Values-Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD)

Heifer has found that the values-based model has a broad application for facilitators and field staff working with both small and large groups and communities in a variety of settings. Community empowerment programs find benefit in this approach, as well as country program offices and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The process and principles are based on years of field experience in animal agriculture, sustainable community development and training programs with rural and urban communities in all regions of the world.

There are four main steps of VBHCD as follow;

Step 1: Group Formation
Step 2: Reinforcing Cornerstones
Step 3: Physical Inputs
Step 4: Planning and Beyond

1. Self-Help Group Formation: Prior to Heifer’s involvement in a community, the community members must take the initiative to organize themselves into groups, called “self-help groups”, consisting around 20 people. The size ensures that each member can fully participate in meetings, training, and participatory decision making, and also ensures efficient delivery of services to the group. Because the group has been established and in operation before Heifer’s intervention, the group has a greater sense of owner ship. This is their project, not Heifer’s.

The group is operational for about six months before Heifer begins working with the group to allow Heifer and its partners to gauge the group’s commitment to the process.

2. Enlightenment- Reinforcing the Cornerstones: A trainer meets with the community members and uses the Heifer Cornerstones to focus the group on shared values of self and community. This initial training also assesses where each person is in terms of internalizing the values represented by the Cornerstones. It helps both individual and community to identify and articulate their values. Now the participants are better able to clearly tell what they need and how they want to transform their personal and community lives. In this way, the community becomes “enlightened.”


3. Empowerment- Delivery of Physical Inputs and Technical Training: The enlightened group is now in a position to dream about its future. Once project participants have explored their individual and collective goals and plan, it is appropriate time to provide necessary inputs. The participants receive training, animals and improved technology (i.e. improved stove, fences, biogas unit).  These will enable them to increase their income and nutritional intake, while also building their hope and confidence. Now with resources and training, participants are empowered to transform their community and develop as they think best.

4. Sustainable Development- Planning and Beyond: An empowered group with a clear vision can better identify other needs and mobilize as a group to address them. At this stage, the focus of the group expands beyond livestock development to holistic development as the community begins to address larger issues and tap other local resources. As the project grows and pass-ons occur, more families in the community receive animals. Those families in the community who have not yet received animals are often involved in the training phase.

The community is now able to tap into the organized, collective ideas and skills of the group. As income and nutrition continue to improve, the families now have the ability to focus on more holistic aspects of community development. And because vision and resources originate with the community, the project is sustainable.