Development is an Attitude

Photo: Simon D. Allen

We recently caught up with one of our members in Lesotho, Khotso Mokotimi of Basotho Building Lesotho (BBL). He is a firm believer in ABCD (Asset Based Community Driven Development). Development agencies have traditionally gone into vulnerable communities with a top down approach-they assess needs instead of tapping into strengths. He shared a compelling story with us about how effective development work is turning the tide.

 Khotso spoke about an historical project that was well-intentioned but unfortunately turned the community against each other. It was at this point in his career that he became motivated to start an agency with roots in ABCD development principles.

“Instead of exposing a community’s vulnerabilities we need to figure out their strengths.”

“In one community where I worked, I found a preschool building that was dismantled. I went to ask the area chief about the school and she said that a select group of community people built the school with the help of a development agency. When conflicts arose, the other part of the community decided to destroy the school so that nobody will ever benefit from the new school. They didn't care that an organization had built the school for them because this part of the community felt that they were not asked their opinion. These community members felt that the money that was used to build the school could have been used for other initiatives.

For me this was the breaking point. I felt like I had to do something different. Shortly after this situation, I met Murray Nickel  (through a common friend Elmer Stobbe) on a Skype call.  We talked about ABCD as a concept and he invited me over to Canada to learn more. Murray told me a very key phrase, “development is an attitude’. Instead of exposing a community’s vulnerabilities we need to figure out their strengths.

A Recent Zoom Training Session with Khotso

And so I decided to start BBL to show people that they have the capability of changing their lives by working together and using the resources that they already have. The Five & Two training has prepared me to advance my work; It is my ambition to see BBL’s network expand throughout the entire country and break the cycle of poverty using your ABCD tools. I now have vibrant teams in over 10 communities. THANK-YOU!”

Five & Two is ramping up training initiatives for 2021 and we’ve identified many change-makers like Khotso around the globe.

A community trained by BBL handing out cleaning supplies to fight COVID