George Chan’s Life Story
George recently reminisced why he got so committed to the IFWMS (Integrated Farming & Waste Management System).
He says it helps him to “realise how lucky I have been to see so much of the world and meet so many people, who want to help humanity and get involved.” Here is his story in his own words.
After serving in the British Colonial Army from 1942 to 1945, I went to study engineering in London on an army scholarship in 1946. I returned to Mauritius in 1952, worked in the private sector until 1954 when I joined the Muncipality of Port Louis as City Engineer. I had the opportunity to meet some international specialists working in Mauritius, and learnt about the challenge and opportunities overseas. This was what made me decide to specialise in Water, Waste Water and Public Health Engineering when I had the chance to do so. Ten years later, I realized that I was in a dead-end job, and so I took the offer of a position at the South Pacific Commission in New Caledonia, in the Pacific to work within a quarter of the globe, sponsored by Australia, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and USA. I made good use of the two languages I grew up with, English and French. I also witnessed so many problems of poverty, sanitation, and lack of development in many groups of small islands and isolated places.
At about the same time, Bill Mollison started his Permaculture movement in Tasmania, an island of Australia that was the size of a continent. One magazine, Mother Earth, talked abour our work and our different approaches, but the final objectives were similar. As far as I was concerned, I did not start taking a bigger interest in what others were doing until I took up a job offered to me in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) administered by America in 1978. It was the first time I realized that the lack of development was not due to lack of money only, which was the case in most places.
I was lucky to be selected by the US People to People Organization to be part of a delegation visiting China in 1983. We learnt many lessons on HOW to do so Much with so Little, and WHY we should Recycle all wastes and residues, which were resources before.
In 1984, at age 60, I could have worked 5 more years in a cushy job in CNMI, but I chose to go to China as a volunteer not only to teach, but also to learn as well. What an education it was!
In 1989, at age 65, with my newly acquired knowldge and experience, I started a new consultancy as a freelancer. Now at 83, I am still working because of the innovative technologies, but my health has deteriorated because of a fall while on mission in USA. Many of you, who were present, witnessed my fall when I hit my head on concrete. Robert Haspel was kind enough to take me to hospital. The woolen hat I wore, on advice of Lynda Taylor, Robert’s wife, protected my skull, but I think this was when the blood clot started. My fall in Mauritius was because of my weak knees, and I did not hit my head then. With good care and medical skills, I had the blood clot removed, but my age of 83 did not help me recover my strength.
Now I feel tired after every effort, which the doctor told me is quite logical, but I have not accepted it yet. I guess I will have to, sooner or later, but I do believe in miracles. Events like IPC8 had helped me a great deal, and I am hoping that if we all work together for IPC9 will help further.
I got involved in Permaculture after the International Conference, when Stewart Hamish attended it, and convinced Denmark to start a Permaculture movement. I was then in China but saw the advertisement put out by the FolkeCenter For Renewable Energy, asking for a Consultant in Sustainable Development. I applied and got appointed. It was quite exciting working with the Danes, and later attendede the Permaculture Conferencesw in Nepal, Denmark (where I met Bill Mollison for the first time), and Australia (where I met Ali Sharif andTom Duncan). I have been thinking about linking Permaculture and ZERI since then.
At the World Expo in Hannover, I met Nirmala Nair, Valerie Chiotte, and many others.– all long-time friends now. I then took part in many ZERI courses, whenre I made many new friends like Lynda Taylor, Robert Haspel and Katherine Holt, Scott Huffman, Gary Liss, Amelia terrapin, and Katje Erickson. I apologize for not mentioning many others, as my memory has suffered a lot after my brain operation.
I want all of you to how how I appreciate your efforts, and have not given up yet.
