Day 11: SEDS

It has been quite relaxing just living life here in SEDS. this campus is self sufficient and currently this week is a time for us to get used to the place before we start heading out to SEDS projects. In the afternoon we were fortunate enough to be taken to where it all began - in the barren hills. You see, as Rajen the founder, quoted to us "don't you just get this feeling that when you see earth you just want to plant something". more than 35 years ago, this land was so arid and dry, like rural Australia. There was rain, its just that the water was rushing away before the soil could absorb it. So Raj starting his projects in water harvesting and water-shedding - all these techniques to slow the water down so the ground could have a chance to absorb it. With much misunderstanding with the locals and even being bashed on numerous accounts, Raj did the most amazing thing, he made things grow in this desert. And we had the opportunity to see his long term vision. Wow what a sight it is. Photos do absolutely no justice to what you see. Greenery, shade, coolness and water can be seen as vast as the eye will allow - all with the purpose of helping the local community who are underprivileged, impoverished and marginalised. It truly is amazing to see.

Yet, questions do start arising in the mind, mainly, how is this funded? You see, this was a huge scale project, so its very interesting to see where the funding comes from. Raj is a big visionary and perhaps people have caught his vision. Secondly, the regeneration of the forests have been complete, so SEDS now helps empower the community through education, women's advocacy etc. The question  arises as to who's vision is this now? How does governance occur? Yet, it seems like SEDS ethos is to empower communities to their full capacity, to allow communities to be self-determined. So its just very interesting indeed.