Grassroots Leadership Training Programme

Co-ordinated and run by Wongsanit Ashram.

Introduction

The GLT programme involves empowerment training and ongoing educational support for grassroots leaders of marginalised communities, such as the ethnic minorities, the rural poor in Siam and South-east Asia. The project aims at empowering these peoples to regain self-confidence and be proud of their own cultural roots as well as develop critical understanding of the present socio-economic structures that effects their community life. At the same time, through these training, they will also be equipped with needed skills to guard against exploitation and improve their livelihood. These skills include participatory community organising processes to set-up saving group, micro-credit, credit union, rice bank, buffalo banks, and other income generation projects at the village level such as organic farming and natural weaving and other craft. Any modern and indigenous technology that are appropriate and helpful will also be introduced and taught. Other leadership skills such as conflict resolution, facilitation of meetings and articulation of clear ideas are also included in the course.

The process is empowering in several ways. We emphasise the respect for cultural diversity against the consumer monoculture that looks down upon indigenous and traditional values. We also use participant centred and participatory approach in our training and community projects. The participants and villagers are encourage make decision as much as possible. Side by side with the training, we have started developing educational materials along the line of our philosophy. The idea for educational materials to demystify consumerism originated at the ATC Gathering in 1997 and this has evolved into a collaborative project with SEM, TICD and Wongsanit Ashram. The focus is on compiling educational resources for empowerment of activists, grassroots leaders, NGO workers, poor people, students, monks and nuns. The materials cover such topics as consumerism, globalization, spiritual development, sustainable community economics, alternative and appropriate technology, and environmental conservation.

The GLT programme has been ongoing since 1996 and is divided into two main branches-one for Siam and another for neighbouring Asian countries. These educational programmes strive to include a gender-balanced group of participants with a mix of religious and ethnic backgrounds. Our participants include both the laity and the clergy.

The highly successful result of these training is leading us to establish an alternative college for these target groups in the near future. For more information about the Alternative Collage see Our Dream.

The following summaries describe some interesting aspects of our GLT courses applied to different target groups.

• GLT Training for the Assembly of the Poor -Siam
• GLT Sangha: Empowering monks and nuns in Siam & Southeast Asia
• GLT Karen: Friends of the PgazK'Nyau -Siam
• GLT-South-East Asia
• Good results of the GLT and range of Alumni activities

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