Dear Leon,

This is a central aspect of the CLTS approach (for details see link of Marijn above). Just a quick explanation: It means that the change is coming from within the community and not from outsiders, like donors, preachers, government officials, NGO workers etc. who say "you must do this, or you must wash your hands etc.". The community takes their decisions into their own hands.
Usually there are so called "natural leaders" who emerge from the community.
It works best in a close-nit community, such as villages where everyone knows each other.

That's in short how I would explain the term "community-led".
Important is also the term "total" (community-led total sanitation): the entire community must take part in it, nobody is left out. Only then do you really get health benefits in the end.

Cheers,
Elisabeth

Dear Leon,

www.communityledtotalsanitation.org/

should be helpful

Hey,

I have a question about the concept of "community-led". During my research for my A-level work, I found several times this term, but it didn't mean anything to me. What means "community-led" precisly in terms of sanitation projects? Which are the members of a community and what do they?

I would be pleased for help

lg Leon