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Home Interviews Haastrup Picks Holes in Cargo Clearing Process
Haastrup Picks Holes in Cargo Clearing Process
The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Mrs. Victoria Haastrup has picked holes in the cargo clearing process in the country.
Haastrup who is also the Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium Limited, the concessionaire for terminal C at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, said the process is not in line with international standard and practice.
Describing it as "primitive and characterised by a duplicated, manual and too laborious customs checks", the STOAN Chairman expressed dismay that despite the series of reforms effected in recent years, most of the sub-indices used by the World Bank to measure the Ease of Doing Business in 190 countries of the world are still begging for government's attention in Nigeria.
She stated this at the just concluded 2018 Multimodal West Africa International Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain Management exhibition organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics of Transport, Nigeria.
She disclosed that there are also too many government agencies involved in cargo examination at the nation's seaports, airports and international land borders, even as she maintained that all of these slow down trade and add to the cost of doing business in the country.
Her words: "A cursory appraisal of Nigeria's operating environment reveals a yawning gap in some of the sub-indices in determining the Ease of Doing Business ranking of a country".
According to her, the parameters include starting a business, dealing with construction permits, access to electricity, registering property, and getting credit.
Others are protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.
She maintained that Nigeria is a country with enormous human and material resources with a youthful, teeming population of over 180 million.
She argued that under the right leadership, the economic successes recorded by a country like Singapore will fade in significance when compared to Nigeria.
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Home Construction & Maintenance Betting On Sustainability: Young Architects Carve Out Their Own Niche
Betting On Sustainability: Young Architects Carve Out Their Own Niche
The indirect benefits of sustainable architecture and design are not always on the minds of clients but promoting green or sustainable initiatives can help architects and designers differentiate themselves in a price-competitive construction sector and attract Cambodian clients with more money to spend, architects and designers tell B2B.
Carving out a niche
Muygech Sok is focused on renovating and adding value to city shophouses. The 25-year-old director of BMK Architects says that they are the most desirable of all property investments for urban Cambodians who often wish to run a business on the ground floor and who prefer the certainty of land ownership that shophouses provide. Many of them will need to be renovated in the next 10 years, she says.
Sok offers clients sustainable but cost-effective solutions aimed at improving people's quality of life. "I try to propose the installation of a skylight in the middle of the building that allows for natural ventilation and access to natural light. Many clients complain that shophouses are stuffy, that there is not enough fresh air, and that they never see sunlight—and that is what we try to fix."
BMK's Director Muygech Sok with associates
Despite clients recognizing the design flaws inherent in their purchases, she says it is hard work trying to change the reining mindset, which does not place any value on design at all. "Land is very expensive. It is very hard for people to give over space for a central courtyard and ventilation when they have spent $1 million on buying the property," she says. "What we can try to do is to convince them that this technique will improve their quality of life as well as cut down their electricity bill and the temperature in the building."
With 13 projects in hand after only five months in business, the architect and university lecturer is determined to make a success of it her own way, like her mentor and former lecturer Hun Chansan, design director of progressive firm Re-edge Architecture and Design.
It is a fun time to be an architect or designer, says Hun Chansan. "We had the luxury of starting first and carving out a certain niche to be working in. If they see that is a success then I think that is good for them."
Chansan says he operates in a market that is not affected by the big property developments that have some investors so worried. "Younger architects should not be worried about not getting projects with the big guys. The local people will survive. They will keep on doing things," he says.
He agrees that arguing for the holistic benefits of sustainable design—including aesthetics—is more effective than trying to argue for sustainability on price when dealing with clients. "The most important thing is human comfort. It is the experience of people living inside a space," he says.
Social spaces
Nath Kanada and Seyrith Sarm of The Grey Studio aim to improve the quality of social spaces just like their immediate forebears Hok Kang Architects, the firm behind Brown Coffee. "Before Brown, there was not really anywhere for us to hang out," Kanada says.
Beer gardens were for older men. Instead the young students played football in the abandoned plots now so desirable on the property market until they were chased away by the their owners. "Mister Kang Hok said that he wanted to have a place for young people to hang out and go to, a place for them to work on a project or assignment. He achieved that. That architecture can make this happen—this is what drives the new generation to continue with their careers."
True to calling, in the last three years the Grey Studio has focused on decking out trendy interiors demanded by the new wave of fashionable cafes, bar, and hotels that followed Brown and are transforming Phnom Penh.
Sustainable practices and eco-facades are popular with some businesses targeting the higher end of the market. They usually have practical application, too, although it is easier to sell sustainable initiatives on aesthetic grounds, Kanada says, much like his Vietnamese hero Vo Trong Nghia.
The Grey Studio's Nath Kanada (left) and Seyrith Sarm aim to improve the capital's social spaces.
Hok Kang's Chanritty San says that pushing green ideas on clients is not easy. "Even for Vo Trong Nghia, it is not easy," he says. Cultural factors could be played to. "We have trees on almost all of our products. But that's easy. People here they don't like tanned skin. Trees also drop the temperature by three or four degrees, and that's quite significant. They also help absorb carbon emissions. But that is the bigger picture and it is there if you want to see it but if you don't want to see it is not there. First and foremost for clients is how a solution will help their development in terms of public image, reputation, and attract a certain group of clientele who might also be advocates of green ideas."
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The Benefits Of Touch—Ways To Cope With Touch Starvation In Covid-19
From casual handshakes to warm affectionate hugs, we miss them all. Given the quarantine period and the restrictions around, it's time to re-emphasise the importance of touch and its benefits.
By D Tejaswi
Dr Antony Theodore, a doctorate in English literature and author of several books in his poem, The Power of Touch, says "We do not value the power of touch. The feeling of love that you convey through a loving touch is marvellous and beyond measure."
Touch conveys multiple positive emotions: joy, love, gratitude, sympathy and more. "Of the five sense organs, it is the skin which is the largest organ of the body. Given that, it's no surprise that humans thrive, heal and feel better with touch," says Dr C Manjula Rao, Clinical Psychologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad.
But thanks to the isolating effects of social media, cell phones, laptops, no-touch policies in schools and physical distancing mandated by covid-19, people are missing out on the important essence of touch. "Today, you rarely see people handshaking, hugging or napping on each other—be it at airports, railway stations or anywhere else. We are lost in the world of virtual connectivity," says Dr Rao. "Now, we just are not touching."
Given this scenario, the journal Nature Public Health Emergency Collection finds that there is a rising loneliness in different countries—whether due to increased awareness, or potentially to circumstantial events like a quarantine. It concludes that there is a need to develop efficient strategies to address this issue. "It requires an understanding of the causal processes, mechanisms that underlie people's subjective conscious experience, cultural settings, which constitute individual experiences."
Dr Rao suggests that there is a need to propagate on the healing effects of touch. "Most people do not realise how a simple pat on the back, touching the arm can help a person's tension slip away." She adds that one doesn't have to be an adult or older person to benefit from touch. "Even infants and young children feel it." US-based neuroscientist David J. Linden, author of Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind writes, "A child can be born blind or deaf and they will grow up just fine, with no cognitive impairments. Yet if an infant is deprived of loving social touch for the first two years of life, then all sorts of disasters unfold."
A proof of what happens with lack of touch in children enfolds in a research done on Romanian orphanages during the 1980s and 1990s. The study finds that children who were deprived of loving touch had psychological and intellectual difficulties, improper development of immune systems and working problems in their digestive systems.
Dr Rao says parents/guardians from time-to-time should indulge in expressing care to their child—in the form of touch. Touching expresses trust, it reduces loneliness and improves self-esteem. "Even in medical and psychological contexts, studies have noted betterment with human touch." According to a 2015 study in the International Journal of Nursing Science, therapeutic touch helps promote relaxation and alleviates the symptoms of agitation among patients with dementia and improves daily behaviour and cognitive function. In another study Dr Manuel Arroyo-Morales and his team at University of Granada in Spain found that cancer patients who underwent massage therapies had partially reduced pain and fatigue, improved immune system and reduced anxiety. "Massage therapy reduces the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood flow, and relieves joint and body stiffness. It also releases endorphins, which act as a natural painkiller in the bloodstream," adds Dr Rao.
Tips to Manage Touch Starvation in Covid-19
Humans have great adaptation skills. "We will re-learn to bring the same joy in different ways," says Dr Rao. She agrees that while nothing can replace the benefits of positive human touch, trying alternative exciting ways can help chart new ways.
1. Rewind the happy moments. Look at their photo while you talk to them on the phone. It enhances the emotional connection. "Your memory is like a bank. Withdraw some good instances from that account to feel better," says Dr Rao.
2. Visualise and imagine the synergies between you and the person you like. Imagine how it would be hugging him/her. This visual mindful activity may help you feel better.
3. Write a journal. It helps you recover from the sadness of not being able to touch that person. Journaling helps reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
4. Practice intentional communication. For instance, if you miss your best friend or the person you like, instead of joining them on a group call, make a personal attempt to talk or chat with the person for a long time. Refrain from other distractions while you do that.


1Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on the rack under the middle rack to catch drips. Generously butter a 2-inch deep (2-quart) baking dish.
2Place peach sections into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice and zest.
3Stir butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Mix until creamed and resembles a sugary, buttery paste, 4 to 5 minutes. Add oats and flour; stir until flour and oats are incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture and mixture resembles coarse crumbs, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in milk; stir until mixture is wet and creamy, like a thick spreadable batter, 3 to 4 minutes.
5Bake in preheated oven on middle rack until browned and crispy, about 45 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
6ootnotes Chef's Note: To make your own self-rising flour, whisk 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt together in a bowl. If you don't have a water spritzer, you can use a pastry brush to moisten the sugar topping.


Sister Andrea Kantner's simple desire to ship some stomach medicine led to the Franciscan Mission Warehouse in Independence, which is now becoming part of a national partnership and receiving international acclaim.
Sister Kantner, along with Gary White of Water.org, will receive the International Peace Award this evening during a ceremony at the Auditorium as part of the Community of Christ World Conference.
Franciscan Mission Warehouse takes in donations of surplus medical supplies and gathers funds to ship those supplies to developing parts of the world.
Having served as a missionary in Brazil since 1977, Sister Kantner witnessed the stomach issues many people had. Pepto-Bismol was ridiculously expensive to buy there, and getting shipments of the pink medicine far up the Amazon River was quite precarious. In 1995, she contacted Mo-Kan Container Services in Kansas City and learned that she could send a 20-foot container packed full of supplies for the same cost and with less risk.
She took that as a challenge for her community to fill containers.
"When people knew we were doing that, we started getting household supplies, things from garage sales," Sister Kantner said. Little trinkets which had no practical value but simply made people feel they had a little greater status, also found their way into containers.
Twenty-two of them went to Brazil, she said, until that connection became untenable. By that time, in 2000, the Franciscan Mission Warehouse was morphing into taking just medical supplies and outgrew its space at Mo-Kan, leading to the 9,000-square foot warehouse on the sisters' land in northern Independence.
In all, they've sent 330 shipments, which now cost about $15,000 to ship. But one shipment has value of anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000 at its destination and can provide enough to equip a 30-bed hospital.
Sometimes there are customs delays or complications getting shipments across land to their ultimate destination. Sister Kantner hopes that will be a thing of the past now, as the Warehouse has started to partner with Project C.U.R.E. (Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment) based in suburban Denver, the world's largest provider of medical supplies to developing areas. It has the people and methods in place to assure supplies get where they're meant to go.
"They would like us to be a collection center for them," she said.
In addition to the tremendous aid provided to other countries, Franciscan Mission Warehouse has become a favorite place for many of its regular volunteers, Sister Kantner said. Church groups from various denominations have volunteer days at the warehouse, and the group of regulars – many of them retirees – remains strong through word of mouth.
"You come out here, this is a place where you know you're working for a great cause," she said. "They really love it, for them it's really not a job. This is a family; this is not your normal warehouse.


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Furthermore, if you wish, you can declare jewellery, precious objects, gold and silver coins and valuables. In addition, for your contents insurance to be as accurate and realistic as possible, you must not forget to notify us of any changes related to the contents of your home.


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How Car Cooling Systems Work
By: Karim Nice | Updated: Feb 11, 2021
Like the thermostat, the cooling fan has to be controlled so that it allows the engine to maintain a constant temperature.
Front-wheel drive cars have electric fans because the engine is usually mounted transversely, meaning the output of the engine points toward the side of the car. The fans are controlled either with a thermostatic switch or by the engine computer, and they turn on when the temperature of the coolant goes above a set point. They turn back off when the temperature drops below that point.
Rear-wheel drive cars with longitudinal engines usually have engine-driven cooling fans. These fans have a thermostatically controlled viscous clutch. This clutch is positioned at the hub of the fan, in the airflow coming through the radiator. This special viscous clutch is much like the viscous coupling sometimes found in all-wheel drive cars.
Karim Nice "How Car Cooling Systems Work" 22 November 2000.
HowStuffWorks.com. <https://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system.htm> 20 January 2022


Derived and triangulated categories were invented independently by Dietrich Puppe and Alexander Grothendieck and his student Jean-Louis Verdier in early 1960's and they play an important role in the various areas of algebra, topology, geometry and physics after the work of Kashiwara, Beilinson-Bernstein-Deligne, Kontsevich, Voevodsky and many others.
This is a subject where several areas of mathematics meet and make unexpected connections. Many important conjectures in algebra, topology and geometry can only be formulated, or explained, in terms of derived categories. For example, the homological mirror symmetry of Kontsevich in mathematical physics, the abelian defect group conjecture of Broue in the representation theory of finite groups, and the Bondal-Orlov conjecture on Calabi-Yau varieties, all rely on derived categories.
The aim of the conference is to bring together a group of top experts from algebra, topology and geometry who are working on derived categories and to present new directions and methods in the subject.
Please also let us know if you are coming to the British Topology Meeting so that we can coordinate accommodation requests!
The workshop begins with registration on Thursday 17th September at 9am and ends on Saturday 19th September at 1pm.
On Thursday 17th and Friday 18th, the talks will be in Ken Edwards Building Lecture Theatre 3.
On Saturday 19th, the talks will be in Bennett Link Lecture Theatre.
If you are a UK PhD student, then we can book university accommodation for you and the cost will covered by the LMS grant, providing that we do this by 10th August. If you would like us to do this, then please fill in the required information when you send an email to register.


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Oshie, Carlson lift Capitals over Bruins in mid-season test
By Scott CharlesDec 11, 2019, 10:30 PM EST
The 82-game regular season is a marathon for NHL teams, but at various points of the season you want to measure yourself up against a top team in your conference.
On Wednesday Night Hockey, the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals defeated the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins 3-2 at Capital One Arena.
John Carlson scored the go-ahead goal 4:42 into the third period to help propel the Capitals. T.J. Oshie scored twice and Braden Holtby made 30 saves as the Capitals collected their seventh win in the previous eight games.
David Pastrnak scored his NHL-leading 26th goal for Boston but the Bruins have dropped four consecutive games (0-3-1).
Oshie often overlooked
Whether it's Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Carlson or Holtby, Oshie is often neglected when listing the Capitals' star power.
Since being acquired in July of 2015, Oshie has been a consistent offensive threat for the Capitals in the previous four-plus seasons. He has averaged 25.5 goals and added his 12th and 13th of this season in stellar fashion on Wednesday.
Oshie made a quick deke to his forehand before ringing a shot off the crossbar, but then finished his own rebound to even the score early in the second period.
Oshie gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead with a highlight-reel goal. The American forward danced around Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton before converting a nifty deke 3:30 after his first of the game.
While other players in Washington's lineup receive credit for the Capitals' strong play in recent years, Oshie should not be forgotten about as he has proven to be a key piece to the puzzle in Washington.
OH MY @TJOshie77. ?@Capitals | #BOSvsWSH pic.twitter.com/O6LJ9ytyu3
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) December 12, 2019
Pastrnak remains red-hot
The Czech winger has solidified himself as one the best pure goal scorers in the NHL today and recorded his 26th goal of the season on Wednesday. No. 88 is on pace for 67 goals this season and has helped the Boston Bruins secure a 10-point lead in the Atlantic Division.
Pastrnak tallied a short-side snipe to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead against the Capitals Wednesday. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy was able to complete a cross-ice pass because centerman Patrice Bergeron skated hard to the net in order to create an open passing lane.
If Pastrnak is able to continue this torrid pace, he could be in line to collect a lot of hardware at the NHL Awards show and help the Bruins collect a trophy they fell just short of last season.
That's No. 26. @pastrnak96 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/f2VVOZSp6K
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 12, 2019
Ovechkin's office
The sign of dominance in any competitive sport is if you can continue to repeat an action while your opponent is aware of what is coming.
For Alex Ovechkin, his presence from the left circle throughout the course of his career has been spectacular. The captain of the Washington Capitals has recorded 299 of his 679 goals (44%) from the left circle or above. And since the 2012-13 season, 54% of his goals have come from that spot on the ice.
NHL teams will continue to game plan and know exactly where No. 8 will be on the ice, especially when Washington is on a power play, but his excellence from that area should be viewed in the same breath as Wayne Gretzky's operation from behind the net.
Alex Ovechkin has 679 career goals. ?
299 of those have come from his office. ?@Capitals | #BOSvsWSH pic.twitter.com/Vw0sGmDIjB
Scott Charles is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottMCharles.
Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Boston Bruins, Braden Holtby, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom, Patrice Bergeron, T.J. Oshie, Washington Capitals, Wednesday Night Hockey, Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby, Charlie McAvoy, Connor Clifton, David Pastrnak, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson, Nicklas Backstrom, Patrice Bergeron, T.J. Oshie
Tags: Joe Thornton, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals
Yes, Justin Williams led 'Storm Surge' in Hurricanes' return
By James O'BrienJan 19, 2020, 9:45 PM EST
Sports sometimes stick to "Hollywood" scripting, but hockey can be stubborn. In this case, Justin Williams delivered during his return to the Carolina Hurricanes and NHL in general.
Williams closed out what was a pretty exciting, and occasional strange, shootout in Carolina's favor. It went eight rounds, but Williams scored the shootout-deciding goal as the Hurricanes beat the Islanders 2-1.
Naturally, that wasn't enough for this "bunch of jerks." Williams also fittingly took center stage during the "Storm Surge," giving a salute. You can watch those great moments in the video above this post.
More on a storybook return for Justin Williams
James Reimer made fun of our thirst for a narrative after the game.
"It was all a conspiracy from the beginning. That was the plan," Reimer joked, via the Hurricanes' website. "We fooled everyone."
Really, there's only one question about this Williams return: what took Rod Brind'Amour so long to send him out in the shootout? Just number eight? Nice sense of the moment, Rod.
(Just kidding — mostly.)
Williams made an impact on the game proper, firing three shots on goal, delivering a hit, and blocking a shot during 13:06 time on ice. Despite being a grizzled veteran at age 38, Williams faced some jitters.
"I was nervous the whole game, to be honest," Williams said. "It was a playoff game out there. That's what it felt like that. Teams weren't giving an inch. There were chances either way, and it could have gone either way," he said. "I've played over 1,200 of these, so I was like, 'OK, Justin. Get real here. You can do this.' It was fun. We got what we wanted: two points."
Well, Brind'Amour believes Williams "fit right in."
Speaking of people getting right back into the groove, the Hurricanes provided a fun variation on his nickname: on Sunday, Williams became "Mr. Round 8."
Tags: Carolina Hurricanes, James Reimer, Justin Williams, New York Islanders, Rod Brind'Amour, Storm Surge, James Reimer
PHT Morning Skate: Metro deadline preview; Should Sharks trade Thornton? January 20, 2020 8:15 am EST The Buzzer: Meet Matiss Kivlenieks; Booming Blackhawks and Blue Jackets January 20, 2020 12:09 am EST Patrick Kane hits 1,000 points, and Blackhawks are red-hot January 19, 2020 10:26 pm EST Yes, Justin Williams led 'Storm Surge' in Hurricanes' return January 19, 2020 9:45 pm EST Bruins coach Cassidy has some harsh words for his defense January 19, 2020 5:08 pm EST Penguins rally from 3-goal deficit to stun Bruins: 3 takeaways January 19, 2020 4:19 pm EST Gerard Gallant on coaching future: 'I'm far from done' January 19, 2020 1:28 pm EST WATCH LIVE: Penguins host Bruins on NBC January 19, 2020 11:45 am EST NHL on NBC: Bruins want to be more than 'teddy bears' vs. Penguins January 19, 2020 8:00 am EST The Buzzer: Elvis, Ovechkin, and others who rocked January 19, 2020 1:58 am EST Elvis thrives: Merzlikins is on fire for Blue Jackets January 18, 2020 11:58 pm EST Hat trick helps Ovechkin pass Lemieux, tie Yzerman for ninth on NHL goals list January 18, 2020 3:55 pm EST Stars' Stephen Johns activated after missing almost 22 months January 18, 2020 3:05 pm EST Panthers down another goalie, injured Driedger to miss weeks January 18, 2020 1:53 pm EST The Buzzer: Cirelli, Lightning cruise past Jets; Crosby tallies OT winner January 17, 2020 11:12 pm EST Predators' Arvidsson fined $2,000 under NHL diving policy January 17, 2020 4:51 pm EST Fans troll with Tkachuk billboard, charities end up the big winners January 17, 2020 3:20 pm EST Pass or Fail: LA Kings' 2020 Stadium Series jerseys January 17, 2020 1:11 pm EST Bad news on Hurricanes' Hamilton: broken bone in leg January 17, 2020 12:33 pm EST Bruins place David Backes on waivers January 17, 2020 12:15 pm EST Stars can't afford to be without Heiskanen for too long January 17, 2020 9:39 am EST Stars' Stephen Johns nears return after 22-month absence January 17, 2020 9:26 am EST PHT Morning Skate: Under-the-radar rookies; Ovechkin's suspension January 17, 2020 8:15 am EST The Buzzer: Golden Knights win DeBoer's debut; Hats off to Ovechkin January 17, 2020 1:20 am EST Wild hold on against Lightning, snap losing streak January 16, 2020 11:21 pm EST Hurricanes' Hamilton suffers nasty looking leg injury in loss to Blue Jackets January 16, 2020 10:27 pm EST Another milestone for Alex Ovechkin January 16, 2020 9:02 pm EST William Karlsson will be out 'week-to-week' for Golden Knights January 16, 2020 7:06 pm EST WATCH LIVE: Wild host Lightning on NBCSN January 16, 2020 7:00 pm EST Rick Tocchet replaces Gerard Gallant as Pacific All-Star coach January 16, 2020 6:36 pm EST Perreault sounds off on NHL Player Safety after Virtanen hit January 16, 2020 2:43 pm EST Blues superfan Laila Anderson enjoying life one year after bone marrow transplant January 16, 2020 1:45 pm EST NHL on NBCSN: Is Boudreau on the hot seat as wilting Wild face Lightning? January 16, 2020 12:17 pm EST Pass or Fail: Colorado Avalanche 2020 Stadium Series jerseys January 16, 2020 10:33 am EST PHT Morning Skate: Why Gallant was fired; Will Yzerman bring him to Red Wings? January 16, 2020 9:50 am EST The Buzzer: Voracek nets OT beauty; Blackhawks win in Montreal January 16, 2020 12:06 am EST Flyers recover in OT after squandering third-period lead January 15, 2020 11:25 pm EST NHL All-Star Game: Rosters for Elite Women's 3-on-3 revealed January 15, 2020 7:20 pm EST Blues vs. Flyers livestream: How to watch Wednesday Night Hockey January 15, 2020 7:00 pm EST Surging Blue Jackets finally getting some help January 15, 2020 6:01 pm EST


Khamir's campus sits on a plot of land in the desert about half an hour outside the town of Bhuj. It consists of a series of graceful, airy buildings that house office space, weaving workshops, pottery and dyeing studios, and spaces for visiting designers to work. There are exhibition halls, a meeting room, and gift shop, stocked with an ever rotating supply of handwoven shawls, Ajrakh block printed fabrics, leatherwork, and lacquered wood sourced from the rich communities of artisans in the region.
Though Khamir often hosts visiting students, artists, and tourists interested in handicrafts, I began to wonder whether there weren't some missed opportunities to attract and engage visitors who arrive on campus.
- what is the experience arriving at the organization like for a first time visitor?
- what story does the organization tell about itself, and through what mediums?
- how do the organizations leverage local residents to interface with visitors?
- what sorts of modes of engagement are offered for visitors of different backgrounds and ages?
Each of the three organizations I visited had very different goals and brands, but all host large numbers of visitors, and support local crafts and indigenous livelihoods.
Plus on a personal note, I was able to combine this trip with a vacation with Ted, Eliza, and Margot! The latter two of whom were visiting us from DC.
Auroville is a spiritual center that is home to about 2000 residents, and draws thousands more people as visitors each year. The campus includes the studios of many artists (particularly ceramicists), as well as small scale businesses working on agriculture, village development, and community services. Auroville also hosts the Sustainable Livelihoods Institute, which provides business training to local Tamil women.
During my visit, I explored the Auroville campus around the Visitor Center, and met with Nick, Faculty member and Mentor at the Sustainable Livelihoods Institute. I also spent time at the Auroville handmade paper factory, located in Pondicherry.
The Crocodile Bank was founded in 1976 as an effort to conserve India's crocodile populations. It is home to 8,000 crocodilians of 14 species, some of which are released into the wild restock their natural habitats.
The Croc Bank is a leading research center into captive breeding and conservation of reptiles and amphibians, and is also a popular local attraction - the Bank hosts more than half a million visitors each year.
The Bank hosts a program to extract venom from poisonous snakes and provide it to laboratories for preparation of anti- venom for medical research. This program harnesses the traditional knowledge of the Irula tribe, whose livelihoods as snakeskin dealers was in danger. Today, the Irulas are self- employed as snake catchers and handlers, milking the snakes and educating visitors.
We checked out the crocodiles, saw venom being milked, and observed visitors at the Bank for several hours. I also met with Crocodile Bank co-founder and director, Zai Whitaker.
Finally - Dakshina Chitra. Dakshina Chitra is a "living museum" of crafts and lifestyles in southern India. Its campus contains contextual exhibitions, model homes from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, live demonstrations of glass blowing, weaving, and pottery, workshops for adults and children, cultural performances of music and dance, and sale of handicrafts.
After spending time on each of the campuses of these organizations, I noticed several ways in which they did a great job engaging visitors.
Before even getting to Auroville, its presence was everywhere in Pondicherry. It seemed like every other store wanted to be associated with the Auroville brand and its products.
Then once I arrived at Auroville, (and this was true of the other campuses as well), there were a lot of welcoming signage that give you a sense of where you are, what you can do and see, and what the organization stands for. The Crocodile Bank in particular has some wonderfully evocative hand painted signs.
At Dakshina Chitra, visitors can not only observe, they can actively participate and learn. The campus feels like it is bursting with opportunities. Some activities, like learning a bit about pottery for Rs.200, seemed like a simple way for artisans to make a little extra money for their trouble. I wanted to try my hand at Kalamkari painting when I saw it listed, but then realized it was only for kids. Oh well! All over the campus were workshops of artisans actively weaving, hewing wood, throwing pottery. We noticed that some of the exhibition halls had sponsors listed, tying them to local businesses or corporate partners.
The Crocodile Bank hosted members of the Irula tribe, who held animated conversations with local tourists and displayed their amazing talent at handling and milking venomous snakes. Actually seeing, rather than just reading about these indigenous communities at work really hammered home their incredible skill.
Dakshina Chitra and Auroville give visitors a complete view of regional culture, beyond what their own programs covered directly. There is local food and fresh juice, dance programs, libraries of interesting books, and music. Message boards show upcoming events from the community, news from partner organizations, making the campus feel like it is part of a broader network.
I saw that every space on a campus can be an opportunity for visitors to learn while seeing, making - or shopping. Auroville's paper making factory transformed their gift shop into a quasi museum space. Simple posters displayed background information about culture and craft, so that I could learn about the process of papermaking, and then immediately purchase the things I'd learned to appreciate!
3. Create a message board where community members and partner organizations can post news and updates.
4. The gift shop can be a learning experience.
7. Create a brand with a flexible set of visuals that artisans outside the campus want to be associated with.
Khamir's new director is making campus activation one of her primary goals when she begins her tenure in April. So our next challenge will be to prioritize and implement these ideas!