Entrust Foundation was thrilled to host its second Leadership Development Retreat for partners from Laos, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India in Chiang Mai, Thailand in November 2024.
The Retreat included 25 overseas partners, Entrust staff and a board member, who came together for a live-in 3-day gathering to learn, share, grow and build relationships with each other.
Why a retreat? The purpose of the retreat is to enable leaders of our partner organisations to pause and reflect on how they lead, the circumstances and challenges they navigate, and how in collaboration with Entrust and the communities they serve, we can create a lasting impact on the lives of the poor.
Our partners face difficult circumstances every day and getting to the retreat site was no small feat for some. Some travelled long multiple bus routes across international borders, for others it was their first time out of their home country or first time on a plane!
This Retreat focussed on the theme “Journey Forward…Journey Down”. CEO Nikki Capp ran a contemplative series over the three days on how we serve our communities with humility and vulnerability. Participants were encouraged daily to affirm, listen, welcome, collaborate, and reflect. We invited a global educator and development practitioner with 25+ years’ experience, Chiraphone Khamphouvong, to lead sessions about Safeguarding, Protection and Social Inclusion. These sessions were challenging but also interactive and stimulating. Entrust Project Managers had the opportunity to communicate key developments and procedures within Entrust to a collective group in-person, rather than by individual emails. We combined group teaching and break-out groups to enable additional input from participants.
Partners came from a variety of backgrounds and situations – urban, rural, remote, mountainous, slum, and areas under attack! Some lead anti-trafficking organisations, some clean water projects and others economic empowerment and education projects – the four focus areas of Entrust community development. It was a joy for participants to realise the breadth and depth of projects over 15 years which has led to improved lives for tens of thousands of people!
A highlight of the trip was taking the group to a visit one of our Thai partners, Integrated Tribal Development Foundation (ITDF), whose headquarters are in Chiang Mai. We have partnered with ITDF for 8 years to bring clean water to thousands of disadvantaged minority tribal groups living in the mountainous region between Thailand and Myanmar. ITDF also runs a coffee co-operative, and our 25 participants ordered speciality frappes, cappuccinos, mochas and lattes of every description at their Lanna Cafe!
It wasn’t all hard work. The group had opportunities to visit a night market, swim, relax and eat Thai food. For many it was a much-needed break and a chance to breathe and re-set.
Feedback from participants said it “exceeded their expectations”. “Thank you for hosting such a wonderful retreat. It helped me reflect on my commitment and contribution of my community-building journey” …. “I learned a lot from the connect groups by hearing about their journeys, struggles, and the blessings they have received” …. “This experience reminded me of my hardships and why I am in community development work” …. “the schedule was simple, but very effective for getting to know each other, learning, and making friends, allowing leaders to refresh themselves and take a break from their daily activities, which inspired and encouraged us” …..