Building trust between returnees and communities

The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency reported 213,274 refugees in protection across 122 countries of origin in Switzerland in 2024. The Switzerland government has created a special location in many cities where these refugees are being protected which is quite impressive. Patrick Honauer a leadership coach and social entrepreneur is solving a food security and community development crisis via a community kitchen. Day two in Switzerland 🇨🇭, I learned about DieCuisine - an inclusive community kitchen that has been serving not just refugees but also low-income earners in the #Zurich community. They retrieve food that would have otherwise been lost in supermarkets, reselling some portions at lower prices in their market and cooking the rest together with the very people who will be eating the meals. It is through this kitchen that a deeper sense of community is built. Patrick described how one event brought 40 children, who then invited their parents - showing how genuine connection spreads. Markets, he said, are great places to connect, but kitchens do something more which I strongly agree with (people like me gets more friendlier with people in the kitchen - I digress 😁). This act has made people open up, and create space for trust and belonging. When people see others like themselves being welcomed and involved, the invitation becomes valid, and the community becomes more inclusive. Their market, which now gathers around 200 people, is both a functional and symbolic part of this effort. It is not just about food distribution - it’s about building familiarity, reinforcing connection, and creating visibility for all groups in society. DieCuisine operates with a sustainability model that includes renting out open-spaces, receiving #climate funds from the Zurich government, and carefully managing how rising living costs might affect the very communities they aim to support. As Patrick pointed out, if these costs grow unchecked, the social class being supported can quickly shrink, weakening the very purpose of the initiative. ⚡️One of the most compelling insights for me was his emphasis on “how to invite” as a deliberate and teachable process. Whether in local communities or within institutions, the act of inviting - and how it is done - shapes whether they feel they belong or they even respond. Patrick believes this could be taught as a course, and I found that deeply relevant to the way I think about inclusive policy frameworks. #Invitation and #facilitation, in this context, are not extras - they are essential tools in making inclusion real. Day 2 was way more interesting and I look forward to sharing insights from more days with you! ❓Feel free to share if you have country kitchens in your community/country? #foodsecurity #countrykitchen #switzerlandexperience

Involving Communities in Monitoring: A Practical Approach Early in my career as an Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) specialist, I recognized the importance of placing communities at the center of monitoring processes. One of the practical strategies I proposed to the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) teams was the formation of community-based monitoring groups. These groups included secondary school leavers, fresh graduates, and other motivated community members. The process involved: 1. Selection of Community Monitors: Identifying individuals from the affected communities with basic literacy and a strong interest in community welfare, especially young people seeking experience. 2. Capacity Building: Training these community monitors alongside NGO monitoring teams on essential skills — such as data collection, observation, interviewing techniques, ethics, and reporting. 3. Joint Monitoring Exercises: Integrating the trained community members into routine monitoring activities. Their local knowledge often enhanced access, contextual understanding, and trust between the community and program teams. 4. Feedback and Community Sharing: After completing the monitoring process, findings were summarized and shared back with the communities in accessible, culturally appropriate formats — such as through community meetings, radio broadcasts, posters, or even mobile SMS alerts where possible. This helped close the feedback loop, promote transparency, and enhance community ownership of humanitarian interventions. Key Lessons: Community involvement in monitoring strengthens trust, improves data accuracy, and builds local capacity. Young people, especially school leavers and fresh graduates, represent an underutilized resource in crisis-affected areas. Sharing monitoring results in appropriate formats ensures communities remain informed and can hold humanitarian actors accountable.

During my many years as a disease detective at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deploying across the globe to respond to public health emergencies and disasters, I’ve seen a recurring pattern. It’s easy—and common—to assume that those of us arriving from overseas are the “real experts,” while those on the ground are not. This mindset creates a false dichotomy between the “helper” and the “helped.” What we need to realize is this: while we may be scientific experts, they are experts too. Even if they don’t have advanced degrees or technical training, they are experts in their culture, their community, and their context. Effective communication with stakeholders requires both humility (acknowledging our strengths without arrogance) and modesty (acknowledging our limitations). Here are 10 lessons scientists can learn from these mistakes when engaging with stakeholders: 1️⃣ Listen First, Speak Second Before sharing your expertise, take the time to listen. Stakeholders often have invaluable insights that can shape your approach. 2️⃣ Acknowledge Local Expertise Even if you’re the scientific expert, remember that stakeholders are experts in their own right. Whether it’s a community leader or a local health worker, their knowledge of the context is irreplaceable. 3️⃣ Avoid a “Savior Complex” The belief that you’re the only one who can solve the problem is not only arrogant but also counterproductive. Collaboration, not domination, is key. 4️⃣ Be Culturally Sensitive Understanding and respecting cultural nuances is critical. Criticism without understanding can come across as tone-deaf and disrespectful, eroding trust. 5️⃣  Build Bridges, Not Walls Effective communication is about finding common ground. We must strive to connect, not alienate. 6️⃣ Be Transparent About Limitations No one has all the answers. Admitting what you don’t know builds credibility and trust. Stakeholders appreciate honesty over false confidence, worse yet, having the confidence of the competent without the competence. 7️⃣ Tailor Your Message One-size-fits-all communication rarely works. Adapt your message to your audience’s needs, values, and priorities. 8️⃣ Avoid Overpromising Setting unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment and mistrust. Be clear about what you can and cannot achieve. 9️⃣ Foster Long-Term Relationships Trust is built over time. We can nurture enduring partnerships by showing consistent respect and collaboration. 🔟 Reflect and Adapt After every interaction, ask yourself: Did I truly engage with stakeholders, or did I talk over them? Continuous self-reflection is essential for growth. The Bottom Line Communication is not just about sharing information; it’s about building relationships and trust. The best solutions emerge not from a single expert but from the collective wisdom of many. Please reshare so others may benefit ♻️ #Chisquares #ScienceCommunication #StakeholderEngagement #Leadership #Collaboration

This is the most frequent question I get from the coliving industry: How do you get the local community so involved? Most projects have an inspiring space. But they often have trouble engaging with the local community. They are sometimes seen an aliens, specially if they are in urban areas. And they do not know what to do. I always answer: "By building trust". This takes time. It is slow cooking. And needs to be in the core of your activity. The same way you invest time and resources in building infraestructure, you should do the same for generating trust. Although there are no shortcuts, there are ways to speed it up.  Or at least to make sure your efforts take you in the right direction. These are my top 10 trust enablers I have learnt and practiced at ROORAL. 1. Who you are introduced by is crucial. Tell me who you go with, and I’ll tell you who you are. 2. There is not a second opportunity to generate a first good impression. Be intentional. 3. Listen more than talk. No one likes a charlatan. And do it with curiosity. 4. Their interests become yours. Take care of them and they will take care of you. 5. Deliver what you promise. You will loose trust in buckets if you don’t. 6. Talk their language. Use their words. Small local gestures take you a long way. 7. Be low profile. Do not over react. Keep your feet on the ground. 8. Gift. Without expecting anything in return. It rewires brains. 9. Go through challenges together. Be ready for them because you will be tested. 10. Be authentic to yourself. Authenticity is the biggest magnet. And the most important: "Trust them. And they will trust you back." Because trust has a multiplying effect. Like love.  The more you give it, the more you get it back. These principles have moved me from urban foreigner to adopted neighbour in the villages we worked with. You can apply them in a rural community. A job. Or even a date. At the end trust is the foundational element of any relationship. What are trust enablers that have worked for you? If you want to receive more rural insights & reflections for a more aligned & conscious life, subscribe to our newsletter. Link in comments 👇

As Head Human Resources and Corporate Services, part of my key deliverables is to manage the engagements with the two host communities where our asset is located. I am tasked to coordinate organizational initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable prosperity and improving the well-being of communities that host or are impacted by our operations It's been an experience I must say. A few lessons, i would like to share with my LinkedIn family. 1. Community Engagement Must Be Continuous, Not One-Off My Lesson: Sporadic or reactive engagement (only during crises or project launches) breeds distrust. You need to have a close and continuous engagement. The CLO, and HR head must be reachable and not seen as too far away. There must be an established permanent community liaison structures and sustained dialogue between the stakeholders to build trust over time. 2. Stakeholder Mapping and Inclusion is Crucial My Lesson: Failure to identify and engage all relevant stakeholders (youth groups, community elders, traditional rulers, etc.) can lead to conflict and sabotage. You must first conduct thorough stakeholder mapping and then engage in inclusive consultations to ensure all voices are heard. If you do this, then you are on a path to meaningful dialogue with your host communities. Grateful to God for the past 10months of very hard work. To be continued....