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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE August 17, 2007
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| June 26, 2007 |
Cochin, India – Learning the Lessons of Development |
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| The visit was a chance to learn about Kerala’s development from the people of Cochin |
For many the image of India is one of poverty, but its people are often rich in ways beyond financial wealth. This is certainly true for the 30 million inhabitants of Kerala State, where low incomes go hand in hand with high rates of education and social wellbeing. The secret of this success is to let communities decide what is best for themselves and involving people at the grassroots level of development. As the Peace Boat called in to bustling Cochin along India’s southwest coast, participants got the chance to meet with local communities and learn more about the renowned ‘Kerala Development Model’ firsthand. |
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| Bamboo weaving encourages the participation of women and helps add to the local economy |
Participants were greeted at Sahrudaya community center amid the lush palms and jackfruit trees with a gift of the kera coconut flower and paddy rice, symbolising prosperity. Taking advantage of the break in the monsoon rains, the group travelled by foot to see how local prosperity is by being guaranteed by women bamboo weavers in the surrounding village of Neeleeswaram. Many here used to rely on making mats to sell at 10 rupees each, but after training from local development group KSSP, the women decided to work on a wider range of products, including shades, fans and ornaments that now sell for five times more. And it doesn’t stop there. The skilled weavers are always on the look out for new opportunities. “We respond to the demands of the global market” says Rebu Mathew, one of the trainers. |
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| Yoshinori Masamura finds out more about the women’s groups from Bindhu Prakash (far right), her family and neighbors |
The local insight was continued over lunch as the hosts welcomed participants into their homes. Yoshinori Masamura heard how the weaving groups not only helped to add to the income of families, but improved the inclusion of women in the community as well. During the delicious meal of banana and coconut curry, Mr. Masamura also picked up a little of the local language – Malayalam – from his host Bindhu Prakash, as the two shared their experiences. |
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| A participant joins an interactive educational game at one of the primary schools supported by KSSP |
As well as strengthening the position of women, Kerala’s development is underpinned by a strong belief in education. You can find a school within one or two kilometers wherever you are in the state. But schools themselves are not enough – quality teaching is needed too. That’s why KSSP and local teachers have been working together to make lessons more “student friendly.” By using practical demonstrations in class, teachers have learnt how to spark the interest of their students and help them learn more effectively. Thanks to the changes, 83 percent of their students passed the entrance exam to higher secondary school this year. Only half were doing so before. |
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| Secondary school students and participants learn from one another in a frenzy of questions |
The benefit of this education was clearly visible at the local secondary school, where more than 1,000 eager students rushed to quiz the participants. “Where do you come from?” asked many in perfect English. Several were also keen to get the names of participants and make friendships with the Japanese visitors. Outside of school, KSSP continues to develop better teaching practices through its network of children’s clubs, trying out new ways to engage children and making learning fun. By keeping the children interested in school, levels of child labour are also much lower than surrounding states. |
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| Nankin Tamasudare performers introduce the Indian hosts to some Japanese culture |
Back at Sahrudaya, there was also time to learn a little more of each other’s cultures with the local children demonstrating their singing talents and the young women performing a customary Kerala dance. In return, the participants treated their audience to a traditional Nankin Tamasudare display – a skilled Japanese art form which uses a curtain made of wooden sticks to create different shapes. |
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| A farewell dance from the Kerala women ends the day of local learning |
The day had been an eye opening experience for everyone, but particularly for the members of Peace Boat’s Global University who had been learning about the theory of development in Kerala. “It was amazing to see how progress is being made by the people themselves” said Maeyama Masako. “I could really feel an atmosphere of positive change from the local community and through KSSP, which is an integral part of that community”. |
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