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
 
   

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SEVA WEEK 29 (19 - 25 Sep 2011)

 

It's delightful to photograph children in action.

Nursery Class: everyone read aloud together.
Nursery Class: everyone read aloud together.

Ah, but Annalisa was distracted somewhat...
Ah, but Annalisa was distracted somewhat...
Lower Primary - no teacher today...
Lower Primary - no teacher today...
Lower Primary - cheerful bunch.
Lower Primary - cheerful bunch.
Older kid teaches younger kids...
Older kid teaches younger kids...
Upper Primary - great to see a teacher in action.
Upper Primary - great to see a teacher in action.
   

After lunch, we went cow-hunting and viewe some cows with Moses and Lazarus at the Muguga village.

After lunch, we went cow-hunting and view some cows with Moses and Lazarus at the Muguga village.

Moo Moo Cow

We learnt how to judge a 'good' cow from the size and freshness of its udder.

Moses conducting an interview to pick the right cow.

Moses conducting an interview to pick the right cow. We learnt how to judge a 'good' cow from the size and freshness of its udder. The cows seem to just eat and eat, then urinate and poo-poo non-stop, and produce 8 to as much as 30 litres of milk daily.

20 Sep 2011: Organic Farm Tour

Robyn went with the children to a full-day organic farm tour organized by Eugenio and Alessandra.

Robyn went with the children to a full-day organic farm tour organized by Eugenio and Alessandra.

Robyn at the organic farm

 

We left Kenya for a short 3-day break in Arusha in Tanzania. We took the coach from Nairobi at 8am and arrived Arusha at 2pm.

At Arusha, we stayed at the Kundayo Service Apartment, a nice place with full facilities and breakfast provided. It's just 20 minute walk to the city centre. Manager Mazo is friendly and helpful. Highly recommended.

Tanzania is less developed compared to Kenya.

After 3 weeks of minimalist stay in Children's Garden Home, this was considered luxurous
After 3 weeks of minimalist stay in Children's Garden Home, this was considered luxurious.

> We took advantage of the kitchen facility to cook pasta dinner. However, power cut was a daily affair so during outage, we were provided with a gas stove.

We took advantage of the kitchen facility to cook pasta dinner. However, power cut was a daily affair so during outage, we were provided with a gas stove.

We relaxed, read our books, cooked and enjoyed simple 'homecooked' meals.
We relaxed, read our books, cooked and enjoyed simple 'home cooked' meals.
Kundayo offers free Internet so Alvin took full advantage to update our website!
Kundayo offers free Internet so Alvin took full advantage to update our website!
We met Kiran Shah on the bus from Nairobi to Arusha and became friends. He invited us to his home for Indian chai and snacks. He's so kind and nice.
We met Kiran Shah on the bus from Nairobi to Arusha and became friends. He invited us to his home for Indian chai and snacks. He's so kind and nice.
Kiran invited us to join in his Gujarati youth gathering at his Hindu temple in Arusha city centre. We made many more Gujarati friends that Wed evening.
Kiran invited us to join in his Gujarati youth gathering at his Hindu temple in Arusha city centre. We made many more Gujarati friends that Wed evening.

His buyers are all from Jaipur in India and they purchase directly from the Masai who walked in with all kind of raw gem stones.

Kiran runs a gem stone wholesale business. The next day, we visited his office and witnessed his interesting business operation. His buyers are all from Jaipur in India and they purchase directly from the Masai who walked in with all kind of raw gem stones.

Kiran runs a gem stone wholesale business. The next day, we visited his office and witnessed his interesting business operation.
   

Thanks to the recommendation by Monika Fauth, we contacted Noud, her former boss and founder of Watoto Foundation, an NGO set up 7 years ago to help provide home, school and vocational training to street youth in Arusha.

We took a cab from Kundayo Service Apartment and arrived at the Watoto Foundation at about noon. Its programme is known as "Child in the Sky". We learnt a great deal here.

Child in the Sky
Robyn, Jin and Noud, founder of Watoto Foundation
Robyn, Jin and Noud, a dutchman and founder of Watoto Foundation.
The 54 kids here attend school in the morning and undergo vocational training in the afternoon.
The 54 kids here attend school in the morning and undergo vocational training in the afternoon.
Student dorm
Student dormitory
8 kids per dorm
8 kids share one dorm.

The kids learn how to operate a dairy farm.
The kids learn how to operate a dairy farm.

They rear pigs and this brings in income.
They rear pigs and this brings in income.

They have a chicken farm with 600 layers!
They have a chicken farm with 600 layers!

They learn carpentry for furniture making.
They learn carpentry for furniture making.

They learn metalwork and car/bicycle repair.
They learn metalwork and car/bicycle repair.
This is the first kid to go to university next year.
This is the first boy to go to university next year.
   

On invitation of Kirit and Raj, we visited the Amrita Children's Home Openhouse. The event was also a celebration of Amma's birthday. Built on an 11 acres of land donated by an Amma devotee, this home adopted 54 children of age 6-14 and provides them with shelter, school and a safe environment to grow up with empowerment. Compared to Children's Garden Home, the facilities here are 5 stars!

Sharon, Keziah, Moses, Jin, Robyn and Alvin.
Sharon, Keziah, Moses, Jin, Robyn and Alvin.

Children performance.
Children performance.
Fibregalss dome shaped classrooms, library and offices.
Fibregalss prefab classrooms, library and offices.
Interior of the classroom.
Interior of the classroom.

Robyn, Keziah and Sharon at Athi River.
Robyn, Keziah and Sharon at Athi River.

We planted a few of the 3000 trees there.
We planted a few of the 3000 trees there.
Thanks to Priti and Kirit for a wonderful Sunday.
Thanks to Priti and Kirit for a wonderful Sunday.
Some kids never grow up...
Some kids never grow up... Alvin & Kirit!
   

 

> Week 30: Safari @ Nairobi National Park...

 

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