NAINN Activities in October and November

Appreciative Inquiry Sensitization Training
October 24, 2004. Tamang Tsingtoji Paribar Sangh organized one day Appreciative Inquiry Training for its members. Buddhi Tamang facilitated the AI training voluntarily. The participants expressed their views with their resources, knowledge, and skills, hard working habit, unity, peace, hope, dignity, motivation, etc. They showed their commitment to multiply and continue these life-giving forces in future for their peace and development. They said they would continue this AI training for setting positive mind towards their own life and Tamang community, Nepal.

A Statement
October 18, 2004. A statement was issued in NAINN's website -

Dear AI Friends, Hello! For your kind information, here is good news for NAINN and Imagine Nepal for current conflict transformation into peace and development. NAINN and Imagine Nepal team member have commitment to play vital role to make this country prosperous through current conflict transformation by AI process. International AI Leaders and Agencies are looking seriously and sincerely to help Nepal. In this endeavor, the International AI Leaders and communities do not have any interest other than prosperous Nepal. They just want to see the wellbeing of Nepal with peace and its beauty. At any cost, NAINN and Imagine Nepal have to make succeed the Nepal AI Summit. It is also opportunity for the International AI Leaders and communities for their contribution to restore the peace and development of Nepal. We have cultural, social and linguistic diversity within unity and harmony, ecological diversities (more than 64 ecosystems) Terai to Himalayan (Saipal, Kanchiri, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Mansuri, Langtang, Gauri-Sankar, Mount Everest, Makalu-Barun and Kanchan-Junga Mountains). We have bio-diversity with very gook land escapes, forests etc. We have our own history and our ancestors they never led to be Nepal a colony of Imperialist. In this great effort, we have to create an environment to draw the International attention for their genuine contribution. In this regard, our International AI veterans are trying to coordinate the agencies such as World Bank, USAID, GTZ, DANIDA, NORAD, DIFID, Rotary, Lions, and Ford Foundation for their managerial, financial and technical support. Specifically, I am grateful to Roland and other AI Veterans, Practitioners, Facilitators and Well willshers and communities, which is initiating all these efforts from their heart bottom to make the Nepal AI Summit happen. Still the NAINN and Imagine Nepal (Indigenous Core team) will be responsible to facilitate the AI process in long run for transforming the country in positive direction, which is initiating this process.

Lets raise our hands jointly to declare our commitment to make happen the Nepal AI Summit to craft the positive web-net for peace, beauty and development.

Imagine Nepal Meeting
October 15, 2004. In this Imagine Nepal has organized a meeting. In this meeting, Buddhi Tamang chaired the the meeting and three agendas were discussed. In the meeting, there were Nepal AI Summit, Membership distribution, Future Action etc. Decision were as follows:
* During the sharing, the Imagine Nepal Executive Members were so excited to organized Nepal Appreciative Inquiry Summit in Nepal. In this agenda, all the executive members unanimously decided that they wanted to organize Asia Regional Appreciative Inquiry Summit (Conference) for peace and development rather than Nepal AI Summit. The rational was, why should we limited in Nepal only.
* Membership form of Imagine Nepal has changed little ominously and decided to distribute for all the individuals.
* Future actions of Imagine Nepal are also decided unanimously to have meeting on every Sunday of Nepali Month from four to five pm (duration).
* Buddhi Tamang (Chairperson) shared about the website of Imagine Nepal as "http://imaginenepal.blogspot.com" and its email address as "imaginenepal.posting@blogger.com". Along with this, he also share about the website of Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) as "http://nainn.blogspot.com"
All the executive members convened to share the website for public.

Meeting with Professor Krishna Bdr. Bhattachan
October 15, 2004. Buddhi Tamang had a meeting with the Professor of Tribhuvan University at his home, Sanepa, Kathmandu, Nepal. They discussed about the ways and methods to build the confidence of Ethnic Communities of Nepal through Appreciative Inquiry (AI). The meeting was focused on discovering life forces rather than discovering problems of Ethnic Groups of Nepal. They both agreed that the AI process builds the self-confidence of Nepalese Ethnic groups to grow their life forces more.

AI Orientation Training for Nepal Tamang Media Group
October 14, 2004. Buddhi Tamang facilitated Appreciative Inquiry Orientation Training (AIOT) for Nepal Tamang Media Group. There were 10 - participants including a woman. In the AIOT, he made them clear about what Appreciative Inquiry is and its usefulness in Tamang society. He also mentioned about the present AI Movement status in the World and in Nepal. All the participants realized that it is useful for transformation and management for current conflict of Nepal. In this connection, media can play an effective role in this issue. All the participants realized to organize one full day training to know about this. The participants asked Mr. Tamang to help them regularly to make them understand about the AI. They also showed their commitment to have full training of AI. They themselves have committed to expand AI in the public through media for positive mind setting for current conflict transformation. In this endeavor, Mr. Tamang showed his commitment to help media people.

AI Interview
October 08, 2004. Buddhi Tamang was interviewed about the Appreciative Inquiry and current conflict issue of Nepal to publish in the book entitled "Nepal Bhusan - A collection of interviews" that is going to be published in Prabartaman Publication in Nepali. In interview, he told about the Appreciative Inquiry and its scope in Nepalese context. He has mentioned that AI frame has come from USA but this concept is already embedded in Nepali culture. Therefore, its not new for Nepal but it is modified form of Nepal AI. It is very useful for current conflict transformation of Nepal in peaceful way and positively. It means, it is very important for peace and development of Nepal.


NAINN's Activities in November 2004

Drinking Water Success Stories
November 2004. Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Support Program (RWSSSP) of FINIDA reviewed its previous programs from the perspective of Appreciative Inquiry. In this review, Rain Water Collection Technology (RWCT) was found successful in the villages of Mountain Foothills of Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Parbat and Tanahun Districts of Nepal. RWCT is found useful where sources are not available above the human settlements. Functioning, living, community managed RWCT projects were considered successul. Thousand of thousand people are being benefited from this project specifically women and children. Madan Pokhara Community FM Radio Palpa reported success stories of the RWCT project in 15 episodes. Similarly, Pipeline Drinking Water System (PDWS) of Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Parbat and Tanahun Districts of Nepal also found much successful. The people of eight districts were benefited from this project. Sreenagar FM Radio Tansen Palpa reported the success stories of PDWS project in 15 episodes.

Annual Planning of Nepal Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committee Federation
November 21-25, 2004. Nepal Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committee Federation (NDWSUCF) organized five days Appreciative Inquiry Training. During the AI training, NDWSUCF's Annual Plan has been prepared based on Four D cycle (Discovery, Dream, Design and Delivery). There were 21 members of NDWSUCF as participants. Ram Bdr. Raut, National Coordinator, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network facilitated the training.

Registration of Imagine Initiative Palpa
November 22, 2004. Second Meeting of Imagine Initiative Palpa was held in Tansen, Palpa. All the Executive Committee Members attended the meeting. The meeting has decided to register the Imagine Initiative Palpa before January 20, 2005 in District Administration Office, Palpa District in Tansen, Nepal. After the registration, it will get legal entity.

Nepal Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committee Federation
November 20, 2004. First Conference of Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committees of Nepal (FCDWSUC) was held in Tansen. Representatives of 150 Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committees of Nepal attended the conference. The conference formed Nepal Drinking Water & Sanitation Users' Committee Federation (NDWSUCF). It is happened first time in Nepal. The conference has decided to adopt the Appreciative Inquiry as theoretical guidance and grounding principles of NDWSUCF. Ram Bdr. Raut, National Coordinator, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network gave Appreciative Inquiry orientation and facilitated the conference.

AI Supporters Kapilvastu
November 11, 2004. Appreciative Inquiry Supporters of Kapilvastu District had a meeting in Taulihawa. Ram Bdr. Raut, National Coordinator, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network attended the meeting. The meeting has decided to have Appreciative Inquiry orientation training as a base to form Imagine Initiative Kapilvastu District. Mr. Ram Bdr. Raut gave a word to facilitate the AI orientation and help to form Imagine Initiative Kapilvastu District near soon. For your kind information, Kapilvastu is the home of Lord Buddha. And adjoining Rupandehi District is his birthplace that is known as Holly Lumbini. So our Appreciative Inquiry is flourishing in this holly land, Lord Buddha's home and birthplace. We AI practitioners, facilitators, supporters and well willshers of Nepal have felt proud.

Appreciative Inquiry Leadership & Networking Training
November 8-10, 2004. Tourism Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP) organized Three days Appreciative Inquiry Training for appreciative leadership and networking in Taulihawa, Kapilvastu District. In this training, Sustainable Tourism Development Committee members and Social Mobilizers of project were participants. All together there were 13 participants from six Districts of Nepal. Ram Bdr. Raut, National Coordinator, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) facilitated the training.

Appreciative Inquiry Training of Trainers (AI-TOT)
November 2-8, 2004. Human Rights Radio Listening Club (HRELIC) Nepal Central Committee organized Seven Day Human Right Training of Trainers (HR-TOT). In the training, 26 representatives from seventeen Districts of Nepal were participants. Appreciative Inquiry was introduced in the first and the second day and the remaining days was about human rights and training facilitation skills and techniques. But human right TOT was facilitated through Appreciative Inquiry perspectives and whole process was appreciative and participatory. Human Rights Radio Listening Club (HRELIC) Nepal Central Committee has established Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Unit in Central Level for promoting the AI it in all branches HRELIC. The team members have selected Ms Laxmi Niraula as an Incharge of the AI Unit. This HRELIC has 800 members in Nepal. Sreenagar FM Radio Palpa reported it in November 12, 2004. Ram Bdr. Raut, National Coordinator, Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) facilitated this AI-TOT.

Imagine Initiative Nawalparasi District
November 6, 2004. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Orientation Training was organized in Nawalparasi District Headquarter Parasi. Mr. Gopal Ghimire coordinated the gathering and 40 participants were there from different parts of District. Ram Bdr. Raut, the National Coordinator, and Gopal Ghimire, the member of Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) facilitated the orientation training. After the orientation training, a gathering was organized and it formed Imagine Initiative Nawalparasi District by comprising 11-Members. Mr. Suman Gopal Acharya has selected unanimously as an Imagine Initiative Nawalparasi as a coordinator.


Talk to Time FM Radio
November 05, 2004. Buddhi Tamang, Advisor of Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network spoke in Times FM Radio in Jawalakhel, Kathmandu. He gave an analytical talk about the Successes achieved in past 14-years of Tamang People of Nepal from the Appreciative Inquiry perspective. The achieved successes were Education, Publication in Tamang language, and Awareness in Tamang cultural identity and diversification of livelihood strategy. His message to Tamang community is to protect and multiply this achievement. In brief, expansion of life giving forces is reduction of life killing force.

Imagine Initiative Palpa
November 1, 2004. Appreciative Inquiry Practitioners have formed Imagine Initiative Palpa (IIP). The Imagine Initiative Palpa envisioned for promoting of life giving forces of Palpa and Palpali people through its multiplication. Buddhi Tamang (Advisor Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network) and Ram Bdr. Raut (National Coordinator of Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network) facilitated the gathering. AI orientation. Mr. Kausal Raj Ghimire and Mr. Prem Pageni are selected unanimously as Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator of Executive Committee. Mr. Tikaram Gyawali, Ms. Susila Shrestha, Mr. Shreekrishna Nepal, Mr. Gunakar Aryal, Mr. Sudarsan Koirala and Mr. Mahendra Panday are selected unanimously as Members of Executive Committee of Imagine Initiative Palpa. At the same time, Advisory Committee also formed by comprising five members. The Advisory Committee Members are Chief District Officer and Assistant Chief District Officer of District Administrative Office Palpa, Local Development Officer of District Development Committee, Dr. Tirtha Regmi and Team Leader of Local Initiative Support Program (a program of helvetas - Swiss development NGO). There are 50 general members including 10 women. The executive committee has convened to register in District Administration Office for it's legal identity. It is also announced to organize Imagine Initiative Palpa Summit in 2005. After this training, Ms. Shusila Shrestha published an article about AI in Local Paper Deurali Weekly on January 14, 2005 in Palpa.


Five Day Appreciative Inquiry Training
October 27 to November 2, 2004. Local Initiatives Support Program (LISP), Helvetas Nepal organized Five Day Appreciative Inquiry Training for its partners in Tansen, Palpa, West Nepal. Buddhi Tamang and Ram Bdr. Raut facilitated the training. Jitendra Prasad Jaiswal, team leader of LISP chaired the opening session and the Chief District Officer of Palpa District was chief guest. Participants were presented from government institutions, NGOs and Media. Total Participants were most responsible persons in their respective organization and total participants were 32 including five female. During the training, more than 40 sessions were covered and conveyed the introduction, history, theory, and working framework (Four Ds - Discovery, Dream, Design and Delivery) of Appreciative Inquiry. Half-day fieldwork was done for Four Ds. In the training, many practical experiences were shared by facilitators and participants. In the closing session, participants expressed their views feeling, experience and usefulness of the training. Madan Pokhara, Shreenagar and Mukti Nath FM Radios, local TV, Jana Chetana (local paper) and National Paper Annapurna Post reported the training.


NAINN ACTIVITIES - JANUARY, 2005

AI Training in Nawalparasi District
December 30, 2004 - January 1, 2005. Nawalparasi District Development Committee (DDC) and Imagine Nawalparasi organized jointly Three Day Appreciative Inquiry training for its staff members in Nawalparasi District Headquarter Parasai. There were 29-participants in the training. Introduction, history, theoretical background of AI and techniques of positive mind setting were discussed. Similarly, AI working framework 4-D wheel was exercised in their own day-to-day working context. Ram Raut and Gopal Ghimire facilitated the training. The training participants developed their future Plan for DDC.

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY TRAINING
January 3-5, 2005. Nucleus for Empowerment through Skill Transfer (NEST), West Nepal organized a Three day Training for its staff and members of other NGOs in Pokhara. There were 25 participants including three female. The training made the participants conceptual clarity of AI and practised its 4-D wheel according to their working context. Director of NEST made the opening of the training. Training certificates was distributed in such a participatory way that each one distributes one system. The organizer and participants have realized that they will have three day AI training for further more clarity and exercise on 4-D cycle. The training was reported in local FM Radios and newspapers.

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY ORIENTATION
January 6, 2005. Nucleus for Empowerment through Skill Transfer (NEST), West Nepal organized a one day Appreciative Inquiry Orientation for its partners NGOs, Journalists, Educationists and government staff. In this orientation, AI concept was briefed. The were shared the information about the Nepal Appreciative Inquiry National Network (NAINN) and its goal and objectives. In this orientation, there were 62 participants and Buddhi Tamang facilitated it. It was reported in local FM Radios and newspapers.