We all live busy lives but how much time does it take to ask a simple question that may change the life of another FOREVER.
While volunteering on behalf of Health Reach Canada, I met Vani Thangpuii, in Pokhara (a city of 1 million people), Nepal. Vani has many projects underway including, literacy, health education in the schools, water storage and filtration, mid-day meals for primary school children, and child welfare and child rights workshops for teachers and parents. Her desire to help children, the future leaders of this country, is her passion.
While walking through her neighbourhood Mujuwa, Vani encountered a 7 year old boy and
Source of Drinking Water in Pokhara, Nepal
stopped to talk to him. She asked “Why are you not in school today?”. She soon found out the boy’s full time job is to wait for water when it comes down the ditch (which is only 2 days a week, at unpredictable times) and fetch it for his house and his neighbour’s. He had never been to school before.
Attending school is not a new concept for his parents, or his neighbour and Vani encountered resistance from both. They wanted to know who was going to fetch their water now. She exhibited courage and perseverance, two characteristics all leaders need to practise in order to be effective with change. Vani didn’t have an immediate solution although she and her partner Mr. Samuel Sharma, had a dream to pipe and store water to 25 households in the area. They have the vision, community support to pay for 30% of the cost, the materials estimate and volunteers lined up. All they are lacking is the remaining 70% of the funds which they estimate to be under $3000 USD.
If you are interested in more information, or would like to help with this project, please drop me a line. If you would like to donate, please use the above link to Health Reach Canada’s website.
And remember, leadership is not some complicated concept, theory or model. It starts with stopping the action, being still for a moment, listening to what you are feeling inside, and following your intuition and moral compass.
It’s about caring and action and it can start with one small simple question.
And what happened to Vani’s young friend? Well just look at the smile on his face. His
Vani and her 7 year old friend who is now attending school
father took him to school the very next day for the very first time.
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