmentAdditionally, Phase I of the project introduces interventions related to theEconomic Empowerment pillar. We begin these interventions by trainingcommunity members in basic financial literacy. We also facilitate small-scaleincome-generating activities (IGAs) to kickstart economic progress within thecommunity. An essential part of this phase is the market opportunity assessment,which informs the action plan for the subsequent phase based on its findings.In this initial phase of the SCD, FFTP primarily addresses interventions related tothe Fundamental Needs pillar. During this phase, our main focus is to supportfamilies in meeting their most critical and fundamental needs. These needs includefood security, along with access to adequate housing, drinking water, sanitationservices, basic education and essential healthcare services. Highly important duringthis phase is the development and capacity building for the community’sleadership committee, as well as establishing or reinforcing other key communitysocial structures.Phase II: Walking Toward Sustainability and ResilienceAdditionally, Phase II focuses on the Social Development pillar by executingcommunity self-management plans. Simultaneously, we and our ICPs design an exitplan with community leaders to formally transfer the project's responsibility to thecommunity while ensuring its long-term sustainability. Upon completion of Phase I, and guided by project evaluations, FFTP and our ICPscollaboratively design Phase II of the SCD. In this phase, the project shifts its focusto the Economic Empowerment pillar. This pillar includes implementing large-scaleIGAs, establishing stable market linkages for products and creating opportunitiesfor enhanced employability. Phase II also strengthens the community’s health,nutrition and education, where applicable and needed.

EconomicEmpowermentSocial DevelopmentFundamentalNeedsHousing constructionWASH trainingFood security Community infrastructure Basic education services Basic health services Market opportunityassessment Technical and soft skillstraining Financial literacy andsavings supportAsset transfer Small-scale IGAsCommunity’s social systemdevelopmentCapacity building andleadership training Children’s and youthdevelopment Phase I: Setting Foundationsfor DevelopmentExecution of communityself-management plans Development of exit planand sustainability strategyLarge-scale IGAsMarket linkages Employability opportunities Phase II: Walking TowardSustainability and ResilienceComprehensive nutritionprogram Community health programEarly child developmentand stimulation YearsCoaching and Spiritual Development Monitoring, Evaluation, Design, Accountability and Learning (MEDAL) activities The following image provides an overview of the typical interventions included ineach phase of an SCD:FFTP's Approach to Sustainable Community Development Projects