Some First Impression report of our volunteers from January until today.
I would also like to share a link from our volunteer Ms. Rowan Lange conducting the photography workshop http://itoeyephoto.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-to-eye-photography-workshop-jodhpur.html
Soon some more interesting reports from wonderful ladies coming all the way to India for making remarkable change in the lives of women and girls participating at Sambhali Trust
Volunteer Report
Feb 2011
Poppy Shute, London UK
Having spent a month traveling in the South of India before arriving in Jodhpur, I met many backpackers waxing lyrical about how they experienced the ‘Real India’ at the ghats of Varanasi, while smoking bhang lassis in the Himalayas, or at yoga ashrams in Kerala. For me, spending February teaching English to the girls and women at the Sambhali trust has come far closer to this cliché! Getting to know Rajasthani culture through the eyes of women who normally have very little public voice has given me a far deeper appreciation of Indian society than I could otherwise have hoped for.
I have spent the last month at the Sambhali Trust teaching English to an extremely diverse group of women, ranging widely in both age and background. After a leisurely breakfast in the sunshine and a couple of hours free time, the day is split into two teaching sessions: 12-2pm at the guesthouse, followed by another class from 3-4pm at Payel’s sewing centre in a beautiful old haveli, a short bus ride away.
Without a doubt, the highlight of my time here has been the incredible enthusiasm of the girls and women, and the visible pride they take in what they’ve learned. On my first day, I was initially surprised by just how basic the English of the girls at the Sambhali trust was. Taking small groups of 4-5 girls, however, has meant that I’ve been able to get to know girls individually and begin to track their progress and achievements, which has been really rewarding. Their very basic skills have also meant I’ve relied on drawing pictures, songs and dancing, which has been great fun. The girls are so keen to show off their new knowledge, too – I could hardly believe it last week when they were nagging me to give them a test!
The group at Payel’s sewing centre are a more varied bunch, with several older, married women and some rather feisty characters. These sessions have been very entertaining, as the pupils are constantly joking around, often at the volunteers’ expense!
Perhaps one of the most difficult things to adjust to here has been the Indian approach to time organization. As a Londoner, coming from a fast paced city job with a somewhat manic work ethic, I found the very flexible, laissez faire attitude to scheduling and planning a little frustrating at first. After a few days, however, I settled into the Indian pace of life and learned to accept that things just work differently here, and there is little point in fighting it.
This flexible structure and attitude is also one of the Sambhali Trust’s main attributes. Because it is such a small organization, the volunteers and the skills they bring make a huge difference here, and the trust easily adapts to make the most of these resources, happily changing timetables or establishing workshops when necessary. What’s more, the staff are all very open to suggestions or feedback on existing procedures, which makes for a open, relaxed atmosphere.
I will definitely remember my time here as a very positive experience, and this is largely due to the people I’ve met here. Govind and Mukta have been wonderfully hospitable (and Mukta’s cooking utterly delicious – who said anything about losing weight in India?!). I have also been struck by both the creativity and dedication of the other volunteers, and the warmth with which they welcomed me. The guesthouse has a uniquely friendly atmosphere and a constant stream of interesting people to talk to, whether these be locals, other volunteers or guests. I’m already looking forward to returning in a few weeks for the upcoming family wedding!
First Impression
Kerryn Kisbey-Green
London, UK
Feb-July 2011
When Mr Govind Rathore told me that I was going to be living in Setrawa for the next few months, he warned me not to have any preconceptions. It is like nothing I have ever experienced before, and has opened my eyes and heart to India for the next six months of my life.
I am helping at the school to teach English, and also am planning on doing a lot of workshops with the girls, such as drama, general knowledge, health, art, etc, to build up their confidence, education and creativity.
Meeting the girls last week was fantastic- I have never met children so eager to learn! Even on weekends when we are there marking tests or just opening the building for Self-help group meetings, the girls come running into the school, happy to be there. It is like a haven to them, and has become one for me as well- what with the girls speaking the best English in the small village!
Living in Setrawa is challenging. The simple life and facilities are easy to get used to, but I have found the language barrier extremely isolating at times. The family I live with is incredibly kind to me, they really make me feel like I belong there- although our conversations are limited by their small amount of English and my few words of Hindi. I am hoping, being there for so long, that this will get better each week.
Next week I head back to Setrawa with a new volunteer, and a whole load of new school supplies! I am very excited, as I think between the two of us, we can start trying to integrate the school curriculum with the villagers, and try and get girl’s education more accepted by welcoming everyone to classes and weekend workshops. It is small things like this that is needed in such a village, to give the girls and their mothers a chance in the future to be more independent and have more self-worth. It was very rewarding visiting surrounding schools and realizing how our hard-working girls are coming up top- I’m hoping, with the months to come, it will get even better.
First Impression Report
First Impression Report
Djamila Eliane Furthmüller
Age 23, Student of International Relations
Geneva, Switzerland
After a comparatively short journey of 15 hours I arrived in Jodhpur and I found myself in a to my eyes new world. Rapidly I realized that the cultural and traditional differences are major between my native country Switzerland and India, for example regarding the social hierarchy or the gender role, probably more flagrant than I expected.
During my first days in India I was continuously overwhelmed by the impressions of Jodhpur, such a lively and colorful place. The Durag Niwas Guesthouse represented therefore to me a peaceful oasis outside of the busy city where I felt soon very comfortable.
Shortly after my arrival I started my internship at the Sambhali Trust. I very much appreciated Govind’s help and transparency regarding the management and administration of the organization. It permitted me to gain an overall view about the organizations activities and its future projects and also to plan my following weeks.
I was very curious to meet and to get to know the entire staff of Sambhali Trust. Since I work mostly on administrative tasks such as the writing of reports, letters and fundraising I am not much in contact with the other colleagues. The monthly team meeting, held at the Raikabagh Centre, where all the employees and volunteers from the different centres come together,r was therefore very interesting for me. I was touched and impressed by the motivation and determination showed by all the participants. It seemed to me that they all are very much committed to the Sambhali Trust’s aims, to fight for the right of the underprivileged women of their community.
In certain moments I am still very touched by the difficult situations and struggles that the girls and women of Sambhali Trust have to face every day. On the other hand I am amazed to see how well they deal with it and that Sambhali Trust, Govind and all the staff have made already such a difference in their lives. I am proud and happy to work for the following months in the organization and to contribute in this way a little bit to the improvement of those women’s lives.
First Impression
Annie Conder,
Shrewsburry, UK
Feb-March 2011
From the moment I arrived in Jodhpur, I have been met with great hospitality, first from Banti, who met me at the airport and was so welcoming, and then upon my arrival at the Durag Niwas Guest House, where I was given a beautiful flower garland by Mukta, Govinds's wife.
A few days later, I started teaching English to the girls( women) of Sambhali Trust. I was a little nervous at the beginning, as I didn't know what to expect. The girls I am teaching all have varying degrees of education. Most have had very little,and some none at all, and are illiterate. This is a real challengle for me, but what makes the difference,and makes my work as a teacher, very rewarding, is that all the girls are all very motivated,and seem to enjoy learning.They
are all great characters, with alot of personality. I see my role as an English teacher, not only to teach English, but too help raise their level of self esteem, and to become more confident, and to have fun learning.
I have been here for one month already, and I am gradually getting to know the girls. Learning about their families and about their dreams. Getting to know the girs is the best part of being involved with The Trust. All the girls seem to be forming friendships with each other, and helping when the need arises. I am teaching in a team,and the other teaches are very helpful,and very experienced. I am teaching with Poppy, another volunteer, and several Indian teaches, Simmi, Tomannah, and Sonu, and all of them are great.
Sambhali Trust, is a very inspiring NGO, and It has exceeded my expectations by far, and I feel very lucky to be here.
The Theater and Photography workshop pictures by Ms. Rown Lange
10 of the girls who joined us this year for our Scholarship/Literacy program. These girls have been sponsored by individual sponsors from the globe and are now sent for good schooling in Veer Durga Das public school in Setrawa village.
The Payal Empowerment Centre
