India, Nagaland - Grace Home Khutsokuno (GHK)
by Zacivolü R. Dozo (Acivo), on behalf of Shothayi Dozo (Dozo), Zhopovelü Lohe (Apolü) and GHK
Grace Home Khutsokuno
page developed by Ann Collet, ARI Graduate Outreach Volunteer
submitted May 2024
Working in our Home to Sustainably Raise our Children - and our Income!
"Grace Home Khutsokuno isn't a formal office. We are living like the villagers as we teach, putting ARI servant leadership into practice in our daily life."
- Zacivolü R. Dozo (Acivo)
https://gyazo.com/6e202ada3a9948cff2c208b4b746f500
Acivo and the children of Khutsokuno Village
Grace Home Khutsokuno (GHK) was founded by Zacivolü R. Dozo (Acivo, former training assistant and staff at ARI) and her niece, ARI Graduate Zhopovelü Lohe (Apolü). ARI Graduate Shothayi Dozo (Dozo) married Acivo in 2018 and started to be involved with GHK in 2021, after graduating from ARI. It is a nice example of how graduates (who also happen to be family) work together to make their village stronger and more beautiful.
Acivo reflects on the work of GHK
When GHK was started in 2017, I sponsored it financially. I acted as a mentor and guide to Apolü. It all started with the need for the children's school education in the village. With that vision it has continued to this today. I now teach the children, maintain the GHK garden, and have raised funds to help the children. To learn more about the beginnings of GHK, read the following story: India, Nagaland - Zacivolu Dozo - 2000 Graduate / 2009 Training Assistant https://gyazo.com/ec904ee50007bf3dfe255eb0bc011c8f
Dormitory education at Grace Home Khutsokuno
From 2017 to 2019 we fully focused on the dormitory project. Which means from Monday to Friday, children came to stay overnight at Grace Home for home studies. We helped them to do their homework assignments from school.
From 2020 to 2022, the pandemic years, we could not bring them to Grace Home for overnight stays but whenever the village authority allowed us, we brought them to the home and helped them with their studies during the day.
In 2023 we gave more time and continued with daytime studies.
Our local connection is to build relationships through the church, in particular the women's group, the youth group, the fathers' group and the student group. One of the most valuable connections we have is with the farmers where we also learn from them about growing food to sustain our community.
Ms. Zhopovelü Lohe (Apolü) (2022 ARI Graduate)
Apolü is the co-founder and pioneer of Grace Home Khutsokhuno. Before she went to ARI she was the sole person who faithfully and committedly served the village children. And she did the same after returning from ARI. 2023 was her first year as a graduate. As she continued to help the children with their studies, she got involved in food growing activities with the children. She also joined in village beautification and sanitation activities that we did with the children.
https://gyazo.com/5efc3bbad0f4b90a3291b7eafb97f52f https://gyazo.com/988760e1ad8ef29e5b1ef6c6e23a7d45
Children planting flowers / Apolü on the stairs among the blossoms
However, the village church needed a leader in the women's department and requested her services which we could not refuse because of the need! Therefore, from this year (2024) she is appointed as a Women's Associate Pastor in the village church; Khutsokhuno Baptist Church. Her new role means she has a larger platform to impact people's lives with ARI learning.
https://gyazo.com/a4c073dfff4d12d47cf5d0bd472586a8
Apolü leading the beautification activity
She continues to work with the Women's Group and the mothers in the village and, in fact, her ARI training is more active and effective in this new responsibility. She continues to keep a mini demo farm, using Bokashi for sustainable agriculture education. She also keeps some chickens and makes feed using local resources for people to see and learn from.
Mr. Shothayi Dozo (Dozo) (2020 ARI Graduate)
Upon his coming back to Khutsokhuno, he has been actively involved in the afternoon children's home study activities.
To address environmental issues, home economy, and permanent agriculture he uses Bokashi as his main tool to help the local farmers learn how to protect and preserve the environment for future generations.
https://gyazo.com/679cfe62419ec9a4a9b4b6a843e3db3b https://gyazo.com/9c071a015ae0729227aa0baa6aa4e110https://gyazo.com/75e2f72de4e8c4b16231a4de042e8985
Our harvest / Dozo in our field
He is also invited to various seminars, workshops, and conferences to speak. This is his fourth year as an ARI graduate.
https://gyazo.com/ea83e175a50f93729231695043b4815c
Villagers making Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) for Bokashi
Listening to the Community's needs
With the change of the mindset of the villagers, we decided to take another step to assist, especially, the young parents in the village. As the times change and with deeper understanding of the value of school education for their children, many young parents want their children to study in an urban setting where better education facilities are available.
https://gyazo.com/5ed0451d270bd8ea72cdc37e41c717ff
Children doing their homework
When we reflected on our work and involvement in trying to help the villagers, we decided to redirect our attention to the parents towards Sustainable Agriculture and Income Generation activities and that's how we have started 2024. Thus, Grace Home Khutsokhuno is now mainly carrying out activities focusing on Sustainable Agriculture and Home Economy as education for the village parents as its main concerns. Both the mentioned graduates are involved in the same.
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