Asset Mapping

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is a strategy for sustainable community-driven development. Instead of focusing on community needs and deficiencies, ABCD focuses on leveraging the existing strengths and capacities of community members, associations, and other local assets to build long-term development from within the community itself.

The Chalmers Center discusses ABCD as an approach that empowers communities by recognizing and utilizing their own resources and capabilities. This method encourages communities to drive their own development initiatives, creating solutions that are more likely to be sustainable because they are deeply rooted in the local context and actively involve the participation of community members.

ABCD aligns with the Chalmers Center’s emphasis on holistic, gospel-centered approaches to poverty alleviation that respect the dignity and potential of the poor. By applying ABCD principles, Christian missionary teams and development workers can collaborate with local communities in ways that promote empowerment rather than dependency.

For more detailed insights on how the Chalmers Center implements ABCD in their work, you can explore their resources and training materials that cover this approach. Also, Jeff Palmer's work on Kingdom Community Development has been helpful in our work in this area.