Train and Activate Inspired Leaders in Nepal

Relections from Lauren Jinshil Oliver, who resides in California and heads the organization, CirclesWork.  She went to Nepal as part of the visiting Social Artistry training team.   

Dear Fellow Social Artists,

We can make a difference half-way across the world! Let me tell you a story of significant change we have already begun, and what is still needed.  We can support the amazing work being done in Nepal by local social artists.

 I had the great good fortune of visiting Nepal to help teach teach Social Artistry. The Nepali social artists already trained had projects going all over the country. With the support of Dr. Tatwa Timsina, each one had selected a different population to work with, and all set high goals. They offered Social Artistry on all 4 levels of the psyche, and had integrated it into the culture of Nepal in astounding and fascinating ways. What energy! What devotion they brought to their projects.

 Jan Sanders, Evelyn Philbrook and I had the opportunity to make a number of field visits. I will never forget the women’s agricultural collective. They returned from a march in the city to celebrate, and to call for more agricultural collectives. All were dressed in pink and green traditional clothing, billowing in the breeze like flags of pride, as they drove up in a large truck, packed tightly in the truck bed. Then we all met for a couple hours, getting reports on the crops planted and harvested, the building projects (a large storage area, in which we met), the new plans to extend sales, and the challenges ahead.

 After Jan gave a presentation on Social Artistry, all the women were challenged to consider a gigantic new step: selling their harvested crop through the collective. This flew in the face of strong tradition: the women plant, tend, and harvest; but their husbands sell the crops, and bring home whatever monies they are inclined to. First one woman stood and took the challenge. She would confront her husband and sell the crop through the collective. Slowly a second woman came forth. Then a third. Finally five women stood – bravely and determinedly before the 60+ collective members, and declared their willingness to change this cultural pattern: bringing money to support the future of the collective, and bringing more money home. They could then assure the healthy diet and educational resources for their children by holding the purse strings.

These women cannot make such changes on their own. They need to support one another, and they need our support. They got one of the grants given by Social Artistry. Can we promise them another grant to help them take the next brave step?