Welcome to the ADDA, a space for better conversations. This Group ADDA is thrilled to have Robin Rutchik, director of Tuqtuqilal, a regenerative centre that promotes community development through artisanal production, agroecology, ecotourism and education in rural Guatemala.

Robin’s lived there for over a decade, bringing her learning in permaculture and green building design to the organisation’s philosophy of earth care, people care and fair share. When it comes to designing “village projects” or regenerative land programmes, the environmental intentions are often noble and get much consideration, but the engagement, involvement and permission of the local, host communities are often side-lined or ignored altogether.

What does it take to really place the local community at the heart not only of the programme, but in the design of the organisation itself?

Find out more about Tuqtuqilal here: https://www.tuqtuquilal.com/en

The ADDA is brought to you by The Deep & Meaningful Consultancy.

• Host: Deepa Mirchandani
• Production: Urban Luka Jurc Blagovic
• Music: Unreasonable World by Bernard Schimpelsberger (http://www.bernhard.co.at/)