Simplicity

Simplicity is something that has baffled me to no end during the recent months.

I recall my colleague at Tuipang during October 2007 , my initial days in this wonderful land, talking to people of our undertaking Biodiversity Significant Area "work" in Kiasietlah Conservation Landscape. This line left most people stunned and I could see their eyes asking “what the hell do you do?” Listening to this (albeit after a few times) made me realize that we need to work on becoming simple with respect to our communications; else we were not communicating at all!

Even as we began our programme on conservation education and awareness these "communication blemishes" continued to keep us company (much against our intent!). I recall using "herpetofauna" in the slides meant for middle school children! The connect that the earlier slides had helped establish and interest that the pictures had generated took very little time to vanish. Sitting, hand on my forehead and feeling foolish; I wondered why we had not thought of using "frogs - snakes - lizards" earlier. The incident presented an opportunity to espouse the virtue of simplicity in our communications with participants and we have since been trying. The reporting term, “wildlife values” is now “wild animals and birds” and so is “fauna and avian fauna”; while “memorandum of understanding” has changed to “partnership”.

While preparing for the interaction material I and my colleagues have found the going very tough primarily on account of need to make things simple. Understanding has to be common at all three levels; mine, my colleagues and of course the participants. The challenge is the journey from mine to that of participants taking my colleagues as co travelers!

For details contact - Nimesh.ved@gmail.com