CCODER believes that real development stems from the ability of the people to identify their own problems and devise solutions to these problems. Awareness building is the first step on the road to poverty reduction: Development education empowers the people to identify the root cause of their problems and regain faith in them. The second step is the institutional development. It is or conviction that unity is strength and that individual should be encouraged to unite with their neighbors and form community-wide people’s organizations under a strong leadership. In addition we encourage the members of these organizations to participate actively in their local government to make it a government by and for the people. Socio-economic development is the third and culminating component of development.

Education, organization, and socio-economic development are like the three legs of a tripod; all are linked together, each is of equal size and importance, and each is vital to the success and stability of the program as a whole. Therefore, CCODER's development model is called the Tripod Model.

Education (Awareness building):
The first and arguably most difficult task in the development process is to help people realize and understand their situation – to make them conscious – to awaken a sense of social awareness.  People should have a strong sense of their own worth and have dignity as human beings.  They should have faith in their ability to change their condition, and they should realize that "they are the masters of their own destiny."

Such awakening is possible only through practical education. CCODER has developed a special form of education, called “Development Education,” which is strictly practical and is suited to people of all ages, from young children to the elderly.  It is designed to help people deal with their current problems by making them aware, foresighted, and resourceful. 

During the 3-month-long course, participants learn to answer three questions:

·         Where am I now?
(What is my current situation? What are my problems? What are my strengths and my weaknesses?)

·         Where do I want to go?
(What is my ultimate goal? What are my ideal living conditions?)

·         How do I get there?
(How can I achieve that goal?)

The participants learn to identify the root causes of their problems, set clear goals, and formulate realistic, feasible plans for achieving those goals. Education is the key to success, and Development Education in particular has proved to be vital for positive change to happen. After people have participated in Development Education, meaningful institutional development is possible.

Organizational Development: 

After completing Development Education, CCODER encourages people who are aware of their own condition and potential to devise individual development plans, and then to join with their neighbors to form a people’s organization called a Community Development Committee (CDC). The purpose of the CDC is to assess how available resources can best be used to achieve everyone’s individual goals, and to institute a community-wide plan of action.

The CDC’s first task is to institute a time and money savings program for the village.  Villagers participate in the “10 minutes per day” time contribution requirement.  The 10 minutes that each villager contributes daily are used to make the village neat and clean, to construct and maintain trails, and to perform other community projects.  Individuals must also contribute to a money savings program, according to their ability.  These savings generate seed money for future economic development.

After the formation of a CDC, representatives of ten to twenty CDCs unite to form a Regional Community Development Committee (R-CDC). The R-CDC draws up development plans according to the projects and goals of its member CDCs.  At the R-CDC level, community banks, community health centers, community schools, and other community institutions are formed.

Socio-economic development is the third and culminating component of development. To raise their social and economic status, villagers must save time and money, find ways of generating income, and deliver basic social services.

Social Development activities start with implementation and utilization of the 10 minutes per daytime donations. Each community member contributes 10 minutes out of every day to work on community projects. The time gained is used to implement community development activities and programs like infrastructure and environmental improvement, community health care. establish community Centers, in order to facilitate the planning, organization, and operation of community activities.

After completing Development Education, community members begin setting aside seed money in the form of regular savings. This money is utilized for the initiation of a Community Development Bank, a marketing network is being set up and income-generating activities are initiated.