when you rise horizontally....

I was listening to this story on NPR today, about women breaking stereotypes in male dominated culture of Karachi, Pakistan. One of the women interviewed is an architect, and college professor. She works for a land development organization that helps poor people dig their own sewer lines when the government won't help them. Working with government officials, at first was difficult. She notes that you can't go to them and say, "You do this, You do that" because sometimes the official doesn't have the power, and he will start to avoid you. Instead, her approach is, "We need your advice, please tell us what to do" and they are happy to have dicussion. She said, with any group, once you rise up horizontally you take every one with you. If you rise up vertically, you are alone.
If you rise up horizontally, you take everyone with you.

What a vision for the world, huh?

picture from pakistaniat.com/.../Abro-Art-Woman-Pakistan.jpg