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Experiencing the power of Art of Hosting as a foundation for Sustainable Communities

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A team from Kufunda Learning Village in Zimbabwe began there road trip in mid-July to host a series of the Art of Hosting workshops in communities in South Africa. This was part of the Berkana Learning Centres Network.

They kicked off with the first AoH in Joburg with participants from the Green House Project and all their members (primarily community organisers from different parts of the greater Joburg working for positive and ecological community development).

The team continued on to Cape Town where they hosted a session for the Cape Fisher Women; a vibrant co-operative of Fisher women who are looking for ways to give back to, and uplift their communities.

They finally concluded in Durban with a programme called INK (Inanda-Ntuzuma-Kwamashu) - a group of communities chosen as a 'Presidential node' of Development. Several community organisers participated here as well. I had the privilege of being part of the hosting team in INK.

From the moment we arrived it was clearly that this was no ‘standard’ AoH workshop that we would be delivering.  The complexity of issues were overwhelming as we were dealing with people’s livelihood and having a clear way forward was vital. 

I began reflecting on the learnings from the Pioneers of Change global gathering that took place in Brazil, 2007 and it provided a source of grounding for me:

  • We need to be clear on who our stakeholders are and make a concerted effort to provide a timeous meaningful invitation
  • If we expect authentic community participation then the convenors cannot have a predetermined outcome. Who is driving the development agenda really?
  • Being aware of your rank/power (positional or psychological, etc.) provides the opportunity to use your influence wisely.
  • A compelling invitation is simple, clear, and based on questions that matter to the intended audience -  some councillors complained about low attendance at community meetings and no appreciation from the community on what they deliver
  • The practice of Open Space Technology allows for self-reliance and  the setting of action steps to emerge
  • Now, more than ever a relationship with the planet is vital for communal sustainability – we explored how growing your own food can address issues of food security

As a practitioner; I experienced the power of the life-affirming work of Pioneers of Change and the Art of Hosting in a very real and collaborative way. I invite you to explore with us further.

- Lesley Williams, 18 August 2008

 

 

 

Created by Lesleydw
Last modified 2008-08-18 03:36
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