By Laurie Lind, Entrust staff writer
The course: Transforming Communities through Holistic Engagement.
The MMD* facilitator: Dr. Elesinah Chauke.
The setting: a rural community in Southern Africa. Dr. Chauke asked the group members to each think of a need in their community. Various needs were named.
One of them mentioned the lack of classrooms in a particular school. The youngest children
had to sit outside during lessons, causing difficulty on rainy days when those young students
were forced indoors, meaning multiple age levels had to share a single room. “What solution
can you think of, to respond to this particular need in your community?” Dr. Chauke asked.
The learner came up with a solution. He mobilized people from his church to go to a place
where bricks are made. They molded bricks and constructed a block of classrooms at the
school. Afterward, Elesinah debriefed with him. “What has this experience taught you?”
He listed at least five lessons learned.
1. There are many things we can do to help our communities if we think and plan.
2. We do not have to depend on other people to come and help in everything.
3. God has given us brains. We need to use them.
4. No matter how small, anything we can contribute to our communities,
God can bless and multiply.
5. Our experience can encourage others. I was invited to a neighboring church to share
the steps about this building project. They then did the same thing.
Dr. Chauke says she and the learner gained new insights from this question-based
learning experience.
*More than a Mile Deep, Entrust’s ministry partner in Southern Africa
“The question-based method of learning is empowering …
It changes learners from passive recipients to active co-content
creators and knowledge producers.”
– Dr. Elesinah Chauke
One of our high values at Entrust is question-based learning.
Discover Dr. Chauke’s thoughts on the topic and read more
about MMD at www.entrust4.org/mmd.