Gung Ho Mothers/Parents

I started the session not by focusing on problems but by appreciating the parents for their strengths on making this program happen for the sake of the children to improve their education.

The parents shared and thought of ways to improve the current programme. As they shared, they moved away from their differences to talk about how they can work as a team to improve. They shared honestly and communicated with transparency. That conversation happened between themselves and I facilitated a little. They came with many ideas and knew which ones would work.

Towards the end of the session and after the session, I wondered how this could happen. I realised that these parents had a relationship among themselves. This relationship moved them from their differences and connected them again.

I also realised that I had a relationship with each one of them and that made me move beyond my own anxiety and believe that they will be able to work this out as they cared very much for the children in the community. They did not see me as a facilitator, but as a friend with whom they can share honestly. They were comfortable to talk among one another.

This is what I have learned from these events:

• 1. How to improve became the focal point of the discussion, rather than focusing on the problem. It also gave them the opportunity to converse and to move beyond the problem. It created new ideas and perspectives on making the program better.

  2. Relationship became the connecting point each one of us. Each of us in the above story has a relationship with the children and among one another. This relationship helped us to go beyond our fears and to reach out to one another and to care for one another.