Unleashing Potential
By giving our artisans access to services that grow their self-awareness and help them make their own decisions, we challenge culturally-entrenched ways of behaving and thinking.
When improvement in physical conditions are accompanied by longer-term investment in mental health and wellbeing, we know that aspirations are enhanced and dreams become reality. We provide services and medical resources to our artisans to sustain their ongoing personal development. Thus enabling them to take charge of their own life and greatly contributing to unleashing their potential. Our priorities are to:
- Engage a dietitian
In nearly 99% of families in rural villages, it is the women who do the shopping. Currently (and totally understandably) what they buy and how they feed their family is decided by availability and price. In a place where rice is the staple and there is little or no refrigeration, it is very difficult to have a balanced diet. Education about recipes and food is long overdue. A small tweak can mean the difference between early onset of diabetes and not getting it at all. Another tweak means that women do not need to be chronically deficient in iron and Vitamin B. Healthy women not only ensure a healthy family but will significantly reduce the visits to heavily overworked hospitals. The Artisan Nation engages full time dieticians that travel from village to village educating and tweaking the diets of these women. The ripple effect is large. One flow on, for example, is that their children can concentrate better at school.
- Provide access to psychologists
All the ladies are fully entrenched in being subservient to their fathers, mother-in-law, and husband. Domestic violence and alcoholism is entrenched and the ladies have nowhere to turn (other than a safe place at work). The Artisan Nation provides a full-time psychologist where the ladies can have the support and a safe place to learn to look after themselves.
- Employ dedicated physical movement leaders
Even though the ladies are constantly carrying heavy objects, such as large tubs of water, muscle and ligament injuries, as well as many others, are constant with little or no support from the local medical team. Bed rest seems the cure for all ailments. Generally, the doctors are male with a very condescending attitude towards women’s ache and pains. Small regular strengthening exercises along with forming village sports teams is led by our dedicated physical movement specialist.
- Implement annual blood tests
An annual blood test will diagnose vitamin and mineral deficiencies, hence contributing to reducing malnutrition. This goes hand in hand with engaging dieticians and partnering with local fruit and vegetable outlets. The artisan will ensure the correct supplements are available, hence keeping the immune system as healthy as possible.
Click here to return to the home page or here to get in touch.