Walking the Ground

La Via Campesina

2012-02-22T14:26:00.001-08:00

La Via Campesina

See this space

Said to be one of the biggest (if not the biggest) social movements globally. La Via Campesina
is a "voice of radical opposition to the globalization of an industrial and neoliberal model"
(Desmarais 2008). It is an organizations for peasants, by peasants. When the world 'peasants'
is used here, it has negative connotations, but the intelligence of the LVC movement forces
us to re-think this socially-constructed identity.

A friend of mine, F, who is Venezuelan, and whom I studied with at the ANU has
done some work with them, and is currently doing one of his masters projects with/on LVC.
He said, "Genuinly believe that they are the way forward in food production. unfortunately the world is still portrayting
them as radical hippies and extremsists that dont conform to the global system (that is the point!)"

This entry is more of a "catalyst" or "sharing" sort. Diverting viewers to a system
that works. The key things that we could learn from are (i) how the movement has
grown and become so successful globally (ii) examining what their idea of an 'alternative
to capitalism' looks like.

More to come as we go along! Enjoy this lovely week.

Land, the essence of life.

2012-02-14T23:14:00.000-08:00

What a sad day this must be, for the communities who need to leave their land.

Chief of Kayapo Tribe, Dilma

Breaking down upon hearing that the

dam had been approved.

(posted by Gonzalo Cesar, Steward Vriesinga's translation from Spanish)

I have more respect for a Warrior that protects life—

for us, for our children and grandchildren and future generations –

than for a false civilization and their interests!

While newspapers and television talk about the lives of celebrities,

...the chief of the Kayapo tribe received the worst news of his life:

Dilma, 'The new president of Brazil, has given approval to build

a huge hydroelectric plant (the third largest in the world).

It is the death sentence for all the people near the river because

the dam will flood 400,000 hectares of forest. More than 40,000 Indians will have to

find another place to live. The natural habitat destruction, deforestation

and the disappearance of many species is a fact. '

What moves me in my very bowels , making me ashamed of being part of Western culture,

is the reaction of the chief of the Kayapo community when he learned of the decision—

his gesture of dignity and helplessness before the advance of capitalist progress,

modern predatory civilization that does not respect the differences ...

But we know that a picture is worth a thousand words,

showing the reality of the true price of our bourgeois "quality of life".

---

Reflections

Without land, we are permanently insecure.

It took a long time for this to sink in, but when

it did, it isn't too challenging to understand why

LKY cried when we were separated from Malaysia.

When I had my first class in Australia, at ANU - I still remember the

lecture theatre, and the course, SRES1001 Resources, Environment and Society-

an element that struck my heart deeply, was the significant difference in how indigenous

people value and view their land, as compared to myself, and the Singaporean

community which I come from. The cultures are contrasting - where we based

our 'culture' mainly upon the tastiness of food, the style of our clothing, and

the jobs that we hold. Other cultures are based so much closer to the appreciation

of the land, and its importance to a communities survival.

..and let us kid ourselves not, even though we

are of Chinese/Malay/Indian descent, we live in the Western world. Such a world that is

described above - that is a driving force for the destruction of land, of homes;

and not just the homes of our fellow communities, but the homes of all who inhabit the earth.

In my opinion, it is this gross disconnect that needs to be bridged. And no,

it can't just be done through facts, and education. Because that is just as good

as Singaporeans going to indonesia to 'teach farmers 'how to farm'" - believe me,

I have heard of stories like this. But it needs to be done through experiential learning.

This experiential learning, should, of course be supported by the empowerment of

the consumer, to make more well-informed choices.

Permaculture Principles, as applied in the GUI work ethic

People care, Earth care, Fairshares.

Share with Us Reflections on your Balik Kampung Experience!

2012-02-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

We'd Love to hear from You

i. What was the most interesting/important/valuable point in the course of your activities?

ii. What was something that was least clear or that you wish to do/learn/hear more of?

iii. What experiences resonate with your prior experience?

iv. Do you have any other thoughts or comments?

(see: "tips on how to share" below)

Tips on how to share

1. Click on "add a comment"

2. Write your reflections

3. Leave your Name under "comment as" > "Name/URL"

Why Reflect? Everything that an effective manager does is sandwiched between action on the ground, and reflection in the abstract. Action without reflection is thoughtless, reflection without action is passive. These two mind sets have to be combined, to function at a point where reflective thinking meets practical doing - Henry Mintzberg (Oxford Press)

Looking forward to reading expressions of your thoughts and gratitude!

COURAGE

2012-02-05T15:40:00.000-08:00

What exactly is courage?

Is courage the scene when one is on a battle field, charging forward into a mass of a hundred thousand strong army. So thick are the lines that you never see the end. Logically knowing that your forces are so many times smaller – that you are the underdogs. Yet charging forward with the conviction and roar of a distant victory for that better tomorrow! That must be the clearest form of courage. But can there still be courage not only in times of war, and where do u see them?

My start of serious questioning of my courage began in a very modest unassuming space. It was in a situation of peace, which started me asking the true meaning of courage. And do I have courage?

I was standing on the right of an old couple, that were sitting on a usual SMRT public bus, on my way back home. It was one of those busses where they took out a huge section of seats and left a large space on the left of the bus so more people can stand while boarding. Everything was usual, not too crowded, no one too rude. It was peaceful. The old couple where conversing calmly with each other in dialect while the elder man was also wiping his sweaty left arm with a tissue. As he was finishing off with his elbow, he conveniently released his grip and dropped the piece of tissue onto the ground. That very piece of tissue you see there.

Well, no big deal right? It is just another small piece of litter-tissue that the bus driver will, after all, clean up by the end of the day. Yet, from the organization where I spent most of my time in, also at home, and when my girlfriend works in SMRT, this is not acceptable! Especially when I also knew of a very courageous lady that has spoken her mind in a very similar situation. I must do something. I must tell them off for their bad behavior! Senior citizens or not, we shall not litter and start learning to love our public spaces. It is now about national pride! I will act, and I must! … Yet nothing came out of my mouth for the next few seconds. All were happening in my head. A personal battle.

Still, I believe strongly for something to be done. I knew I had to do something, I needed to act. I spoke these exact words, “Uncle, I think u dropped something." so gentle was my tone they truly thought they dropped a dollar or so that they looked down and started searching. They shuffled their feet, shifted their asses, and looked so intensely for what they might have dropped. Many times just kicking that very piece of tissue paper around. The tissue was just oblivious to them. They were simply moving it around as if it may be obstructing the possible “thing” that they may have dropped.

After some intense shuffling, the elder lady looked up and said," no, nothing dropped?" That puzzled look on her face.

I tried again saying, “yes Aunty there it is, that tissue on the floor." Again, they looked down, and this time they seem to get it. Yes! But surprisingly, with a light swipe of the feet, the elder lady moved the tissue to the right edge of the bus and said, without looking at me," that is alright." And she and her elder husband never looked up again. They just stared plainly forward as if the conversation had never occurred. And sooner than thought, the bus reached the next stop. Their stop, and they were off.

cour·age [kur-ij, kuhr-]

noun

1. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

2. Obsolete. the heart as the source of emotion.

Idiom

3. have the courage of one's convictions, to act in accordance with one's beliefs, especially in spite of criticism.

(Extracted from Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/courage. I took the liberty to underline the key phrases that strikes me most about what courage means to me)

I was lost for words. It happened so quickly. I wanted to do the right thing, I picked up my “courage” and acted. But before the act can be completed, it ended so abruptly. This was the worst ending it can get as it started me questioning my courage. Could I have stopped them from alighting? Could I have picked up the tissue and handed it to them? Could I have sounded more stern and clearer in the first place? Could I…

Well, like it or not, I did not, I could have, but did not. And that is also why the tissue paper is still in that right corner for me to take a photo of. All I vaguely remembered was that I picked that tissue paper up after taking a photo of the scene, and one stop later, it was my stop to alight. I was defeated, self-questioning, and feeling not at all courageous.

So what is courage after all, I was thinking the whole night?

-Xu Hong

Self-realization and Innovation

2012-02-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

it is undeniable that we stand on the shoulders of giants, it is therefore why we should learn, study and understand the concepts and ideas of others. However, there comes a point in time, in our lives, where we have to peel ourselves away from solely learning in this fashion, and start experimenting. Start understanding our own environment around us, toy with our own concepts, start creating and inspiring.

A friends Home In Germany

All Hand Made and Thoughtfully Crafted

Third World Farmer

2012-01-26T04:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, I came across this game "3rd World Farmer" - which I want you guys to try!

I got this excerpt from the game (see below), and it reminded me of times I was working

with my friends, who are farmers in Vietnam. ..and has connections with last weeks blog

entry about how "farmers should be paid more" - especially now that farming is becoming

more and more of a gamble, with climate change, and this multitude of political factors both

nationally and internationally affecting their livelihoods!

*hint: dont forget to click on the family members to check their health

PLAY IT HERE!

What is 3rd World Farmer?

3rd World Farmer is a new kind of game. An experiment in the genre of Serious Games, it simulates some of the real-world mechanisms that cause and sustain poverty in 3rd World countries.

In the game, the player gets to manage an African farm and is soon confronted with the difficult choices that poverty and conflict can cause.

As a farm and family management game it has an emotional impact on many players because usually these types of games play out in much easier settings, where it's always possible to prosper by playing cleverly and making the right game choices. It's not always like that in 3rd World Farmer. Just like real people are dying from starvation in desperate situations that they never asked to be put in, all it takes for things to go wrong in this game is one bad harvest, an unfortunate encounter with corrupt officials, a raid by guerillas, a civil war, a sudden fluctuation in market prices, or any of the many other game events, that might never happen to families in industrialized countries.

By letting players experience this - albeit in a harmless, fictional setting - we hope to open their eyes to the problems and to motivate them to make positive social change. Our aim is to have everybody play the game, reflect, discuss and act on it. The game is a great starting point for discussions of 3rd World issues, so we encourage teachers to use it in class.

Although the current version of the game is finished and fully playable, our work to improve it continues.

Farmers Should Get Paid MORE!

2012-01-18T04:20:00.000-08:00

This entry is about giving farmers a VOICE and

finding out what FARMERS want

Should paying more for our food even be DEBATED? As an undergraduate in Australia, Canberra.

I had my frolicks with part-time jobs. One of the things that surprised me the most, was how much

I could get paid. For example, for a week's worth of internship work (40 hrs) the university gave me

A$1000 (S$1400) - Or to make the figures more relevant. In Australia, someone who works in
McD's get paid A$18.50-22/hour. I remember in Singapore - they get paid S$3.50/hr. And, to

compare this with the average pay of a househelper, she gets paid S$320/month.

What I'm trying to highlight here, is the inequity in payment for the same amount of labor. Or less.

It is quite unbelievable this world! ... how someone spends hours and hours doing backbreaking

work to grow a bunch of banana's.. which I paid $2 for last week in the Hungarian Central Market.

(Source: Neath Port Talbot)

Hear the voices of these banana farmers (link below), in their different accents.

Hear their desires. Hear how they have to support their family of 10.

Hear them, understand them. Connect with them.

Exchange Values

http://www.exchange-values.org/

Team GUI in Phnom Penh

2012-01-12T00:30:00.003-08:00

Last week, a team of decidcated members set out to Lighthouse orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

They're still there in the midst of completing things! (Some of the pictures have been uploaded onto

facebook!) And here is a brief explanation of what they're doing:

Expand vegetable plot
Create Banana and Papaya Circles - for composting
Repair zinc roof and use the shed for composting and tools
Create a kitchen composting system
Make tool racks
Create a waste holding zone and
Education

Repaired zinc roof and composting and tool shed

Expanded plot for veggie garden

This is more than an overseas community involvement project (OCIP) that

most people have participated in with their secondary or tertiary schools. (This

I am not disregarding either - but it should be made explicit). Firstly, this differs

from the OCIP projects i've done Bintan and Malaysia in a way that

1) it is for the long-term: we will be back again!

2) there is intensive and extensive communication with staff on the ground

to see ensure that their needs are met and to offer additional options that we can

3) It involves education - education not in the sense of 'teaching english' for 2 days.

but in the sense of integrating their daily actions into a more "closed-loop" process

It is so essential that one goes to a place knowing his or her limitations and

capacity. Fresh volunteers often have the noblest intentions in their heads.

Going to 'Help the Poor' and the 'Less fortunate'. Then coming back

humbled and blushing, realising that people there knew much more than I did.

Someone who comes to my mind, is a guy called "Tikka" from Nepal

He was highly respected amongst the volunteers - he could do

everything. Like a utility handyman. From carrying 65kg logs up

the mountain for an hour, to building sheds, to cooking 6 varieties

of daal bhat, to disciplining children, to cutting his sons hair ?!, to

growing food, etc etc. this man = RESPECT.

So my point is.. that its nice, from an 'overseas' perspective, seeing GUI

members contributing in the ways that they are 'specialised'. i.e.: in what

they have been working with week after week for the last 3 years, and

transplanting this 'working concept and ideas' by tweaking it to suit

the environment and context of LHO.

With that, I'm looking forward to updates and more photos of the process

and completed end product! and also of amazing people you have met/ will meet!

My heart and support are with all of you!

Go team GUI!

December; Expressions and Collections of Gratitude

2012-01-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

GUI expresses our Gratitude to all who have
come into our lives in 2011 and remember all
who have contributed to shaping the Kampung today!

நன்றி

terima kasih

The SECRET Recipe for Building A Community

2011-11-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Connecting with our past entry, What Does Kampung Spirit Mean to You?

- which touches on the importance of a grounded community to individuals (see comments) -

Tai Xu Hong* writes here about 'the Secret Recipe for Building A Community'.

In the context of our present political divisions and actions showing a

severe human-nature disconnect, there is a strong need for us to come

together collectively as a community to be a part of the solutions.

*Having recently made a choice to retire from a cushy job to work full-time

in the Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) team, Xu Hong, 26, walks the talk.

..You will find in this entry, that wisdom belies his age..

The SECRET Recipe for Building A Community

This is a SECRET recipe about building a community.
Fortunately, I do not have to kill you after reading this.
If you are interested in building a community, read on.
I am just here to share what I am being taught and learning these days.

Secret #01:

A Space and an Envision of Fulfilling a Purposeful Dream

Kampung Cakap - Where ideas are Spread and are Shared

It is called the hardware in Ground-Up Initiative (GUI). To start a community, we need a space.
It is usually a real physical space, while even virtual communities need a virtual space. A space represents
the possibility of a community. More importantly, it provides the meeting point where values and guiding
philosophies can manifest into the foundations of a community’s culture.  A space provides the opportunity
for community grounding and growth into the future.  Yet a space does not always guarantee
a community’s presence.  A community needs a purposeful dream to fuel their growth.

A purposeful dream is like the sun to a seed, that was sowed in the open space on the ground.
With a purposeful dream that all members of the group acknowledge and aspire to,
it becomes the direction that will guides the growth; turning the group into a purposeful community.
This dream will lead to the community’s vision, then to the mission that guides actions.

A group standing in an available space with a vision of fulfilling a purposeful dream
is poised to grow into a purposeful community.

Secret #02:

Ownership and Rightful Recognition: Feeling Good About It

What makes a community last and grow sustainably?
Two factors contribute to that: ownership and recognition.

Ownership; also known as having a stake in the growth of the community -
binds members to the community and space. The programmes (or) software – in the community
allows for that attachment and ownership. Playing a more active role in participating and
contributing to the community builds stronger ownership as a result. Therefore, ownership
through contributions by members is a crucial factor for sustainable community growth and existence.

Yet, what sustains the contributions are recognitions. More importantly,
one has to feel good about contributing! Here I am not speaking of the superficial or
materialistic feel good drivers. These recognitions have to be sincere, true to the heart feel good drivers
that will encourage community members to go the extra mile. Recognising good work and
making members feel good about it does not need to cost a lot. Furthermore, if you feel happy,
you will do more happy things to spread the joy. The more members in the community that are
positively influenced by this joy, the more they want to be part of it. To sustain this feel good driver,
members will realise that they have to play an active role in contributing to this happiness
and excitement. After all, members will want to feel valuable. A rightly recognised
community will have more pride and ownership to drive purposeful dreams into reality.

The right software allows for contributing opportunities and ownership.
By giving the right recognition, members in the community feels good and are valued.
This strengthens the pride of the community to inspire the heart-ware.

Secret #03:

Emotional Anchorage and Team Leadership

Heart-ware is a critical component in GUI community developments.
At GUI, apart from only farming the ground, members farm their soul.
Their contributions translate into sincere recognitions that deepen commitments and
attachments to the space and the people. This is emotional anchorage that binds hearts together.
With the developments of emotional anchorage to the land and the people,
the heart-ware in the community strengthens.

Team leadership is the last critical ingredient in building a sustainable and purposeful community.
Team leadership do not only provides the aspired results and visions that guides the process.
The wise leadership will also engineer the right conditions (a.k.a climate, environment, etc.)
that inspires the desired climax and end results. Team leadership is also critical in constantly
realigning the envisioned dream to the current reality; yet not losing identity.
It is also this team leadership that will provide the fair recognition to all members.
Inspiring potential leaders to step up and make the difference.

Additionally, the capability of the team leadership to nurture potential, future, leaders
and sharing the helm will define a sustainable community. By allowing new leaders from
the community to step up, new and deeper emotional anchorages will be entrenched.
Eventually, opening new grounds for fresh growth and renewal in the community.

The ability of members to entrench emotionally, more than just physical ownership,
will deepen the foundations in the community. Additionally, team leadership and
the evolving renewal are crucial in the sustainable developments and existence of the community.

So here I ask: have you found the secret recipe of building a community? Or is there even a secret recipe?
Well, in my opinion, there is no secret. These are all very logical knowledge of building a community.
Some say it is common sense, some call it too ideal. I say most of us are not consciously practicing
these secret recipes of building a sustainable community.
Most of us know these recipes and ingredients deep down inside.
Yet the ability to translate them into clear actionable practices is where the secret lies.

So if there is a secret to building a community, I leave you with this SECRET instead.

SECRET

Space

Envision

Contribution

Recognition

Emotional anchorage

Team leadership

written by, Tai Xu Hong

Rest Stop for Next Stop

2011-11-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

Last saturday, we had our monthly Rest Stop session!

A picture worth a thousand words, needless to say, beside serious discussions,
quick updated of upcoming events and programs,
we had a great time with our Kampung lunch!

When food is associated with culture,

it symbolizes the evolution of the culture.

People of these cultures cherish their food and spices

which give them a unique identity of their own.

We, the true Kampungian, welcome you to grab and experience our

REAL Kampung Spirit!

by Peace Kwek, Kampung Peacemaker and Chef

on a mission to make the world a better place

Perspectives: Balik Kampung

2011-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

One of the elements which we value in GUI is how our volunteer and member diversity (ages, interests and experiences) are synergized. In the reflections of this week's BK session, what struck me is the ways in which BK activities were experienced, and the forms in which they were expressed.

Enjoy the Poetry ~

Plant a seed
What do you reap?
First there's tilting
Then fertilising
That comes from compost unwanted lettuce & coffee beans
Here comes weeding
Plucking out anything weird looking.
We need to drink
so do they.
Both in the hot sun
wonder how they lived.
Now when I eat
I'll think back to this cherish my food
It's very much a feast.

by Wu Xin Yi

I smelt compost heap for the first time.
I ate raw mulberry leaf for the first time.
I witnessed so many maggots in one place for the first time.
But the experience was really one of a kind. In depth, I think that food and land is really precious. People actually have to go through such hardships for so little gains. I'm glad that I get to experience it 1st hand.

By Xia Yin JS

Food Blogs

2011-11-18T13:51:00.000-08:00

I realise, just by looking through all the food blogs we have in Singapore.. we are a nation of rich, spolit for choice, pampered people. We are so lucky, yet we are often not conscious about every aspect of 'luckiness' we possess.

Kind of draws parallels to a movie I just watched, "Before Sunset" - where the Jesse goes,

"You know what drives me crazy? It's all these people talking about how great technology is, and how it saves all this time. But, what good is saved time, if nobody uses it? If it just turns into more busy work. You never hear somebody say, "With the time I've saved by using my word processor, I'm gonna go to a Zen monastery and hang out". I mean, you never hear that."

The purpose of being conscious is so that this awareness can transcend into action. Action to make the world a kinder, more giving place. We owe this to the people whose land and resources we unknowingly exploit by our purchasing power. We owe this to the unborn child. We owe this to Ourselves; to the very ethics we believe in.

GUI Values: You Must be the change you want to be, Express Gratitude.

Connecting People.. Connecting Earth.. Healing the land.. Healing the Human Spirit

And with this.. we anticipate the first food entry by Peace Kwek!

Our Food Blogger and Editor.. who brings an alternative perspective of food to the table.

Knowledge Exchange: Community Sustained System in Budapest

2011-11-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

One of the key questions that have been hopping in and out of conversations is..

"is there another organization similar to GUI?" .. In Singapore, Europe or around the world?

We've looked in conferences, within our communities, through our overseas correspondents..

People who heard us describe what GUI is were tremendously excited about the idea, (we even

had invitations to Africa, Indonesia and Viet Nam) .. but have not had much luck in finding

something similar..

But.. I must say, that in the last 2 weeks, I've been luckier (or looking harder) than usual,

and have come across a community which has similar core elements to GUI. And, in my

Budapest location, I'm increasingly hearing about/coming across initiatives started-up in

various cities that sound promising. The knowledge that this is happening gives me hope.

In a world where environmentalists are bombarded by negative statistics about the Earth..

I think that positivity and hope are important drivers of continual action.

The community I've found is similar to GUI ..In the sense of.. its focus on the training of

environmental leaders, the values it encompasses through action, the build-up of a

working system using the strength of the community, the innovation, workshops,

connections. The land. I am excited at the prospect of ideas-exchange!

Here's some of the things they're doing:

Educational Exhibitions

1 of 2: Making recycled furniture out of Hardy Cardboard

2 of 2: (not pictured) But they have a really well done Educational Exhibition on

recycling - glass/rubber/oil/plastic etc. which they move around every week.

Educational Workshops for the Public
Making only practical things that don't encourage waste generation.

1 of 4: Recycled notebooks with Scrap Paper covers

2 of 4: Nerd Rings (!!) and Jewelry from IT waste

3 of 4: Paper Mache notebook covers

4 of 4: Cardboard Furniture (bought)

Walking the Talk

Every student recycles on each floor.
Pictures here depict the 5 large composting bins and system they have.
(Bottom left) - Worms we collected for our household compost! (Yay!)

Where and What?

This is a community found in the university dormitories of ELTE, the biggest university in Budapest

with 32,000 students. Its outreach has been developed slowly over 4 years now, and has been

Driven very solidly by an unassuming, but very determined project manager, Viktoria Mudra (an ex-student of ELTE). Everything here is started up and continued by working groups from the dormitory and campuses.

Their work is not limited to the university and they are also starting to work with the disabled and

slower learners.. It was impossible to capture the complexity of the ELTE system with just 2 visits,

and this post doesn't do them justice, but the purpose of it, was more to share ideas and systems,

and possibly open channels of global connection for all interested!
Contact: infor@fenntarthatosag.elte.hu

GUI Spirit of Learning FTW!

Balik Kampung V 2.0 Reflections and Connections

2011-11-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Share your reflections in the Comments box below!

Some questions to guide your reflection

a. Describe in no more than 2 lines what you did today

b. State two things you have learnt, realised or that were reinforced today

c. How are these learnings connected with your everyday work and family life?

d. As a result of (c), are there any changes you want to make to your daily life?

The true beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it,

understand it, learn from it and change, so that every new moment is spent

not in regret, guilt, fear or anger but in wisdom, understanding and love."

In GUI, reflection serves to complement our core values of gratitude and showing appreciation. This entry is therefore created specifically for Balik Kampung participants to reflect on, and share their experiences in the "comments" box below. Feel free to reflect on anything at a deeper, more meaningful level.

When you see the world as it is, but insist on making it what it could be,

You Matter.

Lam Yuen Sean: A Ground-Up Reflection

2011-11-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

Vermicomposting: A Ground-Up Initiative

I first visited the SLK in mid-August 2010, and it has always been delightful to join GUI’s activities and witness the growth of this group. There are ample opportunities to meet people from different walks of life, and to learn the myriad ways of improving the world and ourselves. More involvement and larger participation from the public (as well as corporations) can be felt during the ongoing Balik Kampung sessions, various workshops and events held at the SLK. This is indeed encouraging as the prospects of GUI are becoming more immense.

Until now, I have the privilege to work hand-in-hand with many interesting individuals, and to embark on a personal project. These experiences greatly honed my skills and character, and I am thankful for that. GUI truly embodies the Kampung Spirit in empowering its members and engaging the community in doing our bit for the planet. I wish GUI would continually grow and strive to reach greater heights in the many fruitful years ahead.

Sharing the Kampung Spirit in Europe

2011-10-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Veera and Ibnur are in Europe for the AidEx conference (Brussels) and drop by

Budapest to visit and learn about how to further develop the Sustainable Living Lab.

Interesting concepts, and the first 'community-oriented' space in Budapest i've seen.

Ibnur sharing about GUI through pictures showing the community, our collaborations, food and fun!

Pimpin' on the FabLab's tools, design and layout

Peter here is designing a robot for a competition in 2 weeks

Heni, Nat, Ibnur, Veera and Peter. Thanks for sharing this space!

Keep a lookout for Ibnur's and Veera's take on their learning-trip!

A big thanks to Heni and Peter for sharing and showing us some community love!

We left the best way to leave - Inspired.

2011-10-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.

George B Shaw

2011-10-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Setting up Sustainable Urban Rooftop Farm (SURF) Site, 2009

‎"This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

George Bernard Shaw

What does the Kampung Spirit mean to You?

2011-10-09T03:42:00.000-07:00

The Kampung Spirit..
is a sense of extended family and camaraderie that stems
from working together as a community. It is intangible
and may mean different things to individuals
- So what does it mean to our community?

Please share your thoughts on:

1. What the Kampung Spirit means to you?
2. Is it important to have Kampung Spirit in Singapore? Why?

8 October 2011, Reflection hike - Bukit Timah Hill

25 Sept 11- Touching Souls at Happy Feet Event in Fort Canning Park

8 Oct 11' - A community with Soul and Spirit - Eating and Cooking together

Read what some of our members think > Comments, and
share your views in the comments section below!

What is the purpose of this blog?

2011-10-02T03:49:00.000-07:00

A Space for Recording Discourse
through Reflection

1st Rest-stop

The purpose of this blog is to create a virtual platform for Ground-Up Initiative members,
volunteers and the interested wider community to partake in quiet reflection. In our fast-paced world,
we find that it is important to have contemplative moments when you reflect on
your actions and goals in life, and how these fit in with global processes at large.

From daily decisions like what food should I eat. To larger more philosophical decisions
entailing what you want to do to lead a meaningful life, and why.
This blog is a space to record such discourse.