Sambhali Trust in August 2008

Khamaghani Readers,

it has been long time since I wrote, sorry for all this delay, but a lot was going in my head and around me. I hope you will like the news below.

On the lunar eclipse day at 2.30 am I saw the eclipse from the courtyard, tryed to make a picture.

Rakhi festival:

We have celebrated Rakhi festival (this festival is for brother and sister, to make the relationship, the bond much stronger, sisters tie a string on the wrist of the brother and pray for the long life and prosperity, in return the brother gives presents and promises the sister to be of use at any time in the life and provide protection to her. The girls from the Sambhali Trust tied strings to my wrist, my cousin-sisters came for the ceremony, it was very nice to have guests visiting.

A very sweet friend, Smita, got surprisingly married recently; we didn’t believe her until we were at her ceremony. We pray to God for her beautiful future with the wonderful man she has loved more than anything.

Sambhali Trust: -

Ms. Wendy wrote to us to aware us about the shop keepers in Jodhpur using Sambhali Trust's name for selling their crafts. We are not in business with anybody besides Sambhali India or selling our crafts online.

We have two volunteers joining in this month, Ms. Meg from UK for Jodhpur Project and Ms. Helen from Germany for Setrawa project. On the Independence Day, 15th of August, I was invited for a brunch at the Jodhpur Divisional Commissioner's Residence. I requested the host if Ms. Helen and Ms. Meg, our volunteers, could join me and they sent me their invitations also. Three of us went to the celebration; there were so many very important political and Red Tape people in the celebration. It was interesting for me and for the volunteers to attend this program.

I presented Commissioner Saheba 5 sketches of old vintage cars framed. I hope she liked them because she is a wonderful artist. Visit the homepage www.kiransoniarts.com

A lovely guest, Ms. Silvia from Italy, came for a few days to visit the trust’s work, she is working with Fair Trade in Italy, she also helped putting together materials done by our girls in Sambhali India Shop, it is at Durag Niwas Guest House in Jodhpur.

A very dear friend, Mrs. Ernestine Badegruber, from the Social Initiative Company in Austria: She is a well wisher and friend of the trust, visited Jodhpur and Setrawa projects this mnth and supported in every possible way, we also welcome Mrs. Ernestine as one of the members from our advisory board.

All the Sans Frontieres groups from France came and interacted with the Jodhpur and Setrawa village project girls, it was an amazing way of making two cultures meet and understand the lives of one another, from those who have everything and those who have almost nothing.

Jodhpur Project:We are selling a lot of our crafts to Sambhali India, who is finding markets to sell crafts done by the girls of Sambhali Trust, the girls are enjoying making crafts and at the same time are happy that a source of income has opened up, each girl is receiving monies to fulfil their daily needs from economic help.

Due to the month of Monsoon season, it is full of fasts, feasts and ceremonies and some of our participants are absent due to the special time of the year.

VOLUNTEERS:

First impression report from volunteer Ms. Meghan:
Coming straight to India and to the Durag Niwas guest house to join the Sambhali trust for two months, I had some idea of what to expect (having read many of the blogs from past volunteers), but nothing could prepare me for the hospitality of Govind and his lovely family, and of course, the participants of the NGO, the girls themselves.

I arrived on a Sunday, the first day of the Sambhali shop opening, and true to the commitment of the girls, they had all turned up on their day off to help prepare for the opening of the store, filled with the lovely things they have made over the past few months.

I expected the girls to be shy and reserved (and they can be sometimes), but with me, knowing that I would be their teacher, many of them opened up straight away with an extrovertedness and confidence that I did not expect. I think this may be due to them being part of the Sambhali trust, and over time finding their voice to approach new faces with confidence.

Of course, there are a few shyer girls, and over time I am seeing their personalities come out more every day. One lovely moment was when Monica (one of the new participants) told me, ‘you’re my best friend’, which was so sweeeeet (and probably also a language barrier thing, ha ha).

I have started teaching the girls some English, concentrating mostly on the newer participants whose English levels are quite low. We are really starting at basics for these girls. “I am….”. “I am from….” “What is …..?” etc etc. I think building up from strong foundations is what will most benefit these girls.

Coming from teaching in a school in the UK which was great, but had its’ difficult moments with behavior, it is such an eye opener to see how keen these girls are to learn! They hang on my every word, and participate as fully as they can in everything, making every effort to build up their knowledge. They are constantly showing me their books to see if they have got the work correct! Coming from a teacher’s perspective, how wonderful!

The girls have been teaching me too! I have been learning Hindi, and speak a little to the girls. They are always keen to correct me and tell me how something is really said.

Already, this feels like a home away from home, and I am so happy to be learning about India from being involved with the Sambhali trust.

Meg Bennett

Setrawa Village project: Teacher Ms. Meena Khatri has left the job, due to her personal reasons, Ms. Rekha and Ms. Helen are doing wonderful, Project is doing wonderful, All the Sans Frontieres groups enjoyed meeting with the village girls participating at the NGO. Meanwhile Ms. Coline from France volunteered at the project for a week.

Some of the sewing projects participants are absent because they are going on their farms for farming, it has rain very well and being farmers they are engaged in farming.

First impression from Ms. Helen:
Personal introduction: My name is Helen Wagner. I am from Bad Orb in Germany. I have finished school this summer and took a break of one year. I will stay in the Sambhali project for eight months so that I can start studying when I come back to Germany. Last year I have participated in a four week work camp in Tamil Nadu, India but I have not yet participated in a project for such a long time.

My arrival at Mumbai was very chaotic (they lost my luggage) so that I felt so comfortable about my warm welcome from Govind, his family and the project participants at the guesthouse in Jodhpur.

The room I got was so beautiful and just a few minutes later a plate full of tasty Indian food was placed in front of me.

After a first orientation conversation with Govind I felt quite good. I won’t stay in Jodhpur but I will take responsibility of the Sambhali Setrawa project which is placed in Setrawa, a small village situated 110 kilometers from Jodhpur. Living in a village (Setrawa has around 3000 inhabitants) and participating in this project will be so different than the project in Jodhpur but also exciting. I will live next door to the school, in a small room. There will be a kitchen for me because I will have to cook on my own. Very funny for a person who has no talent in cooking.

In the Sambhali Setrawa Project there is a morning class where the girls learn Sewing, an afternoon class in English for non school children and an evening class in English for the school children. Together with two local teachers I will be responsible for the school.

Because of my lost luggage I needed new hygienic articles. At the first evening Govind organized me one of his friends to take me to the Department store which is near from the guesthouse. The store was full of Indians and in my impression so typical Indian.

The next day gave me so much new experiences. I survived my first heavy monsoon rain sitting on a motorbike on our way to the Vodafone shop. Cows were standing on the streets and poor children were playing in the rain water which was full of rubbish. I needed a new prepaid card for my mobile phone so that I can stay in contact with my family and my friends cheaply.

Because of the one year valid internship visa I have had to go to the registration office in Jodhpur to get registration. I knew that the Indian bureaucracy is different than the German one but I haven’t expected this…

Placed in a big building insanity was mixed with the patience of the people of India. That was so crazy. They have sent me from office to office. I had to write another application which had to be signed by a women working in one of the office and who was responsible for the registration stuff. I waited there for around one hour and 30 minutes to find out that she wouldn’t come that day.

Going to the office the next day again I had to wait another 30 minutes before she came. After signing my application I had to go to another office who wanted me to fill out four pages documents. This whole situation taught me (hopefully) not to go there again.

The girls and women of the Sambhali Jodhpur project are so lovely. Sitting with them in their class which is placed on the first floor of the guesthouse they all had to introduce themselves to me. During this thing I have recognized that all the girls are on a different level in English. Some of the girls are too shy to speak, others can’t wait to do it and the other ones speak so low that you can’t hear them.

Nevertheless every participant seems to be so happy about the Sambhali project and about the chance to learn Basic English and sewing. I was standing in front of a group of girls and wonem who where willing to learn. In this situation nobody would have expected that all those girls and women are Harijans. Every person who I have seen had a smile on the face.

I have always been interested in women’s rights. Especially in India women are still facing a lot of problems and that’s why I am so happy to see that the Sambhali participants get such a great and wonderful chance in life.

Besides, they invest a lot of time and work in the sewing class. They do so beautiful things in sewing class, for example colorful skirts, patchwork covers, scarves and bags.

On Friday morning Govind and I will leave Jodhpur and the Sambhali Jodhpur project for driving to Setrawa and the Sambhali Setrawa project. I am so excited about the whole thing and can’t wait to see the around 80 participants which are aged from 4 to 75 by the way.

Arrival in Setrawa
On our way to Setrawa I didn’t really know what to expect. Will the people be different than in Jodhpur and will they be nice? A lot of questions were in my head and I became quite nervous during the two hours drive to the village.

Staying last year in a village in the south of India l wasn’t shocked from the situation in Setrawa. It is dirty there and most people seem very poor.

When we arrived the girls and both teachers where sitting in one of the two classrooms waiting for us. They seemed very nice when they welcomed us. Some of the girls were shy at the first moment but this changed some time later. They are so crazy and lovely. Besides, they love it to dance to the newest Bollywood hits the whole time and their enthusiasm is contagious. I am sure that my stay in India and in the project will be such a great experience and I can’t wait to start teaching.

Literacy participants:-

All the kids for the Literacy project are in schools and are sponsored already.

Monica: Mr. Bill MacArthurRohit: Ms. MirjamAman: Ms. MirjamKavita: Ms. SusanneVandan: Mr. GernotAsha: Mr. GernotKomal: Ms. JacquelineBharati: Ms. LynnDeeksha: Ms. ChloeAtish: Ms. ChloeVarsha: Ms. ErnestineRaj: Ms. ErnestineNikhil: Ms. ErnestineAjay: Ms. ErnestineAsha (scholarship for Computer course) Social Initiative Austria

Rajput Cultural Adventures:
Advance for the two groups received and we are all set and prepared for the next year, an important information is that me and Virendra have decided that we will put 25% profits in running of Sambhali Trust.
Group A - November 2008
Group B - January-February 2009

A report from Guest Volunteer Ms. Coline Humbert who volunteered with us for a week at Setrawa village project.

Sambhali project: First and final impression

I got to know about Sambhali project while I was traveling in Rajasthan with a friend. When we arrived in Jodhpur, we decided to stay at Durag Niwas Guest House because it was well known as being a nice place runned by a welcoming family who does everything to make the tourists feeling comfortable and even part of their own family. Anyways, that was true but it is not the topic of my “essay”!!

While we were staying at the guest house, I noticed the sign indicating that a project aimed at empowering women were runned within the guest house. I have always been interested by that kind of initiative for several reasons. Since a long time, I feel concerned about the fact that every person on earth doesn’t have the same rights. As a young girl, I just had the feeling that it was not fair. That was just a child’s feeling but I think that was one of the main reasons why I chose to study law at the university. I had in my mind the idea of starting maybe one, maybe several projects to help those who are in the need. Then, I concentrated my formation on human rights law and found out that was what I really wanted to do with my life: Helping people who are victims of human rights violations to get their lives being better, in any way possible.

Therefore, when I saw the sign of Sambhali, I asked what this project was dealing with. I got introduced to Govind, the creator of the association, who explained me the aim of Sambhali: helping to empower women of the most defavorated fraction of the Indian society (economically speaking or regarding the caste system) so that they could learn useful tools in order to become independent economically but also more confident, socially and emotionally speaking.

I liked the project. While studying, I got to do some women rights law, and of course, as part of the women community, I felt concerned with the situation of some women in our world.

I knew that the friend with who I was traveling was going back home before me because she had less holidays than me. While in France, I thought about doing some volunteer work when my friend would leave me. I didn’t really know if it was possible to contact an organization and tell them “I’m coming for one week but I can still help you a bit” so I did not do anything but I still had the idea in my mind. When I found Sambhali, it was a great occasion. I liked the project, I had some time to give and a big willingness to help.

I told Govind that I would come back to Jodhpur. That’s why I’m with Sambhali now.

Sambhali has two project and I was “requested” (Govind always say that looooool) to take part of the one concerning Setrawa village. There, Sambhali project has set up a free school, running for one year now. It allows first non school girls (those who cannot afford even governmental schools) to get some education and second, school girls to improve their English level.

The project is kind of new but it already attracted about fifty girls. They have one teacher, Reeka, a twenty-two years old girl from the village. The everyday timetable includes a sewing class from 11am to 1pm that can also be mixed up with OCE (Other Cultural Activities) which can include singing, dancing, playing sports….and an English class from 5pm to 6.30pm.

The girls of the village are really sweet (special big up for Guddi!!). They are always arriving in the morning with a big smile on their face and yelling “hello” “how are you” everywhere. They are so polite too. You are sure that when you say ‘thank you” you will automatically get a big smile and an enthusiast “you’re welcome”.

You can also see a real willingness to learn in the eyes of those little girls. I remember yesterday, I taught some of them how to read the time and after we finished, I saw one hidden behind the door, her finger pointed towards the board, articulating the ‘lesson’ to keep it in mind. I was really grateful for me to see that. At least, you feel useful.

Today, we had our first real English lesson of the week. We had previously separated the girls in two groups, the oldest and the youngest. I worked with the youngest.

It went pretty well as they are all so happy to learn and so kind. I guess it’s a way easier to teach here than in our western schools where kids tend to be horrible. The problem is that, according to their textbooks, they have done a lot in English already but practically, only a few of them were able to make full sentences as “my name is….” And “I’m….years old”. So I asked all of them to stand up one after the other and to say that, then to write it down. And, as I was working with Rekha, I separated the group in two: those who were not able to write really (only 3: a non school girl and two very young one) and I taught the other how to write numbers in full letters. Again, according to their textbooks, they all know that but in reality, some of them still have a lot of difficulties to remember everything. And that is a generality we observed with every English grammatical point with Helen, the other volunteer. So, we thought that it would be a good idea of we could buy one textbook for each student that they could take home so that we could give them homework. Moreover, it could tie them to the school so that they don’t forget everything about it as soon as they reach home. So tomorrow, we’ll go to see how much it could cost.

On the long-run, I think that this year, the girls will improve their English a lot, especially thanks to the fact that Helen is staying eight months. Indeed, it will be good for them to have the same teacher for a long time so that Helen can get to know each of them well and really work on a long time period.

Thank you all for your kindness and time.

Thanks for your blessings and taking time in reading the blog.