On March 25 and 26, 2011, Ellen and Maria joined Seva Mandir’s workshop on Social Transformation in Udaipur. This workshop was organized to develop a shared understanding in what it takes to co-create a better society. The workshop was held due to a change in Seva Mandir’s leadership. Neelima Khetan passed on the position of Chief Executive to Pryanka Singh on April 1. With 40 participants from Indian NGOs, universities, journalists, film makers and the government, the two days were filled with lectures, panels, fish bowls and ideas to create new insight into social transformation.
One of Neelima Kehtan’s key messages was that small things matter! In today’s society, people have very little respect for small things. According to Neelima Khetan, there is no short cut for an institution. It takes time to create social transformation. We must focus on what people have instead of what people do not have. The two days focused on personal change: looking for new lenses, new vocabulary and new answers. As Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
