Indian Himalayas and Subcontinent

As a result of an Endeavour Executive Award granted by the Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Training (DEST), Earnshaw spent summer of 2007 in the remote Indian Himalayas working with the local indigenous tribal communities in the Spiti Valley. The focus of the project was to develop a "Culturally Appropriate Model of Sustainable Micro-Enterprise Development' for communities under threat. (See The Spiti Night Market Tabo (Open this link in a new window))

Earnshaw was based in the isolated desert village of Tabo in the Himalayan Spiti Valley - a lively, functional but threatened Buddhist community lying next to the disputed Tibetan border.

She was introduced to the region by Russell Collins, founder of Yaktrak Tours (Open this link in a new window).

Collins has worked in the region for 15 years and has developed and supported relationships and projects with the Tabo Ancient Monastery (Open this link in a new window). In May 2008 Collins will commence building an Eco-House in Tabo, to showcase and promote sustainable (mud-brick, solar passive) construction, local culture and enterprise, eco-tourism and Dharma studies.

Prior to the Chinese occupation of Tibet, Tabo was part of the kingdom of Tibet. Now politically Indian, it is one of the last places on earth where Tibetans can live on their traditional land according to their traditional culture. This community is one of the planet's last remaining with an authentically open, generous and peaceful people. Their culture is under threat by globalisation and increasing tourism. If Spiti and Tibetan traditions and lifestyles are to survive, then proactive, protective factors need to be set in place.

Earnshaw, in conjunction with the local people and Collins, identified a number of other projects as potentially sustainable processes that can be launched for the purpose of cultural preservation through the creation of social profit ventures:

Professional Development positions are available in the Australian winter of 2008 for social-entrepreneurs and aspiring social entrepreneurs to travel to the Indian Himalayas and the subcontinent to further develop these enterprising footprints. On successful completion of the international placement and submission of the required written work, students could be eligible for the Australian recognised qualification Diploma of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills (Social Enterprise Stream). See Professional Development.

The Spiti Night Market

The Spiti Night Market is a monthly night market to promote:

Rationale: Tabo is traditionally a subsistence farming community, only recently turning to cash-crops for income. The notion of micro-enterprise creation - even creating a business based on passion - is a complex idea for many. To most Spitians, a "small business" is just something they have seen in the village, such as a restaurant, guesthouse or taxi service. There is negligible communications available to Tabo; no internet, no mobile phone and occasionally electricity so people have little on which to model a 'business' concept. Should people have a business concept; most have absolutely NO assets, skills, resources, infrastructure or transport to start such ventures. In order to broaden people's mindset to commercialising passion, and to develop the basic skills of trading and market analysis, the concept of 'trading' needs to reduced to its most fundamental form; "I have something of value to you that I wish to exchange for something that has value to me". Creating a small community marketplace selling culturally appropriate goods enables people to bring whatever they have to 'the market' to sell, the exchange, to exhibit. A Night Market enables women to still work in the fields during the day, and men to do their 'day-job', but to come together as a community, once per month, to sing, dance, eat and sell whatever they have. Spiti people LOVE to sing, dance and eat together and are extremely resourceful when it comes to creating an impromptu party! This provides a tourist attraction, which in turn creates a market for the local people to sell their shawls, carpets, produce, foods etc.

The Foundation for Tribal and Dispossessed People

The Foundation for Tribal and Dispossessed People is a generic NGO to provide an incorporated organisation by which funds can be raised by socially excluded groups for eco-tourism and micro-enterprise projects.

Rationale: Cursory research indicates that to commence any Spiti-based projects, a Self-Help Group (SHG) is required to be formed by locals. The group may decide to incorporate as a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) in order to attract project funding.

Micro-financing entities such as the following require such associations to be in place.

The Foundation's mission is to preserve and promote the wellbeing of tribal and disposed peoples through social enterprise development and strategic tribal partnerships.

The objects of the association may include:

  1. To develop projects to preserve, sustain, advance and promote traditional cultures under threat, which includes the social, spiritual, emotional, physical, financial and educational wellbeing of:
    1. Local people
    2. Local environments and architectures
    3. Migrants and invited visitors who are working to support and develop the tribal regions.
  2. To extend projects into other geographies when required, in order to more effectively meet the objects in (a)

Projects in Micro-Finance

Projects in Micro-Finance can be vehicles by which local people have the ability to access funds for micro-enterprise development are under investigation. The establishment of each of the following projects requires organising and registering a local Self-Help Group (SHG) or Non-government organisation (NGO) to drive and auspice each project

Rationale: Many people in Spiti and the neighbouring valleys have little, if any, resources to launch a small venture and compared to the west, have very few options of readily gaining capital or resources. Access to micro-finance can support locals to develop new ventures as legendary micro-finance projects reveal. (See Opportunity International Australia (Open this link in a new window) and Grameen Foundation (Open this link in a new window))

Generating local employment in remote tribal areas is crucial to cultural preservation. Unemployment is creating and exodus of youth as they seek employment, or providing opportunity for maladaptive behaviours to develop (e.g. alcohol and drug abuse).

Julay Ama! Mobile Childcare.

Julay Ama! will provide quality mobile childcare for Spiti, Indian and Bihar roadside workers, in order to give their children quality care and early education.

'Julay Ama' means "Hello Mamma!" in Bhoti, the local Spiti language and a Tibetan dialect.

A pilot project will convert a bus to a childcare centre in order to meet the childcare needs of roadside workers in the Spiti Valley. Julay Ama! Will drive through the Spiti Valley to each worksite, to collect and return the children daily. Julay Ama will provide:

Once proved successful, the model will be deployed through other Himalayan areas of need and then throughout India.

Rationale: Most roadside workers are recruited from the impoverished state of Bihar to the remote Spiti, Lahaul and Kinnore Valleys. It is commonplace for women to be employed as roadside workers and their low wages and geographic isolation means that they have no option but to bring children onto the roadside worksite. It is typical for each worksite to have at least one small baby and several toddlers and small children present all day. It is not uncommon to see at least six or seven children on roadside worksites. Conditions are treacherous, hot, dusty, and toxic and landslides frequently occur. The children's play cannot be monitored. They play on steep mountain ledges with hundreds or thousands of meters plummet to rivers and gorges below. They play in dirt, gravel, hot tar, sand, filthy water and desert-dust.

Serendipitously whilst in Mumbai, Earnshaw uncovered Mobile Crèche; an organisation running a similar model of childcare. Mobile Crèche targets construction-sites employing migrant workers and establishes childcare service at the building sites. Mobile Crèche has been running in India for 35 years. It was founded by a Bombay woman who experienced the same despair as did Earnshaw when they experienced the conditions in which these children are forced to live, daily, from birth. Both women saw the same solution! (See Mobile Crèches (Open this link in a new window))

Earnshaw has commenced discussions with Mobile Crèche in Mumbai with view to establishing a partnership or collaborative arrangement by which Julay Ama! buses can be trialled though the Himalayas.

The Spiti Chamber of Commerce

The Spiti Chamber of Commerce is intended to be a peak body of business and community leaders which convenes to set business and future town planning strategies for local community. Initial activities include developing:

Rationale: The traditional Spiti (Buddhist) culture, language and architecture - formerly Tibetan - is rare, precious and very fragile. If the Spiti Valley is to preserve its culture then it may be prudent for a local group to convene to set guidelines and strategies for future business and property developments in the region. With the increase in tourism comes the demand for infrastructure and services. When local people do not have the skills to meet this demand, 'foreigners' move in to exploit the opportunity, bringing with them their own way and ignore the rich customs and lifestyle that has existed in the community for thousands of years. In Tabo, only about 5% of businesses are run by locals with the rest run by "foreigners" (Indians, Nepalese etc) who have identified the growing tourist trade opportunities and have come to Tabo and leased properties for a peppercorn rent from landholders. These "foreigners" often do not employ locals as locals do not have the skills to work in the enterprises. Signs of cultural erosion are present and can easily be seen in new property development and restaurant menus and themes. These factors have a subtle but destructive flow-on impact on the region. For example, when non-traditional foods are promoted through restaurants and retailers, local agriculture (and hence economy) is threatened; people begin eating rice and oats instead of the traditional barley or "Tsampa" produce, which is grown across the region. The demand for these crops then reduces, new 'cash' crops are introduced which in turn impacts on the ecosystem. The Chamber of Commerce or a similar entity could be established to ensure that 'progress' occurs in a culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable way. The entity could be given authority by Spiti's third level of government, through a meeting of the Pradan (local 'Mayor') and local village representatives.

Yaktrak Tours founder Russell Collins is commencing to build an Eco House in Tabo, to showcase appropriate and sustainable architecture. The Eco House will be an important base for the development and promotion of triple-bottom line projects and ventures. (See Yak Trak: Eco House Project (Open this link in a new window))

Discussions have commenced with Ecosphere - a social enterprise based in nearby Kaza - to assist to develop these projects further. (See Ecosphere (Open this link in a new window))

The Tabo Institute of Buddhist Studies

The Tabo Institute of Buddhist Studies can develop the existing program offered by the Ancient Tabo Monastery to assist with preserving and advancing Buddhist teachings and Tibetan culture. New key activities can include:

Rationale: The Spiti Valley was opened to tourism in 1992. Until this time and due to its remoteness, Spiti remains an area of authentic Tibetan culture, lying relatively undisturbed by the Chinese occupation of Tibet in the Indo-Tibetan border region. Now, an increasing number of Buddhist scholars, and national and international tourists are attracted by Spiti's Monasteries, its Buddhist population and the spectacular Himalayan landscape. Arguably, Tabo's primary attraction for those who visit the village is its World Heritage listed Ancient Monastery and its importance to Buddhist history and future. The Tabo Monastery was founded in 996 AD and is the oldest in the world! It is known to commanded great importance, including hosting great scholars and translators and is proposed to be the retirement place for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The monastery contains some of the most outstanding examples of Buddhist art to have survived from the period. Continuing to develop and promote the Tabo institute of Buddhist Studies will assist to preserve and promote Dharma teachings. It is intended also to shift the balance of travellers to those who respect the history and culture of the region, rather than to increase the flow of 'party-scene' tourists.

Longitudinal Study of Serkong School Graduates

Longitudinal Study of Serkong School Graduates is a five-year study of the achievements of Serkong School Graduates to evaluate effectiveness of the educational curriculum, in order to develop benchmarks and best-practice models. (See Yak Trak (Open this link in a new window) for more information)

Enterprise Training for Tibetans in Exile: An Alliance with the Tibetan Government in Exile

Rationale: Tibetans living in exile in India frequently have high unemployment and low employment prospects. According to the Tibetan Government in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Tibetans can frequently achieve lower educational outcomes than their Indian counterparts. The CTA has identified that micro-enterprise development can provide Tibetans opportunities that may not otherwise be available. Discussions have commenced with EXI and the CTA to pilot EXI courses to achieve the following outcomes:

  1. To train a cohort of Trainers to fully participate in EXI's professional development program to become trained to deliver and assess Certificate II in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills.
  2. To graduate students successfully in the Certificate II in Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills within 12 weeks.
  3. To evaluate the pilot in conjunction with participating Trainers, students and CTA staff
  4. CTA will investigate appropriate Indo-Tibetan communities in which to deliver training