By Lidia Rozdilsky
Have you seen the ending of Prinsha Shrestha’s Eco Tourism themed video for Miss Earth? No, really, have you? I am asking because I have not. No matter how many times I attempt to watch it till the end my eyes tear up and a torrent of emotions come overcome me. Seeing Prisnha’s experience and passion culminate in this marvelous project, surrounded by competent young Nepali professionals such as Shree Gurung (videographer), Nikun Shrestha (photographer), the executive team at Hidden Treasures, and many others who dedicated their talents to serving her cause is nothing short of an exhilarating and overcoming feeling. But I am not here to talk about my feelings for they should be immaterial when judging the value of products, be that of a candidate that one supports or not. I would like to list the criteria of what, based on my experience as an artist and a professional in the socio economic development sector, make a good final project, not simply to emphasize the fact that the Nepali candidate has met them but to help others who seek to create similar ones in the future no matter where they are found in the world :
MEETING THE CRITERIA: When an entity gives a topic or a theme upon which they want the contestants to elaborate, FOLLOW IT. The theme of this year’s Miss Earth was Eco Tourism and the Nepalese delegate has met it to the T. The ecological factor is the organic potato, the tourism factor is the consumers of that product: the tourists who travel to Everest and who stay at Yeti Mountain Home. Throw in a social cause to alienate poverty, something that Prinsha has worked passionately about for years, and you have a winning product.
ORIGINALITY: In order to get the attention of juries and audiences who have to see many product similar to yours, you have to do something that either few or no one else has done. Mind you, unless your aim is to shock (which in some circumstances might be a legitimate aim) originality does not mean coming up with things outlandish and outrageous, just ideas that you have thought through involving subjects you are passionate about. Correct me if I am wrong, but with the abundance of socio-economic projects in Nepal, I am yet to see one aiming at alleviating poverty through finding markets for potatoes.
IMPACT: now THAT is a big one. When you have a limited amount of resource such as time, money, human capacity, how can your project impact the maximum number of people with the least resources spent. The Everest Potato project is brilliant because it requires very little, based entirely on a need to cooperate between consumer and farmer.
BASIC NEED: If you have to win hearts and minds, you have to genuinely work to improve human needs, not wants. Now, this is tough to do because tourism is a luxury at the get-go. However, Prinsha and team have managed to view the topic from a different angle, showcasing those whose livelihood can be improved through eco tourism.
SUSTAINABILITY: can your project continue further on without relying on additional help: other words, does it have a life of its own. The answer in the Nepalese project is clearly and unequivocally yes. Prinsha is the link between Yeti Mountain Home and the farmers but it is their symbiotic relationship which is carrying it through.
VISIBILITY: the video and the idea both showcase Prinhsa’s personality, uniqueness, and beauty. She is seen throughout the video engaging, talking, and leading. The scenery is simply breathtaking and the video work professional and coherent.
What can YOU do to make this product more visible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdO4uQn7yiU
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(Also Read: Why I stand by Nepal’s Prinsha Shrestha at Miss Earth)
