Livelihood
Empty Your Box
Then Listen & Learn…
I was talking with one of our Board Members (Jen Mellor) and she was sharing a wonderful truth she learned from a dear friend in the Philippines. We were talking about community development and how often westerners will show up to a community in the developing world with their box full of business ideas that will change that community. Of course, many of these ideas are based on what we feel the community needs, and doesn’t necessarily reflect the people or consider their input.
This friend that shared this with Jen had an excellent point that needs to be acknowledged! When we arrive at a community that we are seeking to help, our goal should be to empty out our box of idea’s into the nearest trash container, and allow the people of that community to fill the box based upon their skills, resources, and cultural traditions. We need to listen and learn the dynamics of that community before we launch any project. I guess you could say we need to start with a solid community assessment in order to ensure long-term success.
Why? People are more likely to embrace a business concept if it is one that fits them as an individual, fits their resources, and fits in the context of their culture.
As Jen shared this with me I began to see just how critical this is to any project in the developing world. Perhaps this helps explain why so many do not stick with the new work we have provided for them, but instead slip away into the woodwork.
Launching a new business project and helping those in slavery and/or poverty is wonderful. But we need to be sure we take the time to contemplate how they may feel about this new opportunity, and that this is not an opportunity we forced on them based upon our assumption of their needs and wants.
Fair Trade World 