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World Seva 2011
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13th Year: 2011
Jan
- Piano Recital by Robyn, Mosaic Art Portrait & CNY Reunion Lunch
Feb
- Chinese New Year, PA Got Talents, Alvin's Birthday & Opening of Clay-Street New Studio
Mar
- Bye-bye Heni
Seva Wk 01: Art of Living Ashram, Bangalore
Seva Wk 02: 1st Seva with Divine Karnataka Project & On Course
Seva Wk 03: Sponsoring Rural Village Sport Clubs & Bridge at Chikmagalur
Seva Wk 04:
'WHY DKP' Corporate Fund Raising
Apr
Seva Wk 05: DKP Helps Rural Farmers, Gadag & Koppal, Karnataka
Seva Wk 06: Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Konark, Puri & Sri Sri University
Seva Wk 07: Tribal School Project, Jharkhand
Seva Wk 08:
Tribal School Arts Festival on Facebook
May
Seva Wk 09: Tribal School @ Dumuria & Ranchi
Seva Wk 10: Tribal School Digital Contest & Kolkata
Seva Wk 11: Kolkata to Delhi to Himachal Pradesh
Seva Wk 12: Shoghi, Shimla & Tirthan Valley in Himachal Pradesh

Jun
Seva Wk 13: Homestay @ Tirthan, Kullu Valley
Seva Wk 14: Sangla, Peo, Nako, Kinnaur Valley
Seva Wk 15: Tabo, Kaza, Kye, Spiti Valley
Seva Wk 16: Demul to Komic on Yaks, Spiti Valley

Jul
Seva Wk 17: Kaza to Manali to Gurgaon, Delhi
Seva Wk 18: Gurgaon & Barefoot College,Tilonia
Seva Wk 19: Jaipur & back to Bangalore
Seva Wk 20 & 21: With the Murthys in Bangalore

Aug
Seva Wk 22-24: Meridian 101 Ambassadors for India & Bye Bye India
Seva Wk 25: Seva in Africa - Jumbo Kenya!
Seva Wk 26: Seva at the Children's Garden Home
Sep
Seva Wk 27: More Seva Projects at CGH
Seva Wk 28: Self-drive Safari to Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Hell's Gate
Seva Wk 29: Short Break to Arusha, Tanzania
Seva Wk 30: Safari at Nairobi National Park & Children's Day Celebration
Oct
Seva Wk 31: Launching BEADwear for Christmas
Seva Wk 32: Robyn turns 13 in Kampala, Uganda
Seva Wk 33: Rafting the White Nile, Jinja, Uganda
Seva Wk 34: Sipi Falls, Uganda & African Child Mega Dance in Kenya
Nov
Seva Wk 35: Nairobi to Mombasa, Malindi & Lamu
Seva Wk 36: Seva@Lamu - Donkey necklace + Kaya
Seva Wk 37: Seva@Lamu - Hands Up 4 Kids
Seva Wk 38: Bye Africa, Hello Istanbul, Homeward-bound Singapore
Dec
- Home Sweet Home in Singapore
 
   

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SEVA WEEK 9 (1-8 May 2011)

r e f l e c t i o n : ON FOOLHARDY ENDURANCE

 

AC Thakurta and Purabi and teachersTribal School in Dumuria Block

There are 3 more tribal schools under Tribal School Project (Sri Sri Vidya Mandir) in the Dumuria Block, 35km from Ghatsila, and even more remotely tugged into the tribal areas.

These schools are managed by a dedicated couple, AC Thakurta and Purabi, who live in Jamshepur. They travel weekly to visit the schools, 3 hours each way. On 1 May 2011, they brought us to visit Salgadih Primary School. We could not visit the remaining 2 schools as they are only accessible on foot, 20 minute walk from the end of vehicular track.

1 May 2011 - Salgadih Primary School

Salgadih Primary School in Dumuria

After 1.5 hour drive from Ghatsila, we arrived at Salgadih Primary School in Dumuria Block.

Thakurtaji showing where the original bamboo shed was before the current school was erected in 2002.

Where the original school in the form of bamboo shed was

This well was donated by a Mr Gupta in memory of his late wife and son.
This well was donated by a Mr Gupta in memory of his late wife and son.

Alvin and Robyn with the Salgadih kids.
Alvin and Robyn with the Salgadih nursery kids.

Since the teachers were meeting Thakurtaji, Robyn became the relief teacher for the nursery class.
Since the teachers were meeting Thakurtaji, Robyn became the relief teacher for the nursery class.

It's tiffin time!
It's tiffin time!

Helping each other at the pump.
Kids helping each other at the pump.

Robyn with school kid who presented her with the flowers.
Robyn and kid who presented her with the flowers.

 

 

Arts was specially adored in Babuline as it has the help and attention of an art teacher.We were elated to be invited by all the teachers from Hindoljuri Middle School to a dinner at Anindita's brother-in-law's restaurant.

Apparently, this was also the very first time that the teachers were gathering for a meal outside the school.

We all enjoyed the food and company, and had plenty of fun with Robyn giving each teacher his or her Chinese name.

> Back: Imam, Rajana, Chandan, Paritosh, Robyn, Jin, Alvin
Front: Raj, Jyant, Anindita, Brathati and Anin's niece.

 

 

Robyn coaching the teams for their final touch-up of the Smile PowerPoint presentation.
Robyn coaching the teams for their final touch-up of the Smile PowerPoint presentation.

Babita rehearsing her team's presentation
Babita rehearsing her team's presentation.

Chawlaji was a happy audience during the rehearsal
Chawlaji was a happy audience during the rehearsal.
Jin preparing the subtitle charts for the filming of poem recitation at Kalchiti next week
Jin preparing the subtitle charts for the filming of poem recitation at Kalchiti next week.

 

 

Chawlaji arranged for us to visit Ranchi to be acquainted with the development of the new High School there. Arindam and Chukada came with us, and Mangal was the driver. Ranchi is over 150km from Ghatsila.

Our lunch enroute

Alvin, Chukada and Robyn

Enroute, we stopped by at a roadside eatery that serves long distance truck drivers. The food was yummy.

Our AOL mobile dispensary truck.
We were blessed with cool weather on our long drive to Ranchi, passing vast agricultural plains. We arrived at Ranchi by late afternoon in our hardy AOL mobile dispensary truck.

Sarmistha, Parwin, Alvin and Jin
Our hospitable host and hostess, Sarmistha and Prawinji, who are AOL teachers and manage the tribal schools in Ranchi. We spent a night in their lovely home, where Guruji once stayed for 3 nights.

High School under construction
The next morning, we visited the site where the High School is being constructed.

This is where the classroom would be in a few months' time.
This is where the High School classroom would be in a few months' time.

Arindam and Alvin at the soon-to-be high school corridor.
Arindam and Alvin at the high school corridor.

> Prawinji, AOL teacher and the dedicated sevak who heads the Ranchi tribal school project, including the construction of the new High School.

Prawinji, AOL teacher and the dedicated sevak who heads the Ranchi tribal school project, including the construction of the new High School.

We also visited a nearby tribal primary school at Kathsemla, Dumari.
We also visited a nearby Sri Sri Vidya Mandir primary school at Kathsemla, Dumari.

The teachers gathered all the students to meet us.
The teachers gathered all the students to meet and welcome us.

The tribal children gave us performances.
The tribal children presented various performances.

Soon, it was time for dismissal.
Soon, it was time for dismissal.

Dismissal time
Barefoot endurance walk home
Long walk home, barefooted

In summer, due to the scorching heat, school hours were kept to 6am-10am.

As the children headed for the gate and beyond, I observed their dispersal with awe. I could barely stand the heated cement flood and scrambled for my pair of slippers. But I noticed almost half of the students walked home barefooted.

And for some, home is indeed a long walk away. Others, it's a long bicycle trip home.

Long bicycle trip home

Prof Tiwary donated the land for the high school

Prof Tiwary is a kind AOL devotee who donated the land for the high school in Ranchi.

> Rao and wife are key sevaks who supervise the primary school operation. Prof Tulu is also a sevak who guides the teachers every weekend.

Rao and wife

Jin, Robyn and Prof Tulu

It was a long drive back and we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a roadside restaurant.
It was a long drive back and we enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a roadside restaurant.
Enroute, we paid a visit to Mr BK Banerjee and his wife, Shubha, at their organic farm at Salboni village.
Enroute, we visited Mr BK Banerjee and his wife, Shubha, at their organic farm at Salboni Village.

SukdevMr and Mrs Banerjee came to live here 4 years ago to support young Sukdev to realize his dream of starting an organic farm to help the local tribal people earn a living through zero budget organic farming.

Today, the farm is able to self-sustain under Sukdev's leadership and Mr Banerjee's guidance, as well as Chawlaji's support.

Sukdev also advises at the organic farm in Halludbani Primary School, and is passionate to share his organic farming knowledge with the tribal community.

Some of the tribal ladies here also tailor school uniform for Tribal School Project.

Chemical-free produce
Alvin, Sukdev, Jin and Arindam at the Salboni organic farm
Alvin, Sukdev, Jin and Arindam at the Salboni organic farm.
Poison-free farm produce
Poison-free organic farm produce

 

 

> Week 10: Tribal School Digital Expression Contest...

 

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