Key encounters
Two elementary encounters
shape the KETAAKETI core concept
Key encounters
Two elementary encounters
shape the KETAAKETI basic concept
Key encounters
Two elementary encounters
shape the KETAAKETI core concept
There are no coincidences in life
by Anneli-Sofia Raecker
In front of me, a well-dressed “Brahmin” man sits behind a rickety old desk in a dusty storeroom with light blue-washed walls; on the wall behind him hangs a picture of a white tiger. At his feet, on the cracked clay floor, sits a group of raggedly dressed children, drawing numbers in a small patch of sand. We are in the slum of Kathmandu.
There are no coincidences in life
by Anneli-Sofia Raecker
In front of me, a well-dressed “Brahmin” man sits behind a rickety old desk in a dusty storeroom with light blue-washed walls; on the wall behind him hangs a picture of a white tiger. At his feet, on the cracked clay floor, sits a group of raggedly dressed children, drawing numbers in a small patch of sand. We are in the slum of Kathmandu.
His name is Rajesh Regmi, and he tells me with a serious look and a lot of warmth in his voice that he works as a graduate economist in a well-known travel agency. Every morning, he would walk along the slum on his way to work, carrying his smart briefcase. A few months ago, he suddenly couldn’t stand it any longer to see the hopelessness of the children playing there in the dirt, who, despite all their intelligence, creativity and pride would never have a chance at education and a better life than their parents.
His name is Rajesh Regmi, and he tells me with a serious look and a lot of warmth in his voice that he works as a graduate economist in a well-known travel agency. Every morning, he would walk along the slum on his way to work, carrying his smart briefcase. A few months ago, he suddenly couldn’t stand it any longer to see the hopelessness of the children playing there in the dirt, who, despite all their intelligence, creativity and pride would never have a chance at education and a better life than their parents.
This man is just telling me, his name is Rajesh Regmi, with a serious look and a warm heart in his voice, that he works as a graduate economist in a well-known travel agency, but a few months ago he suddenly couldn't stand everyone with his chic briefcase To walk along the slum tomorrow and see the hopelessness of the children playing in the dirt there, who, despite all their intelligence, creativity and pride, would never have a chance of an education and a better life than their parents.
Of course, as a Brahmin, I am a member of the highest caste in Nepal, but suddenly I felt the human duty to stand up for the `untouchables`, the lowest caste, the people without rights and opportunities, to help these children to learn and become part of Nepali culture.
And for this I take a stand against my own caste if necessary. Thank God my family is on my side! I rented this storage room and started with 20 children and one teacher. She was the one who painted the walls bright blue and with flowers, to give an air of cheerfulness against the gloominess of the surroundings. Then the children and the parents came; then more and more came. But now I don't have the money to continue financing this "Free School for the poorest". I need partners with a bit of money, the rest we can do ourselves!"
He looks at me with his serious eyes, this man who in future years would launch countless other projects, always insisting on maintaining his dignity and self-determination and accepting only the financial support absolutely necessary.
"Of course, as a Brahmin, I am a member of the highest caste in Nepal, but suddenly I felt the human duty to stand up for the `untouchables`, the lowest caste, the people without rights and opportunities, to help these children to learn and become part of Nepali culture.
And for this I take a stand against my own caste if necessary. Thank God my family is on my side! I rented this storage room and started with 20 children and one teacher. She was the one who painted the walls bright blue and with flowers, to give an air of cheerfulness against the gloominess of the surroundings. Then the children and the parents came; then more and more came. But now I don't have the money to continue financing this "Free School for the poorest". I need partners with a bit of money, the rest we can do ourselves!"
He looks at me with his serious eyes, this man who in future years would launch countless other projects, always insisting on maintaining his dignity and self-determination and accepting only the financial support absolutely necessary.
"Of course, as a Brahmin I am a member of the highest caste in Nepal, but suddenly I felt the human duty to help these children, to learn and be part of the 'untouchables', the lowest caste, the people with no right or chance The Nepalese culture. And for that I even fight against my own caste if necessary. Thank God my family is on my side! I rented this storage room and started with 20 children and a teacher. She was also the one here Walls light blue and painted with flowers against the desolation. And then the children and the parents came, and there were more and more. But now I don't have the money to continue financing this "Free School for the poorest". I need partners with something Money, we create everything else ourselves! "
He looks at me with his serious eyes, this man who will then bring countless other projects into being over many years and who will insist again and again on preserving his dignity and self-determination and only accepting the absolutely essential financial support.
I look at the white tiger above his head, a Buddhist image of strength and wisdom. In that moment I realise what I think I always knew:
There needs to be a completely different model of partnership for development and cooperation between the rich and the poor countries in the world, a partnership based on equality right from the very beginning, which values and respects the initiative, competence and self-determination of the developing country.
At that moment, Rajesh Regmi says, "We have everything but money!"
I look at the white tiger above his head, a Buddhist image of strength and wisdom. In that moment I realise what I think I always knew:
There needs to be a completely different model of partnership for development and cooperation between the rich and the poor countries in the world, a partnership based on equality right from the very beginning, which values and respects the initiative, competence and self-determination of the developing country.
At that moment, Rajesh Regmi says, "We have everything but money!"
I think of the recent encounter with little Shermila in the marketplace of Bhaktapur. She was begging, carrying her little sister on her back, as so many children in Nepal do.
When I asked her what she wanted to buy with the money, she answered: "A dictionary, a Nepalese-English dictionary."
So, I went with her to buy this dictionary and learned how little education costs in Nepal, by Western standards.
Shermila ran back to the marketplace with her treasure under her arm and was immediately surrounded by a flock of highly interested children, all wanting to leaf through the book. Learn, learn, learn!
I think of the recent encounter with little Shermila in the marketplace of Bhaktapur. She was begging, carrying her little sister on her back, as so many children in Nepal do.
When I asked her what she wanted to buy with the money, she answered: "A dictionary, a Nepalese-English dictionary." So, I went with her to buy this dictionary and learned how little education costs in Nepal, by Western standards.
Shermila ran back to the marketplace with her treasure under her arm and was immediately surrounded by a flock of highly interested children, all wanting to leaf through the book. Learn, learn, learn!
I think of the meeting with little Shermila in the market square of Bhaktapur a few days ago. she carried her little sister on her back, like all children in Nepal, and begged. When I asked her what she wanted to buy with the money, she replied, "A dictionary, a Nepalese-English dictionary." Of course, I went to buy this dictionary with her and learned how little education costs in Nepal, according to western standards. The child rushed back to the market square with his treasure under his arm and was immediately surrounded by a flock of sparrows of highly interested children who all wanted to leaf through the book. Learn learn learn!
And now this second, memorable meeting with the man who, with my help, would go on to develop a vision for the whole of Nepal:
School education for all children and a more dignified, self-determined life with a future for the poorest families
I called this man, Rajesh Regmi, in December 2019 to invite him to an award ceremony where I would be presented with the ‘Order of Merit’ by the Federal President of Germany, for this innovative model of partnership for development, which was based on the basic ideas that he and I had established 17 years ago.
This always so reserved man, just typically Nepalese, was deeply touched and shouted down the phone: "Now I am the happiest man in the world!”
Our partnership became the cornerstone for a model of partnership for development between rich and poor on an equal footing, in which the poorest countries are consistently accompanied in a respectful manner on their way to a better future based on self-determination and dignity.
Anneli-Sofia Raecker, 2024
And now this second, memorable meeting with the man who, with my help, would go on to develop a vision for the whole of Nepal:
School education for all children and a more dignified, self-determined life with a future for the poorest families.
I called this man, Rajesh Regmi, in December 2019 to invite him to an award ceremony where I would be presented with the ‘Order of Merit’ by the Federal President of Germany, for this innovative model of partnership for development, which was based on the basic ideas that he and I had established 17 years ago.
This always so reserved man, just typically Nepalese, was deeply touched and shouted down the phone: "Now I am the happiest man in the world!”
Our partnership became the cornerstone for a model of partnership for development between rich and poor on an equal footing, in which the poorest countries are consistently accompanied in a respectful manner on their way to a better future based on self-determination and dignity.
This is a paradigm shift that consistently abandons the humanly degrading and factually incorrect traditional approach of "donor and recipient countries".
Anneli-Sofia Raecker, 2024
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