Ha Thi An

Abstract: The asset-based community development (ABCD) approach, initiated and developed by Jody Kretzmann and John McKnight (1993), emphasizes mobilizing and promoting internal community resources to activate community potentials and strengths and stimulate self-reliant development. This approach has been widely recognized and applied in various fields in many countries. In Vietnam, development projects also mobilize the community’s resources; however, the applied methods and outcomes are ineffective. This article provides an overview of the theoretical and practical foundation of the ABCD approach, thereby evaluating the implementation process and lessons learned from local and global experiences in mobilizing internal resources for community development.