Work parties

One of our big challenges is making our joined-up, fair and helpful vision of our world more fun. Reading through the cover notes to a CD of Georgian songs by the Rustavi Choir, I found an answer: Naduri - a work song. Not just a 'yo-ho-heave-ho' work song, but a song of endless possibility, creativity and competition.

"'Nadi' were villagers who voluntarily assisted their neighbours at harvest time. Competing groups of workers would begin in a slow tempo with alternating melodic figures, and as the work intensified and neared completion, melodic motifs became shorter and the alterations more rapid. The end of the song - and of the song - was marked by a slow finale sung in unison."

Nnoboa

I haven't had a chocolate advent calendar for a while, so this year was a treat. Every morning after breakfast now I get a snippet of the Christmas story and a tasty chocolate heart - just enough not to feel guilty about it.

Anyway, Divine, the fairtrade company who made the calendar, share a story on the reverse about the farmers of the cocoa co-operative.

"The farmers who have joined the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative have discovered how good it is to work together. In fact, they have a name for it - NNOBOA - which means, 'If you help me, I will help you'."

Sharing resources, ideas, experiences and problems helps people to create stronger businesses, fairer and more resilient systems all round.

Can we have more NNOBOA in the UK?