Understand

Once sufficient information about the territory of life has been gathered and shared within your community (see #Document), self-strengthening can focus on the community’s understanding of the overall situation or ‘health’ of the territory of life. Specifically, at the links below, you can find a simple tool and questions for grassroots discussions to understand:

the resilience and security of your territory of life;
the main strengths, challenges, opportunities and threats facing your territory of life;
the governance of your territory of life; and
the management of your territory of life.

While this guidance focuses on the territory of life, this element is aligned with the kind of broad situation analysis that usually takes place in a participatory process at the community level. As ecological, social, cultural, spiritual, political and economic aspects are naturally interrelated in a territory of life, the community will also discuss itself, its reality and its future.