Summary
Kicking off the 15th Kanthari Impact Leadership Course: 22 passionate changemakers from 10 countries bring groundbreaking ideas and collective energy for positive change.
For the past 10 days, it has been raining and the level of Lake Vellayani has risen, causing the lower part of the kanthari campus to flood. On the onset of the first of two annual monsoons here in Kerala, we witnessed a thrill, the kick-off of the 15th kanthari impact leadership course.
This year, 22 passionate changemakers from 10 diverse countries have gathered with one shared mission: to ignite positive change in their communities. Their ground-breaking ideas and collective energy provide the basis to transform their dreams into impactful realities.
A Global Tapestry of Change
The kanthari campus buzzes with a unique blend of languages, cultures, and perspectives. This year’s participants hail from Angola, Bolivia, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The youngest participant is 23 while the oldest is 66. Each participant has a pinching point, a form of adversity that was overcome or survived, which formed the reason to stand up to act. The 22 participants have been selected for their innovative ideas, intrinsic drive, and determination.
Issues being addressed range from rights for people with disabilities to alternative learning, from Child Welfare & Protection to Mental health, and conflict resolution to women empowerment. Their ideas are not just theoretical; they are practical solutions rooted in the real needs of their communities.
This rich diversity is one of the cornerstones of the kanthari experience. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the tranquil villages of Nepal, each changemaker’s journey to kanthari is a testament to their resilience and commitment to social change. This melting pot of people and passion is what makes the start of each kanthari course so thrilling.
The kanthari Journey
Over the years, kanthari has evolved into a beacon of impact leadership. The program offers a unique blend of experiential learning, personal development, and project incubation. The curriculum is designed to challenge participants, pushing them to think critically and creatively while providing the support they need to grow as leaders.
The course spans twelve months, during which participants engage in intensive training sessions that cover a wide range of topics including leadership skills, project management, fundraising, problem-solving, and public speaking. What sets kanthari apart is its focus on action-based, experiential learning. Participants don’t just sit in classrooms; they get their hands dirty, working on real projects that address actual community problems.
The Thrill of the Start
The first few weeks of the course are designed to help participants to settle into this new environment and understand the kanthari philosophy. Ice-breaking sessions, group activities, and interactive workshops foster a sense of community. It is a time of discovery, where participants begin to see the value of their collective strength.
Ideas That Make a Difference
As the course progresses, each changemaker will have the opportunity to refine their projects through continuous feedback and mentorship. What makes the course interesting for us is the diversity of problems that are being addressed:
Susanna from Malawi grew up without electricity and witnessed how this negatively affects the lives of children who cannot study at night, and how it sets back women too. She now empowers marginalized women to become clean energy entrepreneurs.
Violence, spanning physical, psychological, verbal, and sexual forms, such as (cyber)bullying, insults, indiscipline, and threats, is widespread among secondary school students in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia. Gabriela has experienced emotional dependence and psychological violence and therefore, she started working in violence prevention, particularly using restorative practices and conflict resolution methodologies.
At age 9, Sijo had an accident that changed his life, a spinal cord injury (SCI) caused paraplegia. It took ten years for him to rehabilitate. His personal journey and seeing what other individuals suffering from Spinal Cord Injury go through drives him to start a care home providing physical and psychological rehabilitation, work prevention of secondary conditions, and skill training that leads to sustainable livelihoods.
These projects, even when very different, all share a common goal: to create a sustainable, positive impact. The kanthari course provides a space for these ideas, offering theoretical knowledge and practical tools and strategies to bring them to life. Participants are encouraged to think outside the box, take risks, and learn from failures.
Building Leaders of/for Tomorrow
kanthari’s impact extends beyond the duration of the course. Graduates join a global network of alumni who support each other long after the program ends. This network is a powerful resource, providing ongoing mentorship, collaboration opportunities, and a platform for sharing successes and challenges.
As the 15th kanthari course begins, we are reminded that even during challenges like floods, conflicts/wars, and climate change, the spirit of innovation and resilience shines brighter than ever, lighting the way for a better tomorrow.
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If you want to learn more about the new kanthari participants and kanthari, then visit www.kanthari.org
You can also watch the kanthari TALKS of last years participants at www.kantharitalks.org
