Living and Learning Centres

About 18 months ago we made the decision within GEN to actively help create a number of Living & Learning Centres around the world. A number of places in the ‘North’, the developed world, had already moved in this direction, so all the centres we selected to assist were located in the ‘South’ – Brazil, Senegal and Sri Lanka.

We see Living & Learning Centres as places where people of all ages are able to experience learning about environmental, cultural and ecological issues and strategies by immersion. Ecovillages have the distinct advantage over conventional places of learning, as most of the learning need not be theoretical but can be experience-based. A fully featured ecovillage can offer a unique environment to be exposed not only to ‘alternative’ innovations related to water/waste water, building, agriculture and such like, but allows the student to be part of the cultural spiritual and social aspects of the location day in, day out.

An ideal Living & Learning Centre is a place which combines a fully featured ecovillage (with a village-sized population of between 50-500 people), with an educational facility of a high standard and suitable accommodation.

We realise that personal safety is extremely important, and have taken this into account in our selection of sites. The centres also need to be reasonably close to an international airport, because in some cases, particularly in the South, it will be the international students who will help pay for other courses aimed at local, less affluent, students.

We have been promoting a number of Living & Learning Centres, in North and South, at conferences I attended over the last year. We have invited suitable centres to send us their promotional materials so that these may be displayed at places of high exposure. The Portland, USA, conference I attended late last year was organised by the Council for International Education (CIEE), and was a suitable venue to give some good exposure to this still relatively new style of educational offering. The response, while still cautious, was generally very positive, and has led to some interesting connections which are currently being developed. We have suggested to the GEN secretariats in the Americas and Europe that a folder could be created which includes promotional material from all the ecovillages which have reached (or are almost reaching) Living & Learning Centre status.

Students express that the learning experience is rich in variety and fun. Living & Learning Centres increasingly work together with universities to create a healthy balance between theory and practice. For example, the EcoCentre at Crystal Waters has in the past year organised courses for universities from the USA, Korea and Japan.
The Living & Learning Centre in Senegal is located at EcoYoff where the Eco-City Conference was held only a few years ago. Eco Yoff is unusual insofar as the students are housed with families. The organization is run by Marian Zeitlin, who is in regular contact with Lucilla Borio from GEN Europe. Indeed, Lucilla has visited Eco Yoff on a number of occasions. Philip Snyder, on behalf of the GEN, has also visited the site. Both have reported back enthusiastically about the potential there.

The Living & Learning Centre in Sri Lanka, Tanamalwila, has made huge steps towards modernising its existing buildings over the last six months. Dr Vinya Ariyaratne from Sarvodaya has been successful in securing some modest funding to improve the accommodation wing, and is looking for donations to upgrade the teaching facilities.

Nandana Jayasinghe, the local manager (and GENSA’s contact person), has a wealth of experience in agriculture. Nandana has encouraged the local farming families to grow some crops for local needs (like rice) and for sale (eg sesame), besides their home staples. In October it is planned to offer the first English-language course combining Permaculture and a cultural experience at Thanamalwila. The course will offer the full Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) curriculum in a tropical setting, and will provide plenty of opportunities for participants to experience the Sri Lankan culture via interaction with the local people, local customs, eating the delicious Sri Lankan food, and by visiting sites of spiritual significance and of stunning beauty.

We are hoping for a strong participation in this course from overseas people looking for something really special. Thanamalwila is already offering a variety of courses to locals, and it is expected that the permaculture course, after this first time, will be made available in Sinhalese and Tamil languages.