Colours Of Life
The Yongs' Pic Album since 1998
World Seva 2011
Robyn's Diary
About the Yongs
Projects

 


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
 
   

previous   Jul 2011 (12 yr 9 mth)  next

SEVA WEEK 18 (4-10 Jul 2011)

 

It was so nice to catch up with our old friends Swati and Ankit and stayed with them in their new home in Gurgaon. It was hard to believe that they had just moved in only 2 days before because the whole place looked so well settled when we entered. We're convinced Swati would be highly successful if she were to start a moving company!

Gurgaon has a feel of the Silicon Valley in San Francisco, with most major IT companies having a presence here in the form of BPO (business process outsourcing).

Swati drove us around in her new Nissan Micra.
Swati drove us around in her new Nissan Micra.

We visited the India Gate...
We visited the India Gate...

Ankit loves street food so we jumped at the chance...
Ankit loves street food so we jumped at the chance...
And gobble whatever they sent our way...
And gobble whatever they sent our way...

India Gate was beautiful at night.
India Gate was beautiful at night.

We sat around on the grass and enjoyed coffee.
We sat around on the grass and enjoyed coffee.
We also enjoyed peek show, old fashion style.
We also enjoyed peek show, old fashion style.
I won't forget the experience of munching pan...
I won't forget the experience of munching pan...
Swati brought us to visit the Lotus Temple which is the Bahá'í House of Worship in Delhi.
Swati brought us to visit the Lotus Temple which is the Bahá'í House of Worship in Delhi.
Hundreds of people queued up to enter the meditation hall for a 5-10 minutes of experience in silence.
Hundreds of people queued up to enter the meditation hall for a 5-10 minutes of experience in silence.
Swati, Robyn and Jin at lotus Temple.
Swati, Robyn and Jin at lotus Temple.
Shopping for fruits and veges by the roadside stall.
Shopping for fruits and veggies by the roadside stall.
We visited Sukhram (owner of Tirthview Homestay) and his family at their home in Gurgaon.
We visited Sukhram (owner of Tirthview Homestay) and his family at their home in Gurgaon.
Robyn had fun again with Vanshika and Yashika. They first met on 6 Jun 2011 at Tirthview Homestay
Robyn had fun again with Vanshika and Yashika. They first met on 6 Jun 2011 at Tirthview Homestay.
11 boxes of books and DVD from Singapore to be donated to the Tribal School Project. This collection effort was led by Teresa Khoo and Swati kindly helped to transport them to India in her container.

< 11 boxes of books and DVD from Singapore to be donated to the Tribal School Project. This collection effort was led by Teresa Khoo and Swati kindly helped to transport them to India in her container.

> Robyn and Jin helping Swati with packing and arrangement of secret storage compartment. The ladies certainly had plenty of fun.

 

Thank you, Swati and Ankit, for your hospitality and so much fun everyday!

Robyn and Jin helping Swati with packing and arrangement of secret storage compartment. The ladies certainly had plenty of fun.
Swati was terribly good with making Robyn learn and work in the kitchen. Robyn got so addicted that she decided to stay back with Swati and not follow us to the Barefoot College in Rajasthan.
Swati was terribly good with making Robyn learn and work in the kitchen. Robyn got so addicted that she decided to stay back with Swati and not follow us to the Barefoot College in Rajasthan.
So we left Robyn behind for a 6-day Indian Cooking residential course at teh Swati's School of Kitchen Craft and headed to Jaipur on 7 Jul 2011. We'll link up again at Dehli train station platform on 13 Jul night.
So we left Robyn behind for a 6-day Indian Cooking residential course at the Swati's School of Kitchen Craft and headed to Jaipur on 7 Jul 2011. We'll link up again at Delhi train station platform on 13 Jul night.
 

7 Jul 2011: Gurgaon to Jaipur

It was a 5 hour coach ride from Gurgaon to Jaipur. We picked a hotel opposite the central bus station, where we would take a bus to Kishengarh tomorrow. Swapan would be flying in from Kolkata to meet us at our hotel tomorrow morning.

 

8-11 Jul 2011: Jaipur to Barefoot College, Tilonia

Swapan and us left to Kishengarh by bus at noon. There, thanks to Vasu's arrangement, we were picked up by the Barefoot College's vehicle. It was the start of an eye-opening 3-day visit to this amazing place.

Alvin, Jin and Swapan at the Barefoot College

Barefoot College at Tilonia, Rajasthan

Founded by Mr Bunker Roy in 1972, the Barefoot College is a NGO that provides training to the rural poor with the objective of making them self-sufficient and sustainable. It turns illiterate rural men and women into Barefoot Professionals in areas such as solar energy, water, education, health care, rural handicrafts, people’s action, communication, women’s empowerment and wasteland development.

Chu-chu-ji is the super star puppet that everyone knows

Puppetry is a Rasjathani tradition that is creatively used as a medium of communication to the villagers.

Puppetry is a Rasjathani tradition that is creatively used as a medium of communication to the villagers.

Barefoot Communicators use puppetry and music to stage unique street plays in rural villages to bring across socio-economic messages such as education, drinking water, transparency, communal harmony, women empowerment, untouchability, child rights, etc. "Chu-chu-ji" (above) is the super star that everyone knows.

This was what brought us here in the first place. We heard from Sunil of Ecosphere how Bunker Roy is training illiterate women into Barefoot Solar Engineers who are able to solar electrify their rural villages. We also learnt that Barefoot College is run entirely by solar power.

We were literally blown away by what we saw here...

Barefoot College is run entirely by solar power.

30 African and Bhutan women from rural villages were undergoing 6-month training at the solar workshop. They had come from Mali, Gambia, Senegal, South Africa, Zambabwe, etc and they all speak different languages.

30 African and Bhutan women from rural villages were undergoing 6-month training at the solar workshop. They had come from Mali, Gambia, Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc and they all speak different languages.

He is the Trainer for the solar workshop. He shared that the first 1.5 months was toughest in establishing communication. He uses no slides or notes. Training is totally experiential and learning is achieved through doing. Although he suffered deformity to his right leg due to polio, he lives a dignified life as a Barefoot Solar Trainer.
Bhutanese women assembling solar lights.
Bhutanese women assembling solar lights. Instead of written technical terms, they rely on colours for correct wiring the circuit setup.
Claire Ngwasha from Zimbabwe told us that her village has no electricity and how she looked forward to solar electrifying her village.
Claire Ngwasha from Zimbabwe told us that her village has no electricity and how she looked forward to solar electrifying her village.
This mechanism allows the parabolic solar cooker to be set up once in the morning and it'll rotate the mirror to track the sun throughout the day.This mechanism allows the parabolic solar cooker to be set up once in the morning and it'll rotate the mirror to track the sun throughout the day. It works like a clock mechanism.
20 litres of water can be boiled within an hour making possible even large-scale catering. It can cook rice, vegetables and lentils.

At the Solar Cooker Fabrication Section, women were busy cutting and welding metallic sections to create parabolic solar cookers.

At the Solar Cooker Fabrication Section, women were busy cutting and welding metallic sections to create parabolic solar cookers. This is precision engineering made simple that empowers illiterate women to do the job that is normally done by men.


Barefoot College set up the Women Barefoot Solar Cooker Engineers Society in 2003. It is the first association of illiterate and semi-literate women who independently fabricate, install and maintain 2.5 square metre parabolic solar cookers.


Besides solar cookers, the women also fabricate solar water heaters of various sizes.

Solar Powered Desalination Plant is another area that Barefoot pioneered.

We visited Manthan in Kotri. Manthan started as a Barefoot field centre but eventually the local registered it as an NGO and went independent itself. It is still supported by Barefoot College. This is a new solar Reverse Osmosis plant for water desalination. Kotri is a small village with 300 families but the ground water is saline so drinking water has been a problem for a long time for the villagers.
We visited Manthan in Kotri. Manthan started as a Barefoot field centre but eventually the local registered it as an NGO and went independent itself. It is still supported by Barefoot College. This is a new solar Reverse Osmosis plant for water desalination. Kotri is a small village with 300 families but the ground water is saline so drinking water has been a problem for a long time for the villagers.
Santilal is a 17 year old student who attends Barefoot Night School in the evening and is employed to operate the RO plant by day. Future RO engineer in the making...
In 2006, Barefoot set up India’s first solar powered Reverse Osmosis plant for desalination at Kotri. At Manthan, we met individuals who started with Barefoot Night School and went on to become Teachers and Counsellors. Santilal is a 17 year old student who attends Barefoot Night School in the evening and is employed to operate the RO plant by day. Future RO engineer in the making...

We had the opportunity to visit a Barefoot Night School. The concept is to start class in the night after the children and youth are done with the day's work of tending to the farm, animal husbandry or looking after younger siblings.

These classes are run by Barefoot Teachers who are trained at the Barefoot College.

Barefoot Night School

 

The Barefoot medical centre provides healthcare and dentistry services for all the nearby villages in Tilonia. The Barefoot health teams also conduct regular health talks in villages to educate on hygiene and health awareness.

We met many wonderful people at the Barefoot College. Dr. S.K. Battacharya is one of them. He has renounced the modern world and come here to serve as its residential doctor for close to 20 years.
We met many wonderful people at the Barefoot College. Dr. S.K. Battacharya is one of them. He has renounced the modern world and come here to serve as its residential doctor for close to 20 years.
Bhemwar is the Barefoot Dentist stationed at the campus but she is illiterate! Guess who trained her? An Italian dentist! Communication had to have been like a chicken and a duck, but nothing is impossible!
Bhemwar is the Barefoot Dentist stationed at the campus but she is illiterate! Guess who trained her? An Italian dentist! Communication had to have been like a chicken and a duck, but nothing is impossible!

 

Learning #5: Sanitary Napkin

We visited a production unit that employs women in the manufacturing of low cost sanitary napkin for rural women. Each box of 12 pieces of sanitary napkin cost only Rs.12.

We visited a production unit that employs women in the manufacturing of low cost sanitary napkin for rural women

Each box of 12 pieces of sanitary napkin cost only Rs.12

Barefoot promotes rural crafts made by the villagers to help them in establishing income opportunities. At the craft shop in the campus ground, we were impressed with the wonderful and lovely designs.

There is a workshop for handlooms and weaving, another wood workshop where women create handmade educational toys for schools.

Barefoot promotes rural crafts made by the villagers to help them in establishing income opportunities. At the craft shop in the campus ground, we were impressed with the wonderful and lovely designs.
There's a wood workshop where women create handmade educational toys for schools.

There is a workshop for handlooms and weaving

We are confident that some of these rural enterprise solutions are applicable to the Tribal School Project to help our tribal youth transform the tribal community in the long run.

Rain water harvesting
Barefoot College harvests rain water from all available rooftops. It has been promoting this practice across water scarce Rajasthan.

Swapan and Alvin sharing ideas
It was wonderful that Swapan was able to join us for this visit to the Barefoot College as he'll bring back to Tribal School valuable experiences and ideas.
Meals are veg, simple but nutritious.
Meals are veg, simple but nutritious.
Everyone sits on the floor for a hearty meal.
Everyone sits on the floor for a hearty meal.
Jin, Swapan, Dilip Mishra and Dr. S.K. Battacharya
Jin, Swapan, Dilip Mishra (who came from Gurgaon to find out more about social work by Barefoot College in preparation for his eventual liberation from corporate life on 12 Apr 2012) and Dr. S.K. Battacharya.

Charles Janssen from Belgium made a kind donation of Rs.10,000 to Tribal School Project after we shared with him the "WHY TSP" slides the night before. Next to him is Vasu from Barefoot College.

 

> Week 19: Jaipur to Delhi to Bangalore...

 

previous   Jul 2011 (12 yr 9 mth)  next


back to top