How can one person make a difference?

First, start with a big question.

Such as…

How might school be more engaging for primary and high school students?

What might schools and education be like if students were allowed to identify challenges within their own communities that were affecting them negatively, and then were given permission and guidance to design solutions to those problems and then implement them?

How might a student’s apparent disinterest in school, lack of focus and concentration, and lack of desire to go to school shift?

These were the questions my volunteer team of passionate educators and I were exploring when we launched Design For Change Laos in 2011-12.

After 18 months and two rounds of the program some of the results achieved were:

• 7 schools participated and ran DFC community projects at their schools and in their local areas
• Approx. 200 students, 20 teachers, principals and volunteers went through the program
• Mini-documentary captured
• Feature in the local newspaper (Vientiane Times)
• Local music celebrity Aluna Thavonsouk signed on as brand ambassador and produced a song for the project

Watch the short 12-minute documentary here:

Why am I sharing this now, 5 years later, and why should you care?

I’m sharing this as a reminder that amazing things can happen when fuelled by a big vision, passionate individuals who become a core team, and a whole lot of grit and sweat equity to make something happen.

You might just be ONE person in 7 billion+, but all it takes is one person with a big vision, a lot of heart, great mentors and the willingness to share their vision, get their hands dirty and collaborate with others who share that vision to make something powerful happen.

So what’s YOUR big vision for your community and the world, and what are you doing to move closer to making it a reality?