Honoring Pracha & Jane’s Legacy - Call for Scholarship Support

Our dear teachers, Pracha Hutanuwatra and Jane Rasbash, recently left this world, but the gifts they shared with us live on. In their honor and to carry forward their legacy, we’re holding a second round of the Training of Trainers in Mindful Facilitation for Empowerment. See more what is Mindful Facilitation This is a program Pracha and Jane shaped and ran for many years with so much love and dedication.

Pracha and Jane spent their lives empowering grassroots leaders and championing education as a tool for real change. We want to keep that spirit alive by offering scholarships to make this course accessible to people working at the community level, who will take what they learn and use it to extend their impact.

Last time we ran this training, the impact was incredible. We have seen firsthand how it has rippled out into communities (see testimonials below). Now, we’re hoping to raise enough to offer scholarships to grassroots changemakers who otherwise wouldn’t be able to join.

If you’d like to help us carry forward Pracha and Jane’s legacy by supporting these scholarships or simply spreading the word, please get in touch. Your support means so much, and helps us to continue the work they cared so deeply about.

OUR CAMPAIGN GOAL:

We are hoping to raise 237,500 THB to be able to give 5 scholarships to applicants from Myanmar, our neighboring country where high-quality grassroots community leaders and activists are not able to fund their participation in this course due to war.

About Pracha Hutanuwatra

Pracha Hutanuwatr was an engaged Buddhist activist, social critic, new paradigm leadership trainer, and mentor. He dedicated his life to empowering individuals with the skills and attitudes needed for sustainable, regenerative futures.

He established the International Training of Trainers (ToT) over 25 years ago. It is well known as an intensive course, empowering participants with valuable skills, concepts, and attitudes for cultivating sustainable, regenerative futures. The program equips participants with essential facilitation skills to ignite positive change in their communities.

About Jane Rasbash

Jane Rasbash was a prominent figure in the field of education for sustainable development, with a focus on empowerment and engaged spirituality. Jane co-founded Training of Trainers with Pracha Hutanuwatr for over 15 years. This work has been instrumental in promoting participatory facilitation across Asia and internationally.

Based in Findhorn Ecovillage, Scotland, Jane’s expertise in Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) and Grassroots Leadership Training has left an indelible mark in Myanmar, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Jane was also passionate about Nature connection and the Work that Reconnects.

Jane served as a Board member of Gaia Education for 10 years and was currently a Board member of Ecovillage Transition Asia, demonstrating her commitment to fostering positive change.

Testimonials from Previous Courses:

BECOMING THE FACILITATOR I WAS MEANT TO BE

In 2012, when I first stepped into a Zen monastery to learn meditation as

part of my daily practice—and in 2010, when I discovered my passion for

participatory learning methods in capacity-building work for NGOs—I

never imagined that one day these two distinct paths—personal and

professional—would come together so beautifully.

After over a decade of cultivating mindfulness and refining my facilitation

skills, I found myself at a transformative crossroad during the 15-day

intensive residential Training of Trainers on Mindful Participatory

Facilitation for Empowerment.

This journey was not just about learning

new techniques; it was about integrating mindfulness as a path of self-cultivation in order to become a more grounded, compassionate, and

empowering facilitator.

This training didn’t just change the way I work—it changed me.

I used to be a facilitator who was strict down to the minute, clinging tightly to structure and timing.

Now, I find myself becoming more calm and flexible, open to trying creative ways of facilitation, sensing the group energy, and adjusting activities with the flow. That shift has allowed me to slow down, connect deeply with participants, and build the kind of trust that makes real transformation possible.

Before, I didn’t know how to deal with participants’ emotions in a learning space. Now, I feel comfortable holding space for their feelings, creating a safe environment where people can share from the heart and open themselves to new learning. I’ve moved from selfdoubt about my facilitation skills to reclaiming confidence through authentic practice and honest reflection with fellow facilitators.

I’ve shifted from panic when participants sat in silence to a deep appreciation for silence itself—as beautiful and powerful as spoken words.

While the training content itself was thoughtfully crafted with a meaningful learning journey and flow, the deeper transformation for me happened because of the unique environment. L

iving in residence at the ashram gave me space to reconnect with nature, with others, and most importantly, with myself. Now I understand why the training needs to be held over that length of time—transformation cannot be rushed.

And I must mention the trainers, who truly walked their talk. Watching them facilitate the workshop with integrity, presence, and authenticity was itself a powerful learning experience. They didn’t just teach us the principles—they embodied them.

The changes I experienced didn’t appear immediately when the training concluded. Instead, they unfolded gradually, sinking in over time and slowly becoming a part of me. It wasn’t a dramatic shift, but a quiet, steady transformation from within—one that continues to shape how I show up, facilitate, and live each day.

If I have the chance to join another training like this in the future, I would wholeheartedly say yes. To anyone considering this journey: it is not just a facilitation training—it is a deep invitation to align your inner and outer work. It is a space for healing, reconnecting, and growing into the facilitator and human being you are meant to become.

Yang Wang

The Mindful Facilitation for Empowerment training was transformative. It helped me expand my inner mindfulness journey to a space that’s beyond myself.

As someone who once found it challenging to stand in front of a group, give instructions, lead discussions and hold space, this training gave me the confidence and skills to step into that role with ease.

What stood out was the abundance of practice opportunities—from paired exercises to solo facilitation, gradually building from short sessions to a full hour. The freedom to explore themes and design our own processes invited lots of fun and creativity, while the facilitators and fellow participants created a fertile, inspiring learning playground.

Whether you're an experienced facilitator or a beginner like I was, this journey offers profound growth. You’ll deepen foundational facilitation skills, discover mindfulness practices to ground your presence, find your own style, and—most importantly—connecting with the invisible power of feeling truly empowered.

For me, this training was life-changing. It showed me a new direction and the profound impact facilitation can have. A facilitator is a visible and invisible being, who helps create spaces where people truly see, learn from, and inspire one another.

Since the training, I’ve continued practicing my skills under Om’s mentorship—designing workshops, collaborating with fellow facilitators, and sharing messages close to my heart. It’s a deeply fulfilling path, and the ripple effects of this work are beyond measure.