Archive for Project Why

Interested in giving?

March 13, 2008 at 5:15 am · Filed under Project Why, rishikesh

I know that a lot of people are interested in giving but it’s often difficult to decide where to donate.  You’re never quite sure if your money will reach the people and what your impact will be.  Here are two organizations in India that we’ve personally witnessed having a positive impact on children in India. 

BIG DISCLAIMER - these organizations do not have 501(c)3 status in the US so you will not be able to deduct your donation from your taxes.  For those of you at Microsoft, you will not be able to obtain a match from MS.

Parmarth Niketan
website:  http://www.parmarth.com/gurukul.html , http://www.parmarth.com/how_you_can_help.html
Parmarth operates an orphanage /gurukul in Rishikesh where 100 young boys live and study.  These are children that have been abandoned by their parents, found roaming the streets and have been taken in by the ashram.   We’ve personally witnessed these children running around the ashram, bright-eyed and filled with purpose. 

Project Why
website: http://www.projectwhy.org/support.htm , http://projectwhy.blogspot.com
We’ve written quite a bit about Project Why already.  It’s a New Delhi based non-profit organization engaged in education support and life skill enhancement of slum children and their families.  We’ve visited all of the classrooms and the women’s center and have seen the many women and children who have been positively impacted by this organization. 

I read an article by Vimala Thakar the other day which struck me as still being relevant.. here’s an excerpt:

“The world today forces us to accept, at least intellectually, our oneness, our interrelatedness. And more and more people are awakening to the urgency of arresting the accelerating madness around us. As yet, however, our ways of responding are superficial, unequal to the complexities of the challenge. We do not take or even consider actions that threaten our security or alter our habitual ways of drifting through life. If we continue to live carelessly, indifferently, emphasizing private gain and personal indulgence, we are essentially opting for the suicide of humanity.”

Have a wonderful day :)

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Alive and well

February 16, 2008 at 4:33 am · Filed under Project Why, delhi, rajasthan

Ok – so apparently we’re writing dueling posts.  Some quick updates:
- Brian is MUCH better – though we’re not sure if the meds are actually doing anything.  I’m suspicious of any medication that comes so cheap. 
- We visited Agra yesterday and are now in Jaipur
- We’re heading to Mumbai in 2 days to hang out with my Ashit-mama (mom’s brother).. apparently his driver is picking us up from the airport (yay for not having to take a rickshaw!) and he’s hooking us up with a cell phone.  I’m hoping to get some laundry done as well.  I’ve been wearing the same 2 shirts for the past 2 weeks…

More details on the past couple days..

Okhla Phase I and the water truck
While Brian was sick at the Project Why house, I was able to go and visit some of the other classes.  Project Why has another classroom in an area called “Okhla Phase I” – another slum on Delhi.  On the way to the class we saw a water truck – these are government-run trucks that bring water to the slums.  The trucks arrive every 2 days, sometimes every 3.  Watching people running out of their homes with gigantic buckets and fighting over water hit me really hard.  There’s no guarantee that they’re get water, no guarantee that the truck will return in 2 days, and it’s every man for himself.  India is very Darwinian in that sense.. it’s a constant struggle for everything and you have to fight or you won’t survive.  That image of children, women and men from the slums fighting for water is unforgettable. 

Govind Puri
My next stop was the Govind Puri slums where there was another classroom.  Again, you see the struggle to survive and create a better life for yourself.  Shamika was telling me that originally the people in the area were very against opening a classroom there.  Having their children in class meant that they weren’t able to work and help the families. 

The Women’s Center – Nicola’s story
Perhaps the most heart-wrenching story I’ve heard so far has been from a conversation I had with a woman named Nicola who worked at the Women’s center.  Nicola told us about her life, how she grew up in the slums, was sexually abused by her step-father, forced into prostitution by her mother to support the family, battled drug and alcohol abuse, was forced to marry a man 3x her age, raped on multiple occasions, discovered she was HIV positive, and then managed to pull herself out of that lifestyle, raise a family and help other women.  She was strangely at peace with herself and everything that had happened to her.  We received the abbreviated version, I don’t think I would have been able to handle hearing more.. I’ve never met someone who has been through so much. 

English conversational
From 12:30-1:30 everyday Project Why has an English conversational class.  I taught the class one day.  The format is very open – you just talk about topics.  Not sure where to start I asked the 3 students to describe the rules of Cricket and chess to me.  Somehow our conversation turned to bigger topics.. the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, India and Pakistan, their opinions of the US.  I was surprised at how much they respected the US.  At one point I thought a fight would break out between the 3.. it was during a discussion about how to improve India.  One guy suggested throwing money at the problem.. another talked about education being the solution and another talked about needing that drive to be better as a starting point.  It was definitely a struggle for them to voice all of this in English.  I think it made it easier for them to be able to say words to me in Hindi and have me teach them the words in English.  For me, it was extremely satisfying to be able to have that conversation.

Agra
I didn’t particularly enjoy visiting Agra.  Maybe it was the seat in 3rd class.. or the millions of tourists.. or the aggressive touts and hawkers.  I had already seen the Taj Mahal years ago and yes, it’s impressive.. but it’s also a little sad to see such a structure alongside so much poverty.  I was really really happy to leave tor Jaipur.. even though our train was 3 hours late.

Next in our plans
We met a fellow Seattleite yesterday and are going to visit some of the attractions around Jaipur with her.  I’m looking forward to having a girl to shop the bazaars with!!  On the 18th, we’ll take the overnight train to Mumbai and stay a couple nights at my uncle’s place.  Hopefully we’ll also get a chance to see my cousin, Milan, who also lives in Mumbai.

Ciao! 

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Pictures!!

February 13, 2008 at 4:48 pm · Filed under Project Why, delhi, travel

Finally.. some pictures.. enjoy :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71863072@N00/sets/72157603901762171/

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It’s Brian’s Turn to be Sick

February 12, 2008 at 5:00 am · Filed under Project Why, delhi

Brian’s got the “Delhi belly” now.. it’s the same symptoms that I had.. vomiting, pooping, the chills.. we took him to a doctor today and got some meds.  Similar tagline as last time.. we’re not sure what caused it.  Maybe it was the palak paneer at the craft fair, or the egg roll from yesterday, or maybe it was the water.  Apparently there’s a big scam over here where bottled water is filled up from the tap and resealed.  I hope it wasn’t the water because I had it also!   So, I’ve wrapped Brian up and am going to head back to the project.  I’m hoping to tour the rest of the centers today and attend a Kirtan this afternoon at Matha’s house.  We were planning on leaving for Agra tomorrow morning but have decided to wait an extra day for Brian to get better.

I also tried to upload some pictures yesterday but it took a really long time and my connection timed out.  Will try again later today.

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Safe and sound in the slums

February 11, 2008 at 3:37 am · Filed under Project Why, delhi

I promise pictures sometime very soon, we’re having a bit of trouble locating a computer with an SD reader… in the meantime, more ramblings!

Today’s topic: Indian slums versus American slums.

To be sure, Indian slums are not a very nice place to hang out.  They’re dirty, smelly, and amazingly overcrowded.  The poverty on display is simply overwhelming. However, I can’t help but notice that despite the crushing poverty, Indian slums appear to be quite safe.  I’m able to roam around freely, with the distinct impression that I will not be harmed.  Never have I recieved a threatening glance, nor been concerned for Mira’s or my own safety.

This got me thinking.  The American equivalent is probably Roxbury in Boston, or Bronx in New York, or maybe inner city Baltimore.  Would I dare roam the streets of these places, with a pocket full of money and a slightly lost appearance?  Hell no!  I wouldn’t even DRIVE through those neighborhoods by choice.  Why, then, are America’s slums so much more dangerous than Indian slums?  Mira and I spent some time yesterday considering the topic, and have some ideas:

  1. Drugs – To my mind, this is the single most important distinction.  Indian slums are remarkably devoid of drugs and alcohol.  This sobriety provides a welcome level-headedness and predictability.  By contrast, I would assume that most of the violent crime taking place in very poor American locations has a chemical aspect, either as purpose or accelerant.
  2. Religion / Culture -  This is Mira’s primary cause of choice.  Religion  and  spirituality are  very deeply woven into the fabric of Indian society.  The influence is so deep as to pervade the daily existence of these people.   A deeply religious person is obviously far less likely to commit a violent crime.  (Religion will be a continuing topic on this blog, especially as we venture to “holier” locales than Delhi.)
  3. Marketing – Americans are consantly bombarded with marketing.  The less than subtle message: stuff makes you happy.  And stuff provides status, which is the most important thing on earth.  This provides for a volatile situation: I must have stuff, yet I have no money for stuff and no prospects for obtaining this money legally, therefore I must tke stuff from others who already have it.  The poor in India do not have access to the chief marketing medium, the television. The poor in America spend vasts amounts of time in front of the tube.
  4. American culture of violence – Just look at the (arguably) defining moments in both cultures.  America gained independence from England through violent uprising.  India gained independence from England through the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi and his movement of nonviolent resistance.
  5. Entitlement – Perhaps the most controversial point, but an important one nonetheless.  Americans have developed a keen sense of entitlement, perhaps (?) as an unwanted byproduct of welfare programs.  For better or worse, the lack of such programs in India means that the attitude of entitlement is non-existent.

Any other thoughts on the topic are quite welcome, please post a comment.

I hope I haven’t jinxed myself….

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At Chiragh Enclave

February 8, 2008 at 9:12 am · Filed under Project Why

For the last day I’ve had “Delhi Belly”.. a mixture of vomiting and diarrhea.. painful, exhausting, just wonderful.  I’m feeling a lot better today thanks to the Cipro.  Dad – make sure you bring some!

We’re now staying at Anou’s house in Chiragh Enclave where a lot of the ProjectWhy volunteers are staying.  It’s amazing.  There are so many people that care about this project and are deeply invested in it.  Anou and I were talking yesterday about neeing to repay a debt.. we’re blessed, “fortunate” as my Dad would say, to have the lifestyle that we have.  I’m lucky that my parents decided to move to Canada to create a better life for us.  We need to repay the debt.  For me, this opportunity represents a small part of that repayment.

Yesterday we toured 3 of the 7 classrooms.  The first was the main ProjectWhy office.  There was a classroom for disabled kids and a room for little children.  We spent some time dancing with the kids.  If you’ve ever seen Brian dance, this was no different.. hehe.. I loved watching the kids try to mimic his dancing.  After that we visited the computer class and then a classroom deep in the slums of Delhi.  The slums were an eye opener.. winding alleyways, people everywhere.  The class was basically a room in someone’s house.

Today we started the morning with exercises + karate with the disabled kids.  The children have SO much potential, it’s heart breaking.  It’s really sad to learn that Anou has done all of this with zero help from the government or local donations.  The problem is that she’s disrupting the social “balance”.  She’s trying to give the poorest of the poor an education.  And in India, that doesn’t really work.. this country is full of double standards.

I should leave this post on a positive note though.. there is this one super cute girl named Komal.  She calls herself Koko and is 18 months.  She blows fly-kisses and loves to dance to this one Hindi song.  It’s so adorable :)

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