Book – "Walking with communities" (launched in March!)
We know deeply that local communities:
Healing starts with 'listening to story' ... simple and profound.
Reconciliation and forgiveness – so necessary – become possible.
'Local movement for care and change' becomes a recognisable pattern ... globally.
See: how we work.
[Website last updated 2 January 2024]
Please join our journey of transformation with the Twa community from the islands of the Kafue River flats in Zambia.
The Twa children board at the Lochinvar Community Primary School. Education is vitally important their future – but at present the children have to sleep in basic shelter where they are vulnerable.
The project will involve building facilities, developing youth skills, facilitating community conversations for preventing drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, and linking with community responses by the three Lochinvar Park churches.
Read more ...Inter-connected local and global conversations are changing the world.
The conversations occur in local and global neighbourhoods – within and between local homes and communities, governments and global organisations.
The conversation "movement" started locally when the tiny village of Sianyoolo, Zambia, responded to a suicide.
At first the conversation was about HIV and AIDS, and it was so successful that within three years policy on HIV and AIDS changed nationally (see 1990 extract [PDF 0.8MB]) – then globally.
Since then the scope of conversations has widened significantly, and thousands of local communities have taken action and improved their lives.
The worse the conflict and stigma, the better the conversation works. Whether the situation involves COVID-19, HIV, AIDS, Ebola and many other conflict causes – they all improve. When our voices and actions are expressed locally they can be amplified into global change.
The process and principles are simple and inexpensive – and they're also quite particular. It's a specific art.
Start by watching affirm's online film 'TOGETHER'. Read the Book. Study other materials on this website. They're useful – but understanding will come when you allow yourself to experience the conversation personally such as through applying the SALT protocol.
As to affirm - well, we're here to support and encourage you.
We've followed and nurtured this conversation for over thirty years – and it still refreshes, inspires, reconciles and astounds us!