STEER Himalayas 2022
STEER Himalayas 2022
December 2022
In December 2022, RC4 STEER Himalaya had boots back on the ground in the Kumaon range of the Indian Himalayan Region with the help of our local partners Ram and Dr. Ghazala. A team of RC4 students Zitin Bali , Daniel Lee, Ryan Teo, Jishnu Anandh, Tan Qing Heng , Caroline Quek, Sean Han, Bing Hui Wan, Low Leng Ee, Kang Yue Hern, Cheng Bingxuan led by Dr. Navarun and Dr. Naviyn embarked this trip to make a difference in local community.
Themed “co-creation of knowledge”, this STEER had an intention to understand the changes in landscape and livelihoods of Kumaon through forest trails, village walks, and engagement with local people from different livelihoods, academia and local experts. After all the field trips, engagement and observation, RC4 students led a day long “Group Model Building” exercise with the local community stakeholders including representatives from local governance, Non-Government Organisations, farming families, local enterprises and local partners. This exercise led to students and local community stakeholders co-mapping the interconnections/interdependencies between ecological, social, political and economic issues of local communities using the tools of “Systems Thinking”.
At the end of this group model building exercise, students explained their problem diagnosis of health care and education sectors in the form of “Systems Maps” to the local community stakeholders. The local community members had the scope to question, challenge, and modify the systems maps which enriched our students’ understanding, made the workshop process richer with nuances from local culture, policy implementation, and governance, and further made these maps useful as a knowledge base for our partners for their ongoing community development work.
Living by the motto “Small Systems, Big Hearts” RC4 students created an impact in the local community through the college’s curriculum focus, “Systems Thinking”.
While most of us embarked on the trip to see the Himalayas in all its glory, we came back with a deep appreciation for the local ecology, culture, and livelihoods. Trekking through the villages would have to be my favourite experience, since we were able to both interact with locals and take in the beautiful views.
Zitin Bali
STEER Himalayas was a life-changing and inspiring experience for me. Through this trip, I got to learn and witness the interactions between the local environment and the people firsthand and how the current way of urbanising threatens the lives of the locals and environment. After this trip, I realised how our 'small' actions are part of a bigger trend that is threatening the locals, and I have developed a greater interest in preserving the environment and by extension, the local culture. This trip has inspired me to try out sustainability-related consulting. I hope to be back in the Himalayas again!
Quek Xiu Juan Caroline
My biggest takeaway from STEER Himalaya was gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse cultures and ways of life of the local people in the region, and the challenges they face in their daily lives. It was an eye-opening experience that taught me the value of cultural exchange and the importance of empathy in understanding and addressing social issues
Teo De Liang Ryan
Through this trip, I was able to discover the fascinating lifestyle of the Kumaoni people and understand just how much they cared for and loved their endlessly beautiful environment. One particularly meaningful experience was getting to interact with the various local community stakeholders, and build our systems models using their direct input! This helped us better understand some of the problems that the community faced and even brainstorm possible solutions for them.
Thangavel Jishnuanandh
Prior to the trip, I felt that nature did not have a significant direct impact on our lives in Singapore, but being able to see the forests that the local communities derive their livelihood directly from helped me develop a greater appreciation for nature and understand that the dire impacts that climate change has for the survival of communities around the world. The rapid rise of globalisation in the modern era has eroded cultures and disrupted the lives of those who do not adapt to it, and the community stakeholders we engaged with belong to communities that are especially vulnerable to this. However, through interaction with them, I understood that it is precisely because of the different cultures and ways of living that makes life interesting and not one dimensional, hence it is important to preserve their culture, to use globalisation as a tool to preserve cultures instead of having to adapt their lives to fit in with the increasingly globalised society.
Han Yu Chou, Sean
During our STEER trip, we had the opportunity to meet local leaders, stakeholders, and experts who taught us more about healthcare, governance, and economic issues surrounding the region. Using our knowledge of system thinking and the expertise of the local stakeholders, we managed to model some of these issues and co-create knowledge and understanding of the region.
Tan Qing Heng
STEER gave me the opportunity to learn about the biodiversity, culture, and way of life of the locals living in the Himalayan mountains. Most importantly, I now understand how each and every action of every individual matters, and the role communities play in the big picture. One person can only do so little, but together we can do so much.
Lee Zheng Yao, Daniel
STEER India was an unforgettable experience. Apart from the beautiful landscape of the Himalayans Mountains, I’ve learnt a lot about the Indian rural culture and lifestyles. Interacting with the people there helped me to gain a perspective on concerns they faced and difficulties they encounter with the fast changing economy of India. This STEER programme has definitely increased my understanding of South Asia.
Cheng Bingxuan
