GMP approach
The GMP approach is based on three KEY PROGRAMMING CONCEPTS
Grandmother Inclusion:
Given grandmothers' culturally-designated role as advisors and supervisors of younger women and children, GMP believes that community programs should first acknowledge the role and experience of senior women and then explicitly involve them as partners and resource persons in all programs dealing with health, nutrition, early childhood education and hygiene.Grandmother inclusion contributes to increased program results, greater self confidence on the part of grandmothers themselves, and recognition of their role and knowledge on the part of other community members and development agents.
Intergenerational Learning:
GMP believes that, in order to address virtually any community problem or need, intergenerational groups (male and female, younger and older) must be involved in assessing needs, defining strategies for dealing with those needs, implementing such strategies and ultimately evaluating their effectiveness.Intergenerational learning contributes to improved communication and understanding between the generations, greater social cohesion and solidarity within families and society at large, and sustainable change within cultural systems.
Participatory Learning for Empowerment:
GMP supports the development and use of participatory learning approaches that stimulate dialogue and empower communities to take collective action to solve priority problems related to the lives of women, children and families.GMP methods and tools are based on adult education principles that involve dialogue and problem-solving, rather than one-way transmission of messages and information. This approach leads to increased community involvement in solving local problems in a culturally-appropriate and sustainable way, greater collaboration between community members and organizational agents, strengthened intergenerational communication, and ultimately greater community cohesion.