Creating Social Change: 
By joining the dots

My mothers dressmaking 
measuring stick -
Now in my keeping.

When I reflect upon the narrative underpinning this treasured item I associate it with: memories, productivity and enterprise captured in my book, A tree needs water to bear fruit: Enterprising women creating reservoirs for poverty 
alleviation.

Link to Book Description 

Link to Book Order

• Productivity: Growing up in rural New Zealand in the 1950s and 1960s, I recall sitting on the kitchen table or floor, wooden measuring stick in hand, gliding around the hemline of garments as directed by my mother. Generally, the garments recipients were family, friends or relatives. On reflection, no money exchanged hands once such tasks were completed. It was the norm in our rural community; no retail outlets provided such services.
• Enterprise: Because this measuring stick and my dressmaking model meant I could complete what I was making independently.

 Measuring stick passed on through the generations.

Joining the dots of productivity and enterprise to Hands with Hands Microcredit projects in rural villages in Chitwan District and their Self-Sustaining Childrens Home in Pokhara, Nepal is evident in their microcredit projects.

My role as Ambassador for Hands with Hands has evolved and more recent initiatives have been linked to the creation of 'Giving Circles'. These donations provide women in Nepal with the opportunity to receive training in areas of their choosing such as: Microcredit introductory course, Literacy training, Business and financial training, Agriculture training, Marketing, Carpet weaving and Sewing classes to name a few. 

In some instances sewing classes provide the incentive for women to consider establishing an enterprise in handmade garments to generate an income. In turn this provides an opportunity for women to access microcredit and approach a Microfinance Cooperative to join as a member. 

Photo sourced from Hands with Hands website.

I first met Sarada (working with white cloth) when I visited the  Annapurna Self-Sustaining Childrens Home model in Pokhara, Nepal 2011. An inspiring woman! This children's home is associated with Hands with Hands a small NGO in Nepal. I am excited about meeting up with Sarada during my forthcoming visit in November 2014 and to see firsthand the progress they are making towards self-sustainability.  

Hands with Hands vision is all about creating social change, '...where we work hand with hand, supporting, being with, sensitive to the humanity and the higher potential of the person, the situation - the moment.'

• Jane Milburn

To conclude this post I was recently directed to Jane Milburn's, A 365-day Eco clothing project creating social impact - Jane's website

Her inspiring project aligns with the above dressmaking themes of productivity and enterprise but from a different angle.

In Tribute of 

Such, '... unseasonal blizzards and avalanches in the Annapurna region...' have taken their toll in the last week with the recent loss of life juxtaposed with why so many are drawn to trekking in Nepal - me included. 

The sheer beauty of the Himalaya's is breathtaking. Whilst trekking one comes to fully understand that such experiences are made possible by Nepali Porters and local enterprises in villages as trekkers pass through to a range of destinations at varying altitudes.

Personal reflections from  the Annapurna Region

The following photos were taken on the Annapurna Circuit when I joined a small group in 2011. This was followed up with another trek in 2012 which I shared with my husband Paul. 

Porters off-loading equipment for our 
Annapurna Circuit Trek.

Commencement of our 11 day trek.
Porters: Left and 2nd on the right.

Campsite setup on 2nd night

On the 3rd day of our trek weather 
conditions had cleared and the Himalaya's 
remained our constant 
companion - majestic!

On the 4th day one of the Porters 
introduced me to the above Nepali 
businesswoman producing 
spirits for sale.

This process took 3 days inside her 
home.We conversed through one of the
 Porters - an unexpected highlight 
on this trek.

My previous experiences in Nepal, people and their culture remind me of my inner most intentions on many levels.

Meeting Kira Kay International President and Co-founder of Hands with Hands (HwH) a small NGO whilst participating in a 10 month Leadership Program in Perth Western Australia. Kira spoke on Grassroots Leadership in a way that resonated and that connection remains.

Undertaking fieldwork on behalf of HwH linked to their Microcredit Projects in Chitwan District rural villages was and ideal 'fit' for my interests and passion. 

I will be sharing this visit with three other women associated with HwH:

Nina Cejinar

I met Nina Cejinar through Kira and we have 
been communicating through technology 
since 2011. We finally get to meet personally
 in Nepal. Nina has recently established 
her own business Golden Deer 
in Germany.

Kira Kay 

Co-Founder of HwH and 
International President
Kira operates her own business based 
in Germany and returns to
Nepal twice a year.

Erin Pope 

I met Erin Pope through the John Curtin Leadership Program Feb - May 2014. Erin was involved with the HwH Community Project I put forward. 

She has since been travelling including, "...undertaking a permaculture design course on a small organic rice farm in south Eastern Thailand near the boarder of Cambodia. It will take 2 weeks, but afterwards I will hold an international standing certification permitting me to consult and design permaculture systems. "

Currently, Erin is in Nepal involved with a community project called Upside and will, "...mainly be based in Pokhara, also spending a week up in the mustang region to get feedback on the apple plantation project and boarding school." 

Erin's recent email indicates that the above recent loss of life in the Pokhara Region was close at hand so, " We drove up by jeep and are waiting to see if we can use it to get people to the hospital in Pokhara."

We look forward to seeing Erin in Kathmandu.

Inaugural Social Impact Event - Perth, WA

I along with a number of alumni members will be presenting (20 slides, 20 seconds about what we are working on in the sector) at the forthcoming inaugural GSCI Alumni Day being held on the 5^th December, 2014 at the WA Museum, Perth Cultural Center site.

Inaugural GCSI Cohort UWA 2011 

Details for this event are as follows:

·         Date: Friday 5 Dec 2014

·         Time: 9:30am – 5:30pm

·         Tickets: TBA, the event is open to all students who have completed units in Social Impact at University of Western Australia.

The other element to this event is the opportunity for the following:

“We are doing a call out to community organisations and social entrepreneurs to be involved in our event! Please circulate the following call out amongst your networks.

Are you a community organisation, social entrepreneur or an individual looking to create a social impact in an innovative way and need a new perspective?

Would you like to access the collective brain power of the UWA CSI Graduate Certificate in Social Impact Alumni to help you tackle a strategic challenge?”

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F62KNGW

If you have any comments or questions, please contact:

Mia d'Adhemar mia.d'adhemar@woodside.com.au or Kylie Hansen at kyliehansen@wacoss.org.au." 

Briefs need to be in by the 22 October 2014.

The focus of my presentation will be on microcredit projects in Nepal.

I will be revisiting the Hands with Hands Micro-credit projects in Chitwan District, Nepal during the month of November 2014.

Jutpani Microfinance Cooperative - Training Day March - April 2014.

The 3 questions that have arisen from my probono work over the last decade are what I continue to think deeply about and evolve in this space: 

What type of organic 'scaffolding' is needed to bring business women from the developing world and the developed world closer together?

How can their awareness of one another be heightened and encouraged?

What will emerge when their 'shared experiences' meet? 

Architecture and Health...

I was delighted to hear Leigh Sales interview with Professor Muhammad Yunus on ABC 7.30 report last night. The father of Grameen Bank's - microcredit model has been replicated globally and believes, “Banks need to change, with the banking system geared to the rich, so microfinancing attempts to create a bank for the poor according to Nobel Peace Prize winner and anti-poverty campaigner Muhammad Yunus.”  The interview

Professor Yunus is a guest of 'Focusing People's Architecture' during October in Sydney and Canberra - an "...ongoing series of Architectural seminars and exhibitions in Australia hosted by the Bangladeshi Architects in Australia in partnership with the Australian Institute of Architects."  

'Focusing People's Architecture' read more

In the context of architecture / health in the microcredit space it became evident during my field trip in rural villages in Chitwan District, Nepal. The improvement in their living conditions was something Nepali people were proud of and generated from gaining access to microcredit. It is the flow on effect from this opportunity to micro loans that leaves a lasting impression. This transformation in housing was noticeable as the economy within communities developed.

Which path do we choose?..

The one travelled

Less travelled

 Steps provided but to where?

        

When I first introduced to Professor Muhammad Yunus (Founder of the Grameen Bank) book, ‘Banker to the Poor’ his quote, ‘Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential we will never know what we have inside of us’ resonated.

 

Sourced 07/10/2014 

When we departed the Pilbara and I found it difficult to find employment in the South West of WA. I set out creating an environment to generate my own employment. Certainly not my preferred option but one that through perseverance and commitment has generated experiences and insights along the way that have align with my inner intentions. The establishment of Bear Fruit as a social business has been the core essence of my previous and future activities. 

A business created to see if your thoughts, ideas and concepts can Bear Fruit.

The "Pages" section of my blog  profile a number of women I have interviewed or met through a translator linked to projects implemented.

Inspiring Presentations... 

I  attended  two inspiring presentations recently in Perth. Although diverse in content, the narratives underpinning their achievements and success of Li Cunxin Author of Mao’s Last Dancer and Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment both international experts in their fields shared a number of common themes.

1.   Friday 26 September 2014 was a Leading Insights: ECU Annual Alumni Lecture given by Li Cunxin, author of Mao’s Last Dancer first published in 2003 and the film version was released in 2009 read more.

In 2012 Li was appointed as the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet Company and shared his delight during his presentation that the company will be heading to New York in 2015.

Photo taken at Li Cunxin presentation -

ECU Alumni Event Convention Center Perth WA.

 2.   Wednesday 1 October’s 2014 evening event was hosted within the delightful surrounds of John Curtin Gallery. Jeff Gomez was invited to the university for his expertise in Transmedia Storytelling in Education and Research.  As a participant at that event Jeff’s presentation was insightful, stimulating and thought provoking in the context of creating social change through multimedia platforms. 

I have taken aspects of his presentation and interwoven this with a concept I am currently working on read more about Jeff Gomez.

Ambassador...

As an Ambassador for Hands with Hands it provides the opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of women having access to loans. More importantly, how access to loans like micro-credit in the developing and developed world is one of the core principles that provide commonalities of women in small business globally.

Observations during my fieldwork across Australasia and rural villages in Chitwan District, Nepal highlighted that the primary pillars of family, culture, enterprise, community and the environment - ring true with many, regardless of circumstance.

VIDEO PRESENTATION by KIRA KAY (Co-founder)

How Nepali respondents put their microloans to use:

• Cement frames and manufacturing of cement products

  

  Fulmaya Kumal and her husband have been in the  Microfinance Cooperative for 6 years.

  Since establishing her own business she now employs 6 young men from her village to produce products like below.