This paper summarizes recent trends in community development schemes aimed at improving living conditions. It discusses the successes of various project approaches in light of the UN MDGs. Based on our combined 22-years of experience working in Holistic Community Development (HCD) in Nepal, we argue that selective, single pronged approaches to development are less effective in general in comparison to comprehensive ones. Though selective approaches to development (projects with only single components such as indoor lighting or a village drinking water system) are effective in achieving carefully de-limited goals, selective approaches cannot produce the critical synergetic benefits of the multi-pronged, holistic project framework we have designed and are implementing in Humla District, one of Nepal's remotest and most underdeveloped mountain areas.
Further, we argue that in remote, impoverished communities, it is absolutely essential that projects are locally appropriate, developed in close partnership with the local community for the context. The availability of elementary energy services are a crucial agent of sustainable, long-term community development. Thus applied renewable energy technologies, developed for a defined geographical, cultural and climatic context play an important role.
These project features are critical to gain a community's acceptance and to inspire a sense of ownership of the projects. Though the measurement of outcomes/results is inherently more difficult in comprehensive, multi-pronged development projects, this is a relatively minor inconvenience in light of the overall benefits of the approach. This paper highlights the compulsory foundation of HCD, the "Family of 4 PLUS", with examples and lessons learned.