WINDS OF CHANGE
It was mid May 2021 when immigration officials of Thiruvananthapuram Airport couldn’t stop to be surprised. India back then, was worldwide branded the hottest Covid-19 red zone. People would leave in a haste, not arrive with a smile.
Usually visitors hear a friendly “welcome to India!”, but now a slightly changed question: “What brings you to India?” The answer of several travelers was even more surprising: “Social change!”
You might be as astonished as the officials: in times of “social distancing”, traveling right into the heart of a Corona hotspot, and going to Kerala, seeking for social change?
It took us more than two years to select these risk takers and change makers, who, especially in a crisis won’t sit back to wait for others to act. Who came traveling with trains buses and planes, with their visions, dreams and with action plans to realize a better tomorrow. And then they were here, and their expectations were high. Their focus was clear and their ideas on fire.
Problems of today’s world are many: From climate change to conflict and war, from pollution to reduced biodiversity, from violence against women to discrimination of the LGBTQI+.
But what about the solutions? Through our recently updated curriculum, and a highly dedicated team of catalysts and other colleagues, 16 participants developed thought provoking, engaging and inspiring solutions, carried forward by their personal stories of survival and by the current winds of change. If you missed the 2021 kanthari TALKS, you can watch them them on http://www.kantharitalks.org/
An old Chinese proverb says: “when the winds of change blow, some people build walls, while others build windmills!”
Only a few days ago, 16 kantharis have returned to their home communities and are going to build windmills out there, catching the storm to transform the lives of those who have been swept to the side-lines of society.
Your support made/makes all the difference! Thanks to your support, we have been able to keep kanthari running throughout challenging times.
We are now in the selection process of the 2022 batch of change makers and to be able to train them we say thank you for any contribution towards the same.
If you can, please donate via https://www.kanthari.org/get-involved/make-a-donation/
On behalf of all these change makers and on behalf of the kanthari team, we want to wish you merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Stay safe and healthy, warmest regards,
sabriye and paul
