We Before Me: Inside the ComSR movement changing Zunheboto

Tokavi K Zhimo
Zunheboto | May 10

At a time when development is often equated with government funding and external interventions, a quiet but transformative movement, Community Social Responsibility (ComSR), is taking root in Zunheboto district.

Initiated by the Zunheboto Forest Division under Obed Bohovi Swu SFS Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) and Divisional Management Unit (DMU) Head, ComSR aims to revive traditional values of collective responsibility, shifting communities from passive beneficiaries to active stakeholders. Grounded in Naga principles of mutual cooperation and shared ownership, it is less a programme and more a social movement.

Swu explained that the idea for ComSR came from observing the limited impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in rural Nagaland.

“I realised no CSR funding reaches the grassroots levels in our State,” he said. “Yet our communities have always helped themselves. This social responsibility already existed within our villages, but it was never formally recognised or encouraged.”

ComSR aims to formalise and strengthen this culture of self-help and collective participation. Unlike models dependent on external funding or government execution, ComSR emphasises community-driven responsibility, ownership and participation.

Nikina M Chishi, Planning and Livelihood Expert at NFMP DMU Zunheboto, said ComSR marks a shift from dependency to self-reliance.

“ComSR is not a scheme, it’s a change in perspective,” she explained. “In conventional development, communities often wait for work orders or external funding before starting activities. Under ComSR, the community becomes the host and owner of development initiatives rather than just a spectator.”

She cited local examples, in Awohumi, the Joint Forest Management Committee built a school kitchen and guest house using community labour and resources. In Hebolimi, villagers built a marketing shed for SHGs on their own initiatives and contributions. 

“These examples show that communities are beginning to see these assets as their own heritage rather than projects belonging to an outside agency,” she added.

At its core, ComSR follows “We Before Me” prioritising community welfare over individual interest through three principles: shared responsibility, collective ownership and sustainable action.

Observers note that ComSR is reshaping rural development by encouraging villages to take ownership of local issues, from forest conservation and water sources to sanitation, infrastructure and indigenous knowledge, rather than waiting for external agencies.

A clear example was the Satoi Connect Fest, organised and managed by village elders, women, youth, and community leaders. Though facilitated by the Forest Department, the festival relied on local ownership and volunteerism, reflecting ComSR’s principles.

Women and youth have become central to the movement. According to Chishi, women-led groups show how collective action can drive lasting social and economic impact.

Chishi cited the example of the Toluni group in Yesheluto village, where women in piggery and poultry businesses supported each other beyond their households. One member who ran a grocery shop began selling products from fellow SHG members to ensure collective growth. In Mukalimi village, the Mughani SHG, which started with its own savings in 2018, later bought a solar dryer through hard work and community cooperation, now benefiting the wider village.

“When you support one group, the benefits ripple through the entire community,” Chishi said.

Youth have also played a key role in addressing unemployment and migration. During the Satoi Connect Fest, local youth organizations took leadership roles, and young graduates worked as trekking guides, showing how cultural and natural resources can create meaningful opportunities in rural areas.

Swu stressed the value of intergenerational cooperation for community resilience. “Let the elders guide you because they have experienced life before you. Use their wisdom. At the same time, the youth must contribute with their strength, energy, and innovation. Together, communities can build a stronger future,” he said.

Environmental conservation is a key focus of ComSR. Facing deforestation, water depletion, and climate challenges, the movement promotes community stewardship of natural resources.

Swu noted that communities are the true custodians of forests and land. Meaningful conservation requires grassroots ownership. “If communities decide to protect forests and water, it will positively impact the environment and local climate,” he said. “Every member contributes in their own capacity. No one is left out.”

However, both Swu and Chishi acknowledged that changing public mindset remains one of the biggest challenges.

“The major challenge is the dependency mindset created by decades of a grant-in-aid culture,” Chishi observed. “It is difficult to convince people to invest their own time and labour without immediate monetary benefits.”

Swu added that many still see environmental issues as distant concerns, even as they engage in practices that harm forests and water sources.

Still, movement proponents believe ComSR can drive long-term transformation if adopted collectively. Envisioned outcomes include cleaner villages, healthier forests, protected water sources, stronger local institutions, and improved community infrastructure.

Swu acknowledged that ComSR may not instantly solve unemployment or migration, but maintained that stronger community ownership and resource management can gradually build more resilient rural societies.

“The idea is to strengthen community bonds and ownership over resources,” he said. “If ComSR takes root, positive growth will follow naturally.”

Chishi added that the model offers lessons not only for Zunheboto but for other districts in Nagaland.

“The spirit of collective action has always existed in our villages. ComSR gives this traditional value a formal identity,” she said. “Development becomes more meaningful when communities remain the central architects of their own progress.”

In many ways, ComSR returns to traditional Naga systems of collective labour, shared responsibility, and mutual support, adapting them to modern challenges like sustainability, environmental degradation, social cohesion, and community empowerment.

For Swu, true empowerment begins with awareness and responsibility. “Community empowerment is a state where every member of a community is clear about his or her role and understands how much they can contribute towards the growth of the community,” he said. “Being aware is being empowered.”