IMA Newsletter, September
News & Updates
IMA Germinator Updates
Tushar’s Project Update- They have expanded the eco-tourism offerings to achieve financial sustainability at an individual level. (Rs 15K a month)
They have also used better marketing tactics (media and channels) to increase reach and sign-ups.
They have managed to raise funds Rs 50K (outside germinator) to repair cottage roofs ahead of the monsoon season.
They have launched innovative offerings like work from farm, to help connect visitors with outer and inner nature.
Archana’s Project Update- Archana conducted one workshop in Creativity Adda on 11th June 2024, where she discussed about traditional grains and the wisdom behind our old grains and millets to 20 students. She also taught them how to make a unique and old sweat and sour raw mango curry with vegetable kodo rice, a healthy option for lunch. All the students learned happily and participated in the cooking process. She taught them how to make millet bread too. The kids enjoyed the session.
Archana’s food workshop with the kids One online session Archana took on 17th July was monsoon food with three other experts, Tarika Ahuja, Ankita Lodha, Sumi Chandresh on the vegetables we eat, fruits and the choice of grains in the monsoon season. They all shared their known remedies on gut health especially in the monsoon season.
Archana also went to Udaipur on the 8th of August and headed to the Jhadol Bheel tribal area and observed the traditional vegetables that they eat in the different weather conditions. She worked with 20 youth there. She also participated in their fest on 9th August. They all prepared ragi ladoos for the festival.
Then she met Surender, Manoj and Rohit jain and understood the challenges and the mindset of customers regarding the millet and traditional foods in the current times.
Farmversity Webinar Series- IMA will be holding a Farmversity webinar series every Tuesday for 5 weeks starting October 1st till October 29th. The topics will include: policy and schemes, action research, community building, local economy and entrepreneurship, and learning and curriculum. We will invite panelists to discuss these topics. So far we have the following key speakers conformed for the online event- Kamaljeet Singh, Ram Subramaniam, Karan Singh, Rajeev Kohli, Ilias, Kapil Mandewala, Senthil, Manas Arvind, Kavitha Kuruganti, Yogesh Kulkarni, Prem Singh, Narsana Koppula, Ranajeet Shanbag, Dwiji Guru, Rajinder Chaudhary, Ramu, Bharat Mansata.
Ecoversities Marketing Hacks Series- We at IMA are organizing a 4 session series on the following topics- Making Posters and Brochures (13th September), Content Writing (23rd September), Social Media marketing (30th September), Contacts management and Photos and video management (7th October). The first session on making posters and brochures was held by Manas and Himanshu and was very informative on the use and basics of Canva.
Recent Ecoversities Marketing Hacks Series Sacredversity Series- After the Farmversities Series we will be hosting a series on alternative and holistic healing such as the formless. Here we will explore topics on Pilgrimversity, Gift Culture, Silentversity, Rituals and Practices, Antim Yatra and Engaging with the Elements. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting and engaging series.
Opportunities- Jobs/ Internships/ Fellowships
Fellowship Program at Sapna Ranch (4 positions only)
This is a 1 year fellowship for youth interested in Learning by Doing in the fields of Organic Farming, Eco-Friendly construction and Alternate Energy (Solar, wind and biogas). The location is Sapna Ranch (See Directions tab at ebhle.org).
Sapna Ranch has been operational for over 14 years. Over these years more than 300 international volunteers from 40 countries have learnt here. The space has a minimalist lifestyle with focus on self-sustainability. There are no servents here. We do the cooking, cleaning and washing by ourselves. Pet care is an important part of the lifestyle here. Currently there are 5 rescued dogs. The space is in the wilderness, so it's a good place to connect with the Self.
The founder of Sapna Ranch is Hasmukh Sapnawala. He is a scientist who has worked on the World's first internet Bank, Video on Demand, Video Conferencing standards, Smart Cards and many more. Currently his fields of research are Neuroplasticity, Biomimicry and Quantum mechanics. He is a firm supporter of the philosophy of Learning by Doing and creating a space where learners are given opportunities to explore their curiosity.
To know how learners have benefited please see the blog
Those interested please contact Hasmukh on WhatsApp at 9552689001.
Upcoming Events, Courses, Workshops
*Join Us for a Transformative Workshop on Reimagining Education!*
Are you passionate about redefining learning spaces? Join leading visionary Manish Jain for a workshop on reimagining education and exploring radical alternatives.
🗓️ *Dates:* Sep 25-29, 2024
📍 *Location:* Tapovan Ashram Campus, Udaipur, Rajasthan
💰 *Contribution:* ₹9,000 (inclusive of food, stay, and facilitation)
🌐 *Apply Now:* https://forms.gle/DKYhtaCbkPR6khiH8
🔖 *Contact:* Sumit at +91 9890091899 or swarajuni@gmail.com
Limited seats available! Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a movement towards liberating education.
Best,
Team Swaraj
A Film Workshop- The Visible & The Invisible
MAGIC OF MICROGREENS
~ the art of growing food
Intention
To introduce indoor farming to urban families.
About the program
Get to experience the wonders of this new super food which can be easily grown in small space with ease. The workshop is designed to be fun and interactive through games and with intention to make community learning experiences.
What to expect ?
To understand about micro greens
* How to choose
* How to grow
* How to maintain continuous supply
Who will be conducting it?
Pavan Kumar - An IIT grad turned into nature lover with 4 years of research into gamified learning experiences and building creative learning experiences for children. Learning through experiences is something he loves most which led him to do varied positions in many organisations. Games + learning+ fun = life …
He has fun talking about tech, nature,sports, content creation and art
Who is this designed for?
For anyone aged 6 years and above. Children to get connected with nature which can help in developing their cognitive skills.
Resources
* Participants need to get : Book and pen
* Participants will be provided : Beginners kit of micro greens.
Details
* Date : 22nd Sep
* Days : Sunday
* Time : 10 am - 12:30 p. m.
* Ee : 2000/- with kit
* Venue along with google link
For more details
* Whatsapp 9948780658 / 9701545000
UP COMING EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER
Hindi webinar on 15th- Contribution : 250rs
Parenting webinar(in English) on 22nd -
Contribution : 500rs
Webinar on Cognitive importance of drawing (for parents and teachers) on 29th
Contribution : 500rs
For all three webinars-
Contribution : 1000rs
For two english webinars -
Contribution : 800rs
Learning Resources
Podcast : Art of Facilitation - Unlocking Collective Intelligence By Darpan Majumdar
Welcome to the podcast where we dive deep into effective facilitation and the power of collective intelligence.
Join us as we explore the techniques, strategies, and stories behind successful group facilitation, unlocking the potential of diverse minds working together.
Each episode features expert interviews, practical tips, and real-life examples to help you master the art of guiding conversations, fostering collaboration, and achieving breakthrough results.
Whether you're a seasoned facilitator or just getting started, tune in to discover how to harness the collective intelligence of any group and drive meaningful impact.
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Host: Darpan Majumdar at best, this man can be described as a seeker and a co-creator of spaces for harmony and peace- through dialogue, laughter, silence, and co-building communities.
He is co-creating experiments and believes life should be full of joyous experiences.
https://linktree.com/darpan_majumdar
If you would like to donate or suggest a guest or help/volunteer, kindly write to us at majumdar.darpan@gmail.com
In this episode with Arun Wakhlu we have a dialogue about inner practices such as how to intuitively find a place in facilitation.
Project DEFY Official Podcast Un-herd Episode 06: "Fear: The biggest cog in the wheel of education"
In our sixth episode, "Fear: The Biggest Cog in the Wheel of Education," we address topics that most people, institutions, and organizations shy away from discussing.
We are joined by Dr. Kamala Mukunda from the Centre for Learning, Bangalore, as we explore the origins of fear and how both the educational and social systems introduce fear into our children's lives. We examine the motivations behind why these systems employ fear as a tool and the lasting impact this has on children as they grow into adults.
To help our listeners gain a deeper understanding of the topics discussed, we are sharing links to two books that provide additional context and insights related to this episode.
1. What Did You Ask At School Today by Kamala Mukunda
2. The Still Point of the Turning World by Emily Rapp
https://bit.ly/4f7xl6VListen to the podcast on YouTube & Spotify Podcasts! click on the link below.
Spotify - https://bit.ly/4dbxB37
YouTube - https://lnkd.in/gY7idRa4If you are an individual or an organization who would like to be part of our podcast series, please do write to us at info@projectdefy.org
The Ecoversities Prophecy
THE ECOVERSITIES PROPHECY (AND INVITATION TO ALL THE EDUCATORS IN THE WORLD)
When science and rationality become ready to enter into liminal spaces,
When rivers and ready-made formulas run dry,
When technological utopianism runs out of silver bullets and salesmen,
When institutions and experts have run out of answers and don't know what to do anymore,
When mainstreaming feels like a suffocating strait-jacket,
When the Global Market understands the invisible hand has been cut off,
When communities realise that they cannot survive without vibrant local economies,
When borders, rules and disciplinary categories want to exhale deeply,
When the strategic plans start to remember that diverse contexts and terrains matter,
When data becomes warm and promiscuous and excel spreadsheets and powerpoint presentations can no longer hold complex realities,
When money grows tired of being the bully,
When the bulldozers and tanks are ready to revolt,
When the air-conditioners refuse to cool our industrialized egos,
When competition and the label of success feel like an unnecessary burden to wear,
When people start craving authentic relationships, radical trust and an expansion of our notions of Self,
When wisdom is tired of being pinned down and strangled,
When poisoned food systems and oceans full of plastic refuse to be hidden from the overly romanticized narrative of progress,
When children are ready to make the world their classroom again,
When the the ancestors, forests, the deserts and the mountains are ready to sing and dance again,
When Mother Nature wants to give us one last chance.
There is an ancient prophecy that ecoversities of all shapes and sizes will rise again out of the cracks, the chaos, the muck, the shadows, the undercurrents, the informal, the seemingly invisible, the ashes, the pain and the collective trauma.
Ecoversities will rise again to help us liberate our collective imaginations (from trying to fix the existing system).
Ecoversities will rise again to invite and open up the sacred intelligence of our hearts.
Ecoversities will rise again to invite and open up the sacred intelligence of our hands and bodies.
Ecoversities will rise again to remind us how to listen to the profound wisdom of our more-than-human planetary co-inhabitants.
Ecoversities will rise again to help us unlearn and uplearn.
Ecoversities will rise again to help us regenerate the gift culture, the commons and solidarity economies.
Ecoversities will rise again to help us find our way back Home to who we really are.
Ecoversities will rise again...
Will you be part of co-creating this wild and playful prophecy of uprising?
- Manish Jain, Swaraj University and the Ecoversities Alliance www.ecoversities.org
Stories of our Learners
In 2001, Manish Freeman started Game-o-thon, a series of non-competitive games for people of ages in the spirit of gift culture, community, and friendship. He has taken his work to public places such as parks, corporates, and schools. He garnered immense trust and support from the community through the spirit of having fun and playing games.
This story is of Rani Pandit of NavGurukul who single-handedly transformed her life from a small village to becoming not only financially independent but also taking her family out of poverty. Her father suffered from severe mental health conditions and the family overcame that through the power of unique learning systems.
From Mt.Elgon Nook hub Uganda from Project Defy
My name is Tendai Macheza, I am a 15-year-old boy from a family of seven. I dropped out of school due to financial difficulties after my mother fell mentally ill and couldn't fend for the family as she was our main breadwinner. The first time I heard about the Nook Hub was through my father, who is a community worker. I quickly got interested because I had nothing much to do at home. The atmosphere at the Nook Hub was so welcoming that since I joined in September 2023, I have never missed a day.
During the early projects and exploration, I realized that I could do more than I thought. I ended up selecting music production. As I keep coming to the Nook Hub, I hope to perfect my skills and join the music industry in the future. One thing that draws me to the Nook is how welcoming the space is. I am able to share my problems with other learners, which has made it easier for me to understand life. Attending the psycho-social support and life skills camp has also helped me a lot to accept myself and has improved my self-esteem.
Funding Opportunities and The IMA Funding Proposal
Funding Opportunities for youth:
1. Youth Call for Embedding Environmental Justice Principles in Zero Waste projects
Deadline: 29 September 2024
Funder: UMI Fund
Funding Amount: £7k
Location: All countries
UMI Fund welcomes applications from young leaders and activists (18-34) who want to carry out a zero waste project or a campaign to change the social narrative around waste management.
Here is the Form
2. Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being
Deadline: 30 September 2024
Funder: UNESCO and SEVENTEEN
Funding Amount: From $5k to $10k
Location: All countries
UNESCO and SEVENTEEN aim to fund youth-led projects that address challenges affecting the well-being and development of young people (18-30) and their communities.
Here is the link.
3. The Commonwealth Youth Awards
Deadline: 18 October 2024
Funder: Commonwealth
Funding Amount: From £1k to £5k
Location: Commonwealth member countries (see here)
The Commonwealth aims to recognise and celebrate impactful, sustainable development work carried out by young people (aged 15‒29) in their communities.
Here is the link
4. Earth Prize Sustainability Competition for Students
Deadline: 30 November 2024
Funder: The Earth Prize
Funding Amount: Up to $12.5k
Location: International
The Earth Prize aims to reward projects led by students (aged 13‒19) that have the greatest potential to address environmental issues.
Here is the link
Funding Opportunities in General
1. D-Prize
Deadline: 13 October 2024
Funder: D-Prize
Funding Amount: Up to $20k
Location: All countries
D-Prize aims to support emerging social impact organisations (for-profit or non-profit) that distribute existing products or services known to address socio-economic or environmental challenges.
Here is the link
2. Green Leaves Education Foundation Call for Applications
Deadline: Rolling
Funder: Green Leaves Education Foundation
Funding Amount: Not Specified
Location: Global South and Switzerland
The Green Leaves Educational Foundation aims to support educational projects or organisations providing education at all levels, including vocational training.
Here is the link
3. WRLD Foundation Call for Applications
Deadline: Rolling
Funder: WRLD Foundation
Funding Amount: Not specified
Location: All countries
The WRLD Foundation aims to support scientific, awareness-raising, educational and other projects that address issues related to clean water and sanitation, climate change, life underwater and life on land.
Here is the link
4. What’s Possible 2024 Call for Proposals
Deadline: 24 September 2024
Funder: Children's Rights Innovation Fund (CRIF)
Funding Amount: Typically from $5k to $15k
Location: All countries
CRIF seeks to provide direct support to young activists, community workers and organisers who are carrying out community projects to improve sustainability, health, education and other issues.
Here is the link
Please refer to the IMA funding proposal in the following link and help us spread the word for potential donors and funds. Thanking you in advance.
News from Ecoversities Alliance
Ecoversities Global Planetary Gathering 2024 in Brazil
This global gathering is a testament to the power of connection, where diverse perspectives and ideas converge, creating a rich mosaic of collaboration and understanding. Together, they celebrate their unique identities while working towards common goals, demonstrating that their differences are not barriers but bridges to a more inclusive and harmonious world.One of the most precious gifts they experienced during the Global Gathering of the Ecoversities Alliance in Brazil was the rich intergenerational exchange.
What followed was just one of the many pearls harvested from this collective sharing. They understand the critical importance of creating spaces where young people can dream, reimagine, express, play, unlearn, listen, celebrate, and create the world they wish to manifest.
Annual Membership Form
As we discussed in the last general members meeting, we have attached a letter regarding the Annual Membership Fee of the Indian Multiversities Alliance. Please click the link below: Google Drive
Please go through it. You can reach out to Harsh: harshw2409@gmail.com for any clarifications if needed.
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IMA (Indian Multiversities Alliance) newsletter is a bi-monthly newsletter published in second weeks (10th-12th) of alternate months. Member organisations are requested to send any relevant updates from their work/community/network to us accordingly.
The next newsletter would be published by November/ December, 2024.
Reach out to Kalashree: kalashreee@gmail.com, or +91-9619875905 for any clarifications. Also our website is being updated please visit and reach out for more updates:
https://www.multiversities.org
Thank you.