GILPP – Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy

On July 23, 2014 By Daniel EmigIn Education, GHNI, GILPP, TCD, Training, WaterLeave a comment

A brief update from one of our own on site (GHNI-Jeff Latsa) sums up this yet another great GILPP-Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy going on all this week in Geneva, Switzerland. So glad GHNI, though not a huge organization, can have such an impact as this, via eager leadership from impoverished nations. Enjoy …

Greetings from Geneva, Switzerland — the home of Global Hope (and the UN). This week I am an instructor at the Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy, put on by GHNI and hosted at the UN. As one of the architects of TCD, I have been asked to teach on “The Mandate of Sustainable Development for the Rural Poor.” I will be teaching government officials many of the same lessons I teach illiterate villagers around the world. I hope the bureaucrats are able to understand the material. 🙂    The Geneva Institute brings emerging leaders from emerging nations together to talk about how to draft legislation that are just and will help the most vulnerable in their countries. Eradicating poverty is a big part of that. However there are many challenges facing these nations. Here is a sample of some of the nations represented here and this issues they face:  

Afghanistan – New president to be announced any day now 
Myanmar – Just emerging from fifty years of military dictatorship. We are training their new leaders
 Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) – Facing recent attacks by ISIS
 Nigeria – Facing attacks by Boko Haram (who kidnapped the 300 schoolgirls).
Ethiopia – The only non-Muslim nation on the Red Sea 
Egypt – Still struggling with the fallout from the Arab Spring 
Syria – A Kurdish representative is here 

Thank you for your role in impacting the nations. 

Wow … thanks Jeff!
Dan

Education & Income-Generation in Jatapara, India !

On May 20, 2014 By Daniel EmigIn Committee, Education, GHNI, India, TCD1 Comment

Jatapara the GHNI adopted village in India near Dumka is now keenly focused on Education and Income Generation.

“Ownership” of these issues secure … their indigenous local committee chose these two as their top priority needs. Because of a lack of quality teachers in the government school, students learn little. Initially, parents were a good measure laissez faire about their children’s education. After TCD brought awareness about education and their children’s’ precious futures, parental priorities changed. The number of children now attending after-school has increase from 15 to 60. Along with education, they are also teaching music and dance. The children are naturally very excited about this!

Jatapara also formed an Income Generation committee of all ladies. Men from this village go to Dumka and other towns for work. It is very difficult to get them involved in the committee. Many of the women in this village make country liquor and sell it to earn some money. During our committee meeting they agreed that this is not good for their society. So they have decided to plant cash crop for additional income.

Good things are happening in this village! Thanks for your help in this!

Education: Young & Not-So … Getting TCD Going …

On March 21, 2014 By Daniel EmigIn Committee, Development, Education, GHNI, Self-Sustainability, TCD, Training1 Comment

Transformational Community Development (TCD) is all about the community leading their own change. In this story recently shared with us by GHNI-India, we were encouraged to see that age doesn’t matter when it comes to serving one’s community!

Jatapara Village, India

“We have been able to train the committee and they are able to see the importance of TCD.

“Det’ is a student in grade 12. She knows the importance of education. During our TCD training, she actively took part in learning about community development.

“In our last lesson with the community, we could identify problems that are preventing them from developing self-sustainabilities better. Lack of education was their top problem! So, as a community, they made two action steps.

“One: All women agreed to send their kids to school on time.

“Two: Det’ will teach all kids before they go to school. She has already started teaching those children who otherwise would do nothing after or before school time.”
GHNI India Staff Quotes
Thanks for your help in developing Jatapara, India and our work in GHNI!
Dan

Arsenic and Clean Water …

On February 20, 2014February 20, 2014 By Daniel EmigIn TCD, Uncategorized, Water, WellsLeave a comment

ARSENIC …
Arsenic, naturally occurring in water wells on the island of Naktar Diara, is damaging human life. This island just across the Ganges River from Patna, India, is home to many children who regularly drink from its water table source, contaminated with arsenic. GHNI is teaming with another NGO to bring TCD to the 400K inhabitants of Naktar Diara. January, Dan was there with a special team that mentored a bio-sand water filtration system, using only local resources and costing a mere $3 USDollars. Thanks to you … we are able to continue developing TCD on this island and into the India state of Bihar!