On a Saturday afternoon in March, I walked onto the stage, followed by my colleague, with excited and nervous steps. The microphone was handed to me and I said:
Good afternoon, Namaskar. First of all, we, the youth empowerment team, would like to thank everyone for their support in making this event possible. All of you who came and performed today, the volunteers who have been working hard over the last days, the VIN staff who made it possible for us and supported our ideas, and of course the Child Protection Team for their great planning and cooperation in this joint event, the Nature Journaling exhibition and Okhalhdunga’s Got Talent. Before we hand out the awards, I would like to say a few words about how the Nature Journaling Competition and Exhibition came into being.
Indeed, it was an exciting day for many of us. Naturally, participants of the Nature Journaling Competition were excited about their prizes. I was excited to see a project come to life and become more than I had ever expected it to be.
Caption: During Okhaldhunga’s Got Talent, Eszter Boros grabs the microphone to announce the winners of the Nature Journaling Exhibition. Credit: Eline Cornelis
How did I bring Nature Journaling workshops to Okhaldhunga?
I have always been a passionate hobby artist . In fact, as a child, I would often submit my work for artistic competitions. In the last decade, I have used pencils and brushes to immerse myself in nature. This exploration of the outdoors led me to Wild Wonder Foundation , an American non-profit organisation dedicated to environmental conservation through nature journaling.
Nature Journaling is an observation technique used to get closer to nature, aiming to observe, analyse, understand and protect it. It is not a purely artistic approach; it can be a useful and important scientific tool.
The idea of Nature Journaling workshops in Okhaldhunga was my second project proposal for Wild Wonder Foundation. Luckily, years of grant writing taught me perseverance, and the first rejection did not prevent me from trying again. Just four days before flying to Nepal, I received the good news: the project was accepted .
Caption: Regular Nature Journaling sessions at NaraTika Learning and Community Center. Credit: Eline Cornelis
What were the Nature Journaling workshops like?
We offered these sessions to different age groups in various locations. The principles were always the same, we combined enjoying artistic expression, learning a new tool and losing ourselves in detailed observation of nature.
I would conduct the introductory workshops by inviting participants to choose one small element in nature. It could be a leaf, a twig, a rock, a petal, anything. I would ask them to look at it closely—to study the edges, the venation, the changing colours, the small creatures that live in or on the item, to feel the surface on all sides.
After careful observation, everyone would place this item on a piece of paper and draw the silhouette. Then, according to their skills and mood, they would fill the shape with colours using aquarelle pencils.
At last, we would use magic! With brush and water, the lines of pencils became strokes of paint.
We shared this magic with the most remote communities of Taluwa, Thulacchap and Bhadaure, and brought it to the classroom in Chhatra Pragati Secondary School. One of our most memorable times was a riverside nature journaling session with the Majhi community in Bhoje. Most notably, however, we were able to offer regular workshops at the NaraTika Community and Learning Center and work with a group of regular participants week by week.
Caption: Riverside nature journaling with women of all ages with the Majhi community in Bhoja, Bhadaure. Credit: Eszter Boros
What did participants take away from these workshops?
The most obvious and important benefit was the joy of creating art in a group. When a group of youngsters quietly disappears into their drawing and painting, it is always great feedback.
Many shared that, even though they always enjoyed drawing, it felt more fun in a group. Some elderly women confessed to holding a pencil for the first time. While the majority of participants were farmers, they also said they looked at these plants and trees differently during the workshop and observed new details.
The observations contributed to understanding perspective, and through different games and activities, they also practiced collaboration, communication skills and team building.
Most importantly, they had fun. And experienced aquarelle magic for the first time.
Caption: Participants of all ages joined our workshops—Nature Journaling workshop in Chapabanjang, Thulacchap. Credit: Eszter Boros
What did I enjoy the most in the process?
These workshops made it possible for me to connect with people with no language in common. We could exchange ideas and dreams without many words. Because that’s what art does. It is a universal language that brings people together to share stories, hopes and aspirations.
I dare say that I also gained friends through these sessions, with whom I we ended up discussing life dilemmas, fears and joys. Two of the regular members came voluntarily to help prepare the final exhibition. For hour after hour, they worked with us on the tedious tasks of labelling artworks and gluing them on frames. They took could take pride in their work being exhibited and in co-creating the exhibition. When we said our final goodbyes, one of them thanked me: “You taught me so much about art, I never knew all that.”
Caption: Judges are evaluating the exhibited art pieces. Two participants volunteered to help prepare the exhibition. Credit: Eline Cornelis
Caption: Nature Journaling Exhibition and Competition—The Proud Winners and the Amazing Judges. Credit: Eline Cornelis
If I could make one wish…
While finding ways to bring nature journaling sessions to young people, I learnt that they do not have art classes in schools and we can only organise sessions if we bring materials—they have none in the schools. It deeply saddened me that so many children do not have access to what I experienced as a basic resource in school.
I believe that our workshops brought sweet memories and joy to the lives of many, and encouraged various students to explore art. Indeed, one student said, “I can’t even draw,” only to find his artwork selected for the exhibition one week later.
I hope that the weekly sessions continue in the NaraTika Community and Learning Centre. But if I could have one wish come true, it would be that every student in Nepal has the chance to find the joy and freedom in art, which I hope our students found, however briefly. Access to drawing and art sessions is such a fundamental aspect of self-expression and of discovering the world. After all, what better way to foster a creative and empowered tomorrow, than to invest in the students of today?
Caption: Nature Journaling session at NaraTike Learning and Community Center. Credit: Eline Cornelis
Eszter Boros
Eszter Boros is a trainer, career counsellor and founder, dedicated to guiding individuals through their career transitions. As a passionate hiker, hobby painter, restless traveller, and soon-to-be outdoor educator, she brings a diverse toolkit into her work. This is complemented by her global perspective, Eastern-European self-irony and German precision. At the core of her work are conscious choices, a balanced life, and a connection with nature.
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