APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY APPROCAH: A WAY OF SOCIETAL TRANSFORMATION
Published heading is “Transforming Society: A new approach”
( Some Change made by Editor )
Published on The Kathmandu Post, 23rd Oct. 2005 Kathmandu Nepal
Ram Chandra Lamichhane
Program In-charge Capital College
( The article on Appreciative Inquiry Approach was published in Kathmandu post on 11th
Sept 2005 is kept in the web site of AI Commons)
In Nepal, the majority of the population (around 86%) lives in rural areas, engaged primarily in
subsistence agriculture. Of total population, 44% of them are below poverty line. Survival is
their basic concern and many of them have been bypassed by whatever economic progress has
been made.
They are awakening with the hopes of golden morning, but unfortunately every morning comes
with fullest of disappointment. If we look upon some of the rich families, they have comfortable
house with beautiful garden, many imported means of luxury and foreign wine, three-four meals
a day, fancy clothes, health security and more than enough financial savings. Their children have
private boarding school within and outside the country; they choose the most famous university
so that career is ensured. On the other surface of the country, poor people live together in a
family of 10 or more which includes parents, grand parents, and 5-7 children in poorly
constructed single roomed home which doesn’t have electricity, proper refreshing area, and fresh
water supply. Agriculture is their main source of income and an adult of each family must work
all day to fulfill their basic needs. After a hard working day, they do not have a dinner set, what
they get is only a few scraps of stale bread a day, if they are lucky enough, may be twice a day.
Their daily routine rarely changes and it is hardly adequate to alleviate the children’s constant
hunger. Education is another dark side of their life where they are not even aware of schooling of
their children. Educating their children is not part of their tradition. The communicable diseases
frequently outbreak but the services of doctor and hospitals are miles away from them. Viral
influenza and diarrhea are some of the very common diseases. They dream for betterment of
their life which never fulfills in reality. Despite these facts, people live to survive and their
contribution for the process of national development can not be imagined.
The country is proceeding with 5th year plan of the 10th consecutive plans with many political
systems and 5 decades long annual budget plan and regular commitment from government for
poverty alleviation inclusively. Millions of amount has been spent in the name of poverty
alleviation and rural development, but the situation remains always the same. Of course we have
achieved some better than the past. Is that sufficient as per our commitment, effort and
contribution? What did Karnali get in this period after this much of effort? What backward
(lower) caste did get from the country? What did the women get from the state? Disgrace,
humiliation, and so on. Where does the fault lie then? Isn’t it high time to re-evaluate why this is
happening and why we are leading so uncivilized way of living in this 21st century? No doubt
the politics lead the country and our politics always mislead the people and the country because
the politician themselves are being mislead. The approach our power politicians used in the past
and even now is wrong because of the fault political practices; it not only creates the social
conflict but also traps the nation into the serious crises. Can't we imagine Nepal as a No. 1
developed country of the world? Can't we launch our satellite to Mars? Can't we be the donor to
Europe, America and Japan? Of course, we can if we can make appreciative eyes and dream. As
the turbine changes the water into fire, the appreciative eyes can change the poverty into power
and problems into opportunities. If we could have the appreciative eye we can find the
opportunities in the problems.
Our political systems from 2007 BS to date always try to find out the weakness of the opposition.
None of the political systems tried to utilize the strengths of the opposition. Because of the
problematic eyes of the ruler, they always invited and created the bunch of the problems. Very
sadly we have to accept the fact that now our country is psychologically divided into three power
centers. Of course it is challenging but possible to restore peace and psychological reintegration
by the right initiation and positive intention. For the settlement of the present crisis Appreciative
Inquiry Approach could be the right approach. It is theory of mindset, and an approach to
analyze the learning and creativity. This approach believes in the imagination of future.
It is new approach, explained by Prof. Dr. David Cooperrider in Case Western Reserve's
University America in 1988. Unless the power centers internalize the three facts that, "only the
root causes of success can bring the successes" the problems can't be solved. So, for the
prosperous Nepal each of them find out the hidden strengths behind them and internalized and
utilize those all strengths for the sake of people and nation. Secondly they must know that,
"What they seek is what they find and where they believe they are going is where they will end
up". If they are seeking for the peace definitely country will be a peaceful place. If they believe
in peace, they will be able to restore peace and democracy very soon. And the third last and most
important thing is that, if they look for the problems in each other, they will find more problems
and they lead the country towards the problematic pond. If they look for the strengths of each
other and utilize those strengths for the country, they will find more strength and utilize all for
the sake of people and country and no doubt they will achieve the goal, and if they have faith in
the dream of prosperous, peaceful and sovereign Nepal, definitely we Nepalese will achieve the
miracles within the very short span of time.
So, instead of blaming each other, can't we dig out the strengths behind all political power
centers? Can't we use the unilateral cease fire as an opportunity? Instead of blaming each other
can't we sit for all power centers meeting together in round table conference? For the sake of
Nepal and Nepalese, let’s find-out and analyze the strength of all power centers and let’s imagine
the prosperous, sovereign, peaceful Nepal and start to act accordingly. The solution of present
crises is disguised in the strengths of all power centers and only appreciative eyes can dig out the
strengths of all power centers. If the power center realizes this fact, the hunger and pain of the
people can be eliminated. The poor can send their child to school, the epidemics never comes to
them. Very soon our country will be recognized as a developed country in the world community.
Let’s make our eyes appreciative for the sake of Nepal and people of Nepal.