Bipana Dhakal shares 5 powerful lessons in mentorship for changemakers, drawing on her journey as a community and global changemaker.
Growing up in a rural and marginalized community in Nepal, struggles and scarcity taught me. They taught me to be passionate about youth advocacy for community development. They inspired me to carve a path for change.
I started to lead change within my own community, founding The Learning Fortress to provide access to non-formal education and a platform to grow for the children of Bardiya, Nepal.
After conducting a proper need assessment on education quality in my community, The Learning Fortress began to deliver creative, non-formal education programs. It also raised awareness among the community, young advocates, and local government for collaboration to create inclusive spaces and participation in decision-making.
So far, 80 children aged 4 to 15 have directly benefitted, connecting more than 3000 stakeholders, including educational institutions, local government, community people, and national and international volunteers through awareness-raising and advocacy.
It wasn’t easy at first, though, and that’s where mentorship made the difference.
My Journey as a Mentee, Changemaker, and Leader.
In 2020 during the early days of The Learning Fortress, I needed help. I struggled to figure out our community reach, our capabilities, and impact. All were important but complex factors associated with my mission and goals.
That’s when I started seeking mentorship from someone experienced in the community work sector. After rigorous research and networking, I got acquainted with MicroMentor, a platform that provides mentorship for changemakers and social entrepreneurs. Working with amazing mentors from around the world and getting that love, support, and guidance in my personal and professional growth, my identity was immensely shaped.
Through this mentorship and my work with The Learning Fortress and the GenEndIt movement, my learning journey as a glocal (global and local) changemaker led me to engage in advocacy while still leading development in my community. Ultimately, it led me to explore outside my small world.
Along the way, I learned several key lessons to make the most of mentorship for changemakers.
5 Powerful Lessons in Mentorship for Changemakers.
Being acquainted with mentorship for some time, here’s how to make the most of mentoring for changemakers:
- Mentorship is a journey. Mentorship is not about instant results or always getting the desired outcome in our way. It has ups and down where one learns and explores beyond what we can plan. It teaches us patience with the ability to explore randomness beyond our daily schedule and what we can control.
- Setting up expectations from both sides is essential. For both mentor and mentee, it is essential to be on the same page regarding expectations from each other to be clear on what they are looking forward to from the mentorship. This helps to be clear and precise on what we can contribute to each other’s growth, giving direction to the journey.
- Take the initiative in relationship building. It is upon us to take the lead and shape to our relationship. Bringing discussion topics, interaction, curiosity, and dedication to the table will weave the path to a better relationship. It also erases the awkwardness of those conversations.
- Communication is the key. The foundation of any initiation is communication. Until and unless we can communicate what we think and feel, we are not able to reciprocate the reaction we are targeting for. With only transparency and good communication, mentoring is possible and legit.
- Empathy is essential. Empathy helps to connect with each other deeply, creating a sense of credibility and trust in mentorship. A major initial step to start our mentorship journey is to be empathetic towards one another. Through empathy, key foundations like gratitude, accountability and respect towards each other are well maintained.
The Impact of Mentorship on My Journey of Changemaking
I started my journey as a mentee who was very curious and enthusiastic about learning. This passion has always supported me to grow and cover the milestones I dream of.
Now, I am a mentor as well. I keep the same passion for growing together and sharing what I have learned throughout my journey.
Mentoring has given wings to my change-making.
My passion and ideas for change have grown to increase in productivity and impact. I am thankful to every mentor and mentee associated with my change-making journey, without whom the whole chapter would have been so different.
Denise Morrison observed, “the path to diversity begins with supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring diverse women and men to become leaders and entrepreneurs.”-
To changemakers and potential mentors alike, I say: better start getting involved in mentorship early and experience the awesomeness of the journey throughout.
