#CommunityUpliftment

[motherteresacharitabletrust]

Celebrating Mother Teresa's Legacy - A Day of Compassion and Care – At Palayanur Village , Chengalpat on 28.09.2024.

Celebrating Mother Teresa's Legacy - A Day of Compassion and Care – At Palayanur Village , Chengalpat on 28.09.2024. To commemorate the 114th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a series of welfare activities were organized at Palayanur Village , Chengalpat. Course completion certificates were distributed to the students who had successfully completed their training at the MTF Free Tailoring Center in Palayanur. The certificates served as a testament to their newfound skills and opportunities. The event was a heartwarming display of compassion and care, with the distribution of essential items like food, clothing materials – Sarees ,Lungies & Kid’s Dresses, and stationeries to school-going children. These young minds were provided with the necessary resources to support their education and well-being. By providing essential support to the community, the event aimed to uplift the lives of those in need and foster a sense of hope and empowerment. The event was organized by Mr.D.Benny ,President ,MTF , Chengalpat and his team.

Join Us: www.motherteresacharities.org

[phonemantra-blog]

Banyan Group, a leading hospitality company renowned for its unwavering commitment to sustainable practices, has proudly released its 18th Annual Sustainability Report. This comprehensive document underscores Banyan Group's enduring dedication to environmental stewardship, community upliftment, and responsible tourism. Guided by the core values of "Embracing the Environment" and "Empowering People," Banyan Group has consistently demonstrated deep-seated respect for the natural world, fostering a harmonious relationship between its resorts and their destinations. The 2023 Sustainability Report shines a light on the group's unwavering dedication to these core principles, showcasing the significant strides made in key areas such as: Banyan Group Soars Reduced Climate Change Emissions: Banyan Group has implemented a series of impactful measures to combat climate change. These initiatives, including the installation of batch washers and the execution of solar panel projects, have yielded a remarkable 22% reduction in emissions intensity per occupied room. Waste Diversion and Responsible Waste Management: Committed to responsible waste management practices, Banyan Group has implemented rigorous waste monitoring and recycling initiatives. These efforts have resulted in the diversion of 23% of total waste produced in 2023 from landfills through recycling or repurposing programs. Championing Gender Pay Equity: Banyan Group recognizes the importance of gender equality and actively works to achieve fair compensation for all associates. Their ongoing efforts have demonstrably narrowed the gender pay gap, achieving a 3.2% total adjusted figure in 2023. This progress signifies Banyan Group's dedication to creating a work environment that fosters equity and equal opportunities for all. Prioritizing Associate Wellbeing: Recognizing the importance of a healthy and supportive work environment for employee satisfaction and productivity, Banyan Group prioritizes associate wellbeing. Their commitment has yielded positive results, with the Associate Wellbeing Index registering a 5% increase across the organization in 2023. Regular well-being assessments are conducted, and over 350 programs were implemented in 2023 to enhance the physical and mental health of associates. Empowering Communities Through the Seedlings Program: Banyan Group firmly believes in empowering the communities in which they operate. Their flagship initiative, the Seedlings program, focuses on education, engagement, and employment opportunities for residents. In 2023 alone, 119 young individuals received support, and an impressive 1,313 internships were facilitated through the program. Additionally, Banyan Group has demonstrably increased its support for artisan communities, with a 30% rise in the number of such communities receiving assistance in 2023 compared to the previous year. A Shared Journey Towards Sustainability Banyan Group's unwavering commitment to sustainability is not a solitary endeavor. Claire Chiang, Co-Founder of Banyan Group, emphasizes the collaborative nature of their sustainability journey. "From the very beginning," Ms. Chiang states, "Banyan Group's sustainability efforts have been a collective effort. We have tirelessly collaborated to cultivate a better future for the hospitality industry and the communities we serve." Looking ahead to 2024, as Banyan Group celebrates its 30th anniversary, Ms. Chiang reiterates their unwavering commitment. "We are proud of the progress we've made," she declares, "and as we celebrate this milestone, our dedication to caring for our planet and our people – both employees and host communities – remains unwavering." A Legacy of Sustainable Hospitality Banyan Group's 2023 Sustainability Report serves as a testament to their unwavering dedication to environmental and social responsibility. Their commitment to responsible tourism, coupled with their focus on community upliftment and associated well-being, exemplifies a holistic approach to sustainability within the hospitality industry. By consistently striving to minimize their environmental footprint while simultaneously empowering the communities they touches, Banyan Group sets a commendable standard for sustainable hospitality practices worldwide.

[masterclassofcl]

Unlock rural opportunities with IRMA's MBA in Rural Management! Drive sustainable change and lead with impact. Gain insights, mentorship, and practical skills with @masterclassofcl.

Take action now and register for The Master Class to unlock your potential! 💼 www.themasterclass.co.in/register

[geoffreyphilp-blog]

New on TikTok: Daily Garvey Wisdom shares Marcus Garvey's profound teachings on self-reliance, education, and empowerment, connecting our heritage to the future while inspiring unity and collective progress. Each quote is a call to action for building a future rooted in pride and perseverance. #marcusgarvey #empowermentquotes #selfreliance #blackhistorymatters #communityuplift #blackheritage #educationforliberation #blackeducation #blackexcellence #empowerourchildren #blackhistory #leadership #blackempowerment #blackconsciousness #selfreliance #teachourchildren #blackcommunity

http://dlvr.it/TFXNm1

[crystalshares]

Growth ain't just about reaching the top, it's about the climb and the folks you uplift on your way up. Keep learning, keep striving. #crystalshares #crystalsmotivations #lifelonglearner #communityuplift

[yusrahmoosaots]

The end is just another beginning

4 weeks later and nearing the end of the 3rd block of final year, I look back and realize how much I have learnt.

At the onset of the community fieldwork block, I recollect the anxiety and assumptions that filled my mind about the people and community of Inanda. I had heard horror stories about how projects in the park we are trying to revive, were vandalized “just for fun” and a series of mugging stories that, if I am being honest, I could have done without.

Presently introspecting, it is unbelievable how much this had initially impacted my approach. I maintained a healthy distance from people during health promotion and was always prepared for the worst. If there was someone in the crowd who seemed uninterested in my topic, my mind would automatically categorize everyone in the group in that bubble of disinterest.

However, 4 weeks later and more could not have changed! The anxieties that flooded my mind in the first week have disintegrated without a trace. I feel as if I am wiser and more street-smart.

Now, when locals tell us how unsafe it is to be walking alone and in uniform, we ask the park maintainer to wait for us at the bottom of the street and have a quick change into a spare t-shirt.

When we are told stories of muggings, we simply put our cellphones under our scrubs.

In the face of disinterest during health promotion, we focus on those who are reciprocating.

As a result, I am finding and relating to SO. MANY. MORE. clients.

You may ask what changed and how did it change- and you wouldn’t be the first.

In our most recent weekly tutorial, we discussed the very topic. Amongst the answers which related to personal growth and discoveries, many of us shared the same thoughts – the importance of assumptions, approach and decolonizing the curriculum.

With regards to my assumptions that were purely based off the experiences of my colleagues – I found that my initial approach towards the community projects was unenthusiastic as it “probably won’t last anyway”. This ignorance was quickly questioned after coming across an article describing the disbanding of the Fund for Urban Negro Development (FUND) in the US following the death of activist, Martin Luther King Jr because it brought to light an urgent area of concern – the subconscious power dynamics that I was projecting into the fieldwork experience.

The author describes that what started off as good intentions, eventually led to the organization’s ruin. The white funders who believed that they were activists, set up an empowerment program to assist African Americans, promising not to interfere with advice or “white controls”. This then turned into a mentorship program and a low profit organization which was rejected by those who were “supported” by the initiative. (Harris, 2019)

Reading deeper into the article, I noticed how the white funders immediately assumed that these African Americans required mentorship. Where else could this stem from, if not a sense of superiority?

As occupational therapists we are implored to consider cultural context when formulating an intervention plan to ensure sustainability - and what better way than to immerse yourself in the community setting. This will allow intimate observations of the values and processes of the community, allowing you to gain a shortcut to interacting and becoming a part of it. This was a point that was emphasized in Vermeulen, 2015, where students reported that the most effective way to succeed in community practice was to have conversations and get to know the people and history of said community (Vermeulen, 2015). By placing ourselves on this level, we can work towards removing the “ego” present in helping people whom we consider less privileged and begin to humanize them, ridding ourselves of the significance that comes with an air of superiority.

By speaking to the nurses and teachers about the community and its concerning factors, I was able to cautiously address and show the willingness to understand the clients within their context. I removed myself as an outsider and did not push the way I lived onto my clients, but rather asked them how THEY wanted to live.

The appreciation that came from the understanding of the community led me to find a renewed purpose in assisting clients and completing projects which now sang to my thoughts embedded in occupational justice.

The next lesson I want to discuss is approach.

This is arguably one of the greatest strengths or weaknesses that a therapist can behold. In reflecting about my initial doubts and the impact it had on my work, I decided to “do a 180” and notice the difference (if any) on the clinic users. I had retired my anxiety and fear for a curiosity and compassionate point of view. To my surprise, it had an immediate effect which increased the likelihood of a patient following up and being compliant to home exercise programs.

This can be accounted for due to the therapeutic rapport being built within the first few minutes of interaction between the service provider and user. (Dang, Westbrook, Njue, & Giordano, 2017)

In a TED talk hosted by Zulfat Suara about building community as a newcomer, she integrates these thoughts with a poignant statement which states, “sometimes, we find ourselves in places we don’t belong or feel like we don’t belong but you have to realize that building a bridges goes both ways and remember as you are apprehensive of the other side, so are they. When you reach across the aisle and you strike a conversation, I bet you, you will discover the best in people.” (Suara, 2020)

And last but not least, the importance of decolonizing the curriculum.

Within the articles that I have read in the past few weeks, majority describe that the western perspective is not conducive to Afrocentric values of community. It is part of our occupational consciousness – a term used to describe how the activities that we choose to do influence our personal and collective health. (Ramugondo, 2015)

In the South African context, “ubuntu” plays an integral role. The westernized way of life which is self-centered leads to the disruption of leisure activities across generations which are centered around social participation. In ongoing cases, it may lead to individuals feeling lost which cause ill-mental health.

In the community setting, a decolonization in the curriculum can be a call for change in which practitioners are offered the status that we only see afforded to those working in tertiary, urban facilities. The shift in focus of recognizing the work done on a community level can attract healthcare workers (HCW) to work within the field to uplift and empower people who otherwise experience inaccessibility to these professions.

Occupational therapy provides opportunities for meaningful occupations that has been shown to contribute to overall well-being. Whether we describe meaningful as those activities that we enjoy or that which gives us purpose, (Ikiugu, Hoyme, Mueller, & Reinke, 2015) we cannot ignore the potential OT has in facilitating this growth through the repurposing of known skills into vocational opportunity. This presents with a domino effect by creating employment then financial reward followed by the meeting of basic needs, overall sense of wellbeing and a better quality of life. This will, in turn, impact the younger generation by improving economic factors, making prospects like quality education available – promoting higher levels of qualification in the community – uplifting the entire demographic. Thus, eventually generating a ripple on a national level.

The change starts with us, in helping people to advocate for themselves on a personal and legislative level. By allowing communities to hold themselves and their leaders accountable, to consider the most vulnerable within their population and put pressure for legal change and demand justice.

 The community fieldwork has opened my eyes to a world that I did not know existed in the OT profession. A world of advocacy and opportunity which I hope has been fore fronted throughout my blogs today and in the previous weeks because community block would be incomplete without it.

As the new generation of occupational therapists who have been fortunate enough to authenticate the urgent need of community intervention, it is our responsibility to educate and inform policy to suit the agenda of occupational justice through “taking the university to the streets” (Christopher, 2021) and equipping people with the tools and services that specialize in helping them to succeed. Because it is within the self, that the first revolution is initiated.

 RESOURCES:

Zulfat Suara: How to build community as a newcomer | TED Talk

How to Stop Making Assumptions and Accelerate Community-led Change » Philanthropy Circuit

Developing socially transformative practice in Occupational Therapy: insights from South African practice | Richards | South African Journal of Occupational Therapy (sajot.co.za)

  References  

Dang, B.,  Westbrook, R., Njue, S., & Giordano, T. P. (2017). Building trust and  rapport early in the new doctor-patient relationship: a longitudinal  qualitative study. BMC Medical Education.

Harris, M. (2019,  August 30). When White Philanthropy Funded Black Power. Retrieved from  Philanthropy News Digest: https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/features/ssir-pnd/when-white-philanthropy-funded-black-power

Ikiugu, M.,  Hoyme, A., Mueller, B., & Reinke, R. (2015). Meaningful occupation  clarified: Thoughts about the relationship between meaningful and  psychologically rewarding occupations. South African Journal of  Occupational Therapy, 47-50.

Kloppers, M.,  Pretorius, B., & Vlok, E. (2016). Clients’ subjective experience of their  participation in rehabilitation at an outpatient community rehabilitation  center. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Ramugondo, E.  (2015). Occupational consciousness . Journal of Occupational Science,  488-501.

Suara, Z. (2020).  How to build community as a newcomer [Recorded by Z. Suara]. Nashville,  Tennesee, United States of America.

Vermeulen, N.  (2015). Students’ fieldwork experiences of using community entry skills  within community development. South African Journal of Occupational  Therapy, 51-55.

[originalgladiatorcollective]

Great news! #communityuplift #investing #buyblack Reposted from @webuyblack Black banks are generally local but Los Angeles-based Broadway Federal Bank and Washington, D.C.-based City First Bank just combined to cover both coasts. The two institutions, by merging, also just created the first Black-led bank with over $1 billion in assets. The new entity formed will have roughly $850 million in deposits. Black owned (and led) banks have declined sharply in recent years. The most recent data available from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation showed 48 Black owned banks in 2001 but just 20 remain today. The consolidation of Broadway Federal Bank and City First Bank is a move that will create a stronger institution and one that will be centered on community uplift. The newly minted entity will operate as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), which means it must target at least 60% of its lending into low- to moderate-income communities. When banks lend locally, local communities win and with a CDFI structure, this bank will have a focus on that mission.Focused lending in low- to moderate-income communities is essential for Black people, who disproportionately make up the population is such communities. However, with the onslaught of gentrification in American cities, lending in “low- to moderate-income” neighborhoods doesn’t necessarily mean lending to Black people. Indeed, lending to gentrifiers can actually help banking institutions fulfill their low- to moderate-income lending requirements. Targeting Black people within those communities requires much more intentionality, which Black banks have historically been very skilled at. - #regrann https://www.instagram.com/p/CEkjCjcjXiP/?igshid=1wdcgj2jyxl2c

[alltribessf]

#ripnipseyhussle sad day in #HipHop #westcoasthiphop @nipseyhussle was not only a practitioner of the element #emceeing but also of the 5th element #knowledge as he grew as an artist and elevated himself he also empowered his community through his entrepreneurial endeavors, sharing his knowledge & growth with others #communityuplift His potential was cut short today, but his spirit lives on in the lives he touched in his community and the greater global community. We @Zulu_union_2017 #zuluunion salute @nipseyhussle ✌🏽✌🏽 https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtB8yUhz_j/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1i732cvnvpe40

[anewjourneyunfolds]

Women owning their style...#fashiondesigner #julievalli #beautifulwomenchallenge #smilesfordays😊 #fashion #gorgeous #fundraising #communityupliftment #inspiring #empoweringwomen #enabling #windbeneathmywings #onfleek #photo #turningdreamsintoplans💃 #women #respect #admiration

[cerisepoolman]

Once a month, on pay day, @joubertmatthew takes his staff to their homes, in the location bordering the farm. Some of the ladies live in the valley below the farm. I went with this afternoon, and going there is like stepping into a different world. The government has in the last couple of years been developing some infrastructure like electricity and roads, but as you can see, not much of it is maintained. Erosion marrs the landscape and threatens to wash the roads away with every rain. Invader plants rule, providing only their toxic fruits and leaves to the livestock. The residents, without realizing, end up perpetuating the issues they try to prevent, such as erosion and loss of grazing. There is nothing simple about solving the issues that abound here, but what is certain is that educating the community is key. #southafrica #farmlife #farminglife #township #africa #lifeinafrica #livinginafrica #educationiskey #poverty #communityupliftment #changetheworld

[motherteresacharitabletrust]

We're honored to announce that Dr. Ana Mon from Argentina has been awarded the prestigious Mother Teresa Award for her exceptional service to humanity.

Dr. Mon's tireless efforts to eradicate poverty and uplift marginalized communities have made a profound impact on countless lives. Her dedication and compassion truly embody the spirit of Mother Teresa.

Let's celebrate her achievements and continue to be inspired by her selfless work.

Join Us :- www.motherteresacharities.org

[kylzuns-blog]

...Hey Guys! @jessemart07 and I have had the privilege of being asked to play at a #TheFineArtAndCraftAuction for the #MissionToMadagascar 😁 hosted by @nlfchurchseguin7 with some beautiful pieces by @creative_feel 🌸 All proceeds go towards a community upliftment program in Madagascar 🌿 ... #CommunityUpliftment #MusicVibes #GigGuide

[viesgraphics]

A Hand That gives if Far better that the one that receives 

[geoffreyphilp-blog]

New on TikTok: Daily Garvey Wisdom shares Marcus Garvey's profound teachings on self-reliance, education, and empowerment, connecting our heritage to the future while inspiring unity and collective progress. Each quote is a call to action for building a future rooted in pride and perseverance. #marcusgarvey #empowermentquotes #selfreliance #blackhistorymatters #communityuplift #blackheritage #educationforliberation #blackeducation #blackexcellence #empowerourchildren #blackhistory #leadership #blackempowerment #blackconsciousness #selfreliance #teachourchildren #blackcommunity

http://dlvr.it/TFXNlk

[geoffreyphilp-blog]

New on TikTok: Daily Garvey Wisdom shares Marcus Garvey's profound teachings on self-reliance, education, and empowerment, connecting our heritage to the future while inspiring unity and collective progress. Each quote is a call to action for building a future rooted in pride and perseverance. #marcusgarvey #empowermentquotes #selfreliance #blackhistorymatters #communityuplift #blackheritage #educationforliberation #blackeducation #blackexcellence #empowerourchildren #blackhistory #leadership #blackempowerment #blackconsciousness #selfreliance #teachourchildren #blackcommunity

http://dlvr.it/TFVzPB

[geoffreyphilp-blog]

New on TikTok: Daily Garvey Wisdom shares Marcus Garvey's profound teachings on self-reliance, education, and empowerment, connecting our heritage to the future while inspiring unity and collective progress. Each quote is a call to action for building a future rooted in pride and perseverance. #marcusgarvey #empowermentquotes #selfreliance #blackhistorymatters #communityuplift #blackheritage #educationforliberation #blackeducation #blackexcellence #empowerourchildren #blackhistory #leadership #blackempowerment #blackconsciousness #selfreliance #teachourchildren #blackcommunity

http://dlvr.it/TFVzP0