Walking with Elephants
Mae Chaem, Thailand
Nestled in Mae Chaem, in western Chiang Mai province, is the mountainous village of Huay Pakkoot. For several years, a global volunteer organization offering short-term volunteer opportunities ran an elephant re-introduction program in the community, supporting the majestic animals that have played an important role in Thai society for centuries.
Elephant exploitation in logging, tourist attractions and street begging led to national protection laws that encouraged the mahouts (elephant caretakers) and communities in which elephant labor was utilized, to explore alternative methods of income, thus facilitating the liberation of elephants from harmful practices.
I traveled to Huay Pakkoot with my camera and a close Thai friend who served as Country Director at the time, to capture community life through the lens. Reflecting several years later after she had left her position, she lamented that many of the programs were supposed to be capacity-building and empower local communities, but the reality was far different.
The idyllic location of the village, and the natural beauty that permeates, highlights the potential for harmony amongst animal, land and human, but also deceives. These projects only work when funds are available, and in the absence of a long-term plan, or if a supporting organization unexpectedly leaves, sustainability becomes obsolete.
With the emergence of COVID, the organization pulled out of the country. This is just one of many narratives that dot the landscape of problematic programming.
When I was deeply enmeshed in the world of international humanitarian aid, the goal, of course, was to create and implement successful projects with clearly defined results. The challenge was identifying the most effective approach.
After I left this world, in which I had worked for many years, I ventured into deeper self-exploration. I realized programmatic expectations for social change are high, yet many of the institutions and individuals running such programs lack the capacity or willingness to reflect on change within the organization or self.
How we approach programs and projects is no different to how we approach change in our lives. Change is a process, frequently a long-term one, benefiting from a mindful balance between structure and flow.
It requires identifying the root causes of resistance to change and the relevant support networks and resources to facilitate meaningful shifts; a profound understanding of diverse lived experiences and realities; a willingness to lean into the complexities and impact of culture, conditioning, economics and trauma; the examination of social and ecological systems, which are intricately connected; and an integrated and holistic approach.
The impetus for change must also come from within - within communities and transmitted from local to local. There is space for external support and international partnerships, but those actively seeking change are the best drivers behind it.
As Huay Pakkoot illustrates, the real test is walking with elephants.
Has the work dissolved or is change evident?
Are people still walking with elephants?
