Solutions Festival | Community Action Project Presentation on Village Collectives
At the Solutions Festival, participants of School for Social Transformation (SST) 8.0 continued to present community-driven ideas rooted in lived realities. The next presentation was by Khayarunnisa P., who introduced her Community Action Project titled “Village Collectives – Othukkungal Panchayath.”
About the Project
Khayarunnisa’s project is inspired by Othukkungal Grama Panchayath, a vibrant rural community with active youth and professionals from diverse fields such as health workers, teachers, lawyers, artists, and business owners. While many individuals contribute meaningfully in their own ways, their efforts often remain fragmented, lacking a common platform for collaboration.
This disconnection results in unresolved social, legal, psychological, and health-related issues, especially affecting youth and marginalised groups. The project identifies root causes such as social hierarchy, fragmented systems, fear of retaliation, economic inequalities, and stigma around mental health.
The Proposed Solution
The project proposes creating a village-level collective that brings together youth and professionals across sectors into a shared, non-judgmental space. Grounded in constitutional values of equality, dignity, justice, and fraternity, the collective will function through voluntary participation, flexible roles, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Doctors, lawyers, psychologists, teachers, and young people will work together on community priorities such as health awareness, education, legal literacy, youth well-being, and social harmony. The initiative envisions a sustainable, youth-led model with rotating leadership, capable of being replicated in neighbouring villages.
Why It Matters
This presentation highlighted how many community challenges persist not because of lack of resources, but because of lack of connection. Khayarunnisa’s project reframes development as a collective process, one that grows through trust, dialogue, and shared responsibility.
By creating a common platform for collaboration, the initiative restores fraternity at the grassroots and transforms isolated efforts into united action.
A Step Forward
As part of the Solutions Festival, this presentation stood as a commitment to rebuilding unity within villages. By nurturing collaboration across professions and generations, the project lays the foundation for communities that solve problems together, ensuring dignity, inclusion, and sustainable development for all.