Angeli Chitale:Turning point, experience, make change! -Everyone can try this recipe.

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Please check this link out to figure out what the Change makers stories project is.

Angeli Chitale is a Naturopathic Doctor.

(doctors who cure with natural substances such as diet, homeopathy, herbal medicine, physical therapies such as acupuncture and bodywork rather than pharmaceutical drugs) .

(The lady who is in the left is Angeli, photo is taken at the kitchen in St.Joseph house.

The gentleman in the right is Scott, who is the founder and foods to live by.)

On February 8th, I grabbed a cup of coffee with Angeli Chitale, my friend as well as a really socially conscious Naturopathic Doctor with plenty of interesting stories, as a part of "Change makers stories project".
We first met each in the tidy kitchen in St. Joseph's house, a community center,  filled with energy of socially motivated people.

Angeli is working in an enterprise called "foods to live by" which produce healthy, raw, live handmade desserts and sprouted buckwheat granola. 
I work for a learning community social enterprise, Chocosol and these two organization share one kitchen in downtown.
This is the way we met, as like-minded people tend to meet as if they're supposed to meet because of fate.

In our conversation, we talked about her life story including her profession, her adventure to Nicaragua, and a small community group that tries to make the world better that she belongs to.
Today, I'd like to share this story as digest version because we were absorbed into conversation around 90 minutes, even though this website says that the interview is supposed to be 30 minutes at least.


Her turning point-meeting with two socially conscious law students
Angeli's family is originally from west coast of India.
Angeli's father had worked as a design engineer, and he took her family to Canada from England in the 1970s.
She started to draw pictures when she was small kid- as soon as she could hold a pencil, so there are lots of pictures in her notebook, as well as full of ideas of social change, sustainable lifestyle, etc.

When she was an undergraduate student at Queen's University, she majored in biology.
At the time when I heard that, I made a quick assumption which says that she began to be interested in the field of social justice and sustainability because biology is directly related to environmental issues.

But, it wasn't the answer.
The turning point for her to become a socially motivated person is, meeting with two law students who shared same living place with her in 1996.
According to Angeli, "these two students were quite smart and socially conscious and it was really interesting to have discussions with them on Globalization, the IMF, multinational organizations, and democracy and social inequality every day. "That experience changed my perspective on the world. I was calling into question what I had absorbed form mainstream media over the years by default."

After her graduation from university, she has had an interesting career which has taken her to different places such as genetic research, naturopathic medical school and her own private practice for 8 years where she specialised in endocrinology and thyroid conditions.  She also worked for an organization which provides referrals, housing, counselling and life skills training for the homeless, as well as a wholistic dispensary.

After such a various experience, she moved forward to take on new challenges.


Angeli in Nicaragua-discovery of diversity
At the beginning of 2009, her motivation for new challenge brought her to Nicaragua as a Naturopathic Doctor.
The reasons she decided to go to Nicaragua consisted of two factors, one of them was motivation to try different things and situation, and rest of them was to broaden the scope of practice as a naturopathic doctor by working in a developing country. 

Basically, she worked in one hospital in the main village and three rural clinics each week during her stay in Nicaragua. 

What she'd seen in such rural areas require hours of bus drive to get there was, REAL NEED.
People were deeply affected by advanced pathologies such as allergies, respiratory infections, digestive problems, kidney stones, untreated STI's, obesity, diabetes, heart conditions, and many parasites and skin conditions due to lack of access to basics such as water and soap in more impoverished areas.

We talked about the reason why they have critical condition, and she said that it stems from a history of war, poverty, lack of nutrition and education on nutrition. 
Or, generally, there were a lot of area that don't have no medical clinic from the definition of industrialized countries says that "medical clinics generally have various kinds of medicine, equipment, and basics such as water, soap, electricity and plenty of well-trained doctors".
It means, they have only a few medicines which are not enough to provide basic care.

In addition to learning Spanish, Angeli said that she learnt a tremendous amount about human nature and the different lifestyle in Nicaragua.

As she told me her story, it became apparent the human relationships is so close and tight in rural areas of Nicaragua that a person's reputation and rumor about outsiders, regardless whether they're positive ones or not, had been spread very fast like as Internet.
Not like as internet, every people in the community can see EVERYTHING with their own eyes.
Here the belief that we have to have impeccable conduct in all circumstances by association, action and speech. Much like what the Buddha said 2500 years ago. 


Even though the situation in that rural community differs from urban life style, I think we can learn fundamental factor that we should exercise utmost integrity in character and action to build human relationships properly.


Start LOCAL,to make it better
After Angeli came back to Canada, she has been a part of small group that tries to make the world better, as well as working in an enterprise that is mentioned the beginning of this post.
She dedicates to organize projects such as movie nights, small trips, community gardens, for those who want alternative with her willingness to protect plant diversity and to help people to understand importance of it.

I was fascinated her dedication on her project, because she is doing this progressively despite the fact it is not her job but a personal project.

Her answer for the question "how can we engage people into sustainability and plant diversity that are socially motivated?" was enough telling.
She said start where you are: "Tell our family and friends. For example, if we want to expand fair trade, it's good idea to buy actual products as gifts. Or, we can make use of movies and photographs because they are telling.".

“When I was in Nicaragua, I saw medicines growing all around that were not being used.
We were using donated natural medicine that was manufactured and brought from abroad.
I felt the ecological footprint can be made smaller. There is always room for improvement.
So with the support of the director, I showed the Doctor that was training me and an intern how to make Neem tincture because there were so many cases of parasitic, fungal and skin conditions that could be treated effectively and Neem trees growing everywhere. 
This is what I am talking about, start where you are.
The leaves can be cooked in a tea be used as a rinse for lice as well. 
Then we tackled turmeric and made a tincture of it. Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic as well as a blood purifier and liver protective herb.
My dream was to see people motivated to grow their own medicinal plants and learn and share information with one another.” 

Yes, she has great and fundamental idea.
Because, basically, family and friends trust us and that it's one of the easiest way to engage in social change, by telling them first.
Then, hopefully they will spread the words to those who are close to them.
And, the other reason why I'm mentioning that idea is great is, she has actual experience that she got influenced by her house mates when she was an university student.


Turning point, experience, make change! -Everyone can try this recipe.
I'd like to emphasis that I've re-discovered from the conversation with her that even individual can be a root of social change. 
She has her own turning point into having interest in diversity and sustainability and brought herself even to Nicaragua and she's working actively to make the world better with power of individuals with her social network right now.
I thought this is very convincing story to enable us to take action before we complain government and the others, whatever.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi

Angeli is strives to be example of this quotation.
It's not as difficult as you imagine to take action.
Just follow your idea and interest, belief and speak out about them to your friends.
Then, we'll be able to push our idea forward.


Thank you very much for reading.If you are interested in interviewed by this weblog,or suggesting someone else, please contact to motoi.ysej[at]gmail.com, with putting "ATTN:cms project" into the title.

How to take care of external issues~SWOT for not-for-profit~

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Please check this link out to figure out what the Change makers stories project is.

When we work on SWOT analysis for not-for-profit organizations/businesses, or even for for-profit organizations/businesses,we'll be able to find plenty of Strengths and Weaknesses, compared to the amount of Opportunities and Threats sometimes.

I imagine that these kinds of situations are not welcome always.

Why this happens and how we overcome it?

This is my question that I'm going to talk about for this time.

The case when the stuff at organizations can hardly find Opportunities and Threats compared to Strengths and Weaknesses,it probably means, they are struggling hard to deal with internal administrative tasks so that they can't put their eye on external situation properly.

I think this happens especially for busy organizations i.e.starting ups, stuff-less organizations.
Because, they tends not to be able to have enough time to observe and research external issues.
I know how they are busy and how it is important to manage internal issues.
This is one reason why it is difficult to take care of external stuffs.

I think there is another reason.
It stems from lack of the attitude or capability, to do it.

Yes, I also know that the question "Who are we?" should come first, when we think about management of each one's organizations, including marketing and communication.
But, hereby I'd like to suggest that we'll be able to discover how to make use of our Strengths and to overcome our Weaknesses, by GOING OUT and LEARNING EXTERNAL SITUATION, as well as asking "Who are we?".

I would say,it becomes hard for not-for-profit workers and social entrepreneurs to be "out-going" generally, even though I'm not sure that my experience is enough long to point out this issue or not.
But, I feel that social entrepreneurs lose their EYES usually, because of internal tasks/problems, and the attitude to persist on themselves overwhelmingly.

So, what's the solution?
I think one solution is to involve the outsiders or people who can keep observing the external situation carefully, or maybe in very professional way, and connecting organizations with outsiders, such as other social entrepreneurs, businesses, governments, and citizens.
(I can understand it's not easy because we usually tends to like similar minded people rather than outsiders, or people who are in opposite position.
But, it is significant to have them when we think about organizational growth.)

By the way, "DIG DEEP ENOUGH" is very important, when we try to consider about external issues.
What I mean is, for example,let's imagine the case we assume that "Recession is an opportunity".

Then, we need to make perspectives and points clear.
By asking the question starts from W or H, such as;

"What kind of situation caused by recession will be an opportunity for us?"
"How we can approach to the job-less people generated by recession?"
"What will the students gave up to be volunteering overseas because of recession do? How can we try to get them involved by providing alternative opportunities?"


Try to involve the people who can be OUT-GOING in professional manner for our organization,and DIG DEEP ENOUGH about external cause.
Then we'll be able to get benefit from our opportunities and to overcome threats properly.

Oops.I forgot to write one thing.

Believe our strong points and possibility, potential, with keeping our brain cool, and without being egoistic.
This is one of the most important thing.

Because people may start to feel empathy on services/products that we producers can believe that enough excellent to be the change.
Don't be pessimistic too much, take our strength properly too.

Thank you very much for reading.
If you are interested in interviewed by this weblog,or suggesting someone else, please contact to motoi.ysej[at]gmail.com, with putting "ATTN:cms project" into the title.

How we co-exist? Attitude is the fundamental factor.

Thank you for visiting this weblog.

Please check this link out to figure out what the Change makers stories project is.

What engages　and inspires young people?How can we engage young people?

I dedicate much of my time to think about/take action,because this is one of my important question for my life.

By the way,it is usual that tips for our questions come out without notice.

Last week, I was having chat with a Canadian lady who seems like 50s or 60s in my volunteer site.

Then, she asked a question that says "what part of Canada do you like the most?" to me.

The question didn't mean any specific place but certain characteristic aspect of Canada.

My answer was, "Diversity of people".

Because,I feel Canada is like small print of the globe...especially when it comes to Toronto.

There are people from all over the world, and they have been living together so far.

The situation is totally different from the one in Japan, what I mean is there is almost sole ethnicity in Japan, even though it is gradually changing.

But in Toronto, we can get in touch with so many nationality in city and we can easily see that younger people and older people, and people with different culture work in same place.

I can hardly find this kind of situation in Japan.

Then, her answer was "Women can have freedom for life.".

Her answer was quite interesting because Japan is still hard place for women to be free,in terms of work and life, whatever.

I asked her that "What enables women to be free in Canada?" because I'm conscious about current situation surrounds women in Japan,as well as I have interested in youth issues.

Her answer was really easy.

She just said that "People's attitude." to me, right after I asked the question.

I was kind of fascinated because I have thought that we tend to focus on policy of government/companies when we talk about women's rights.

Yes, she is right and I think this perspective can be applied to the way how we deal with diversity.

As long as we have the attitude to recognize and respect diverse of age, nationality, gender, we can exist together and light each one's strong points.

Thank you very much for reading.
If you are interested in interviewed by this weblog,or suggesting someone else, please contact to motoi.ysej[at]gmail.com, with putting "ATTN:cms project" into the title.