VOLUNTEERS SPEAK OUT

Some time ago I promised to share with you some of the comments - positive and food for thought - volunteers have shared with us following their volunteer experience with One! in Mumbai, India.

We do have a Volunteer Feedback Form which I try to remember to send out a couple of times each year to the volunteers who have been in India during the previous 6 months to a year.  We ask for feedback on: preparation for the experience, overall experience regarding accommodation, time with children, education children are receiving, improvement areas for the organization, advice for future volunteers and any other comments they want to share with us.

I thought I would review my notes and do a blog.  Well - I think I will need a few blogs.

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The above picture of Alysha is an appropriate way to start this series of blogs. It is an old picture taken in 2007. 
Alysha has just returned to Canada from her third volunteer trip to Mumbai.
This time her trip was very special.
Alysha and her friend Jenny, both of whom are senior experienced nurses, completed a Health Needs Assessment of 216 children and 71 adults in the two school communities.  Most of the assessments were done in Nallasopara, a community with very little access to any health services. Alysha and Jenny have given One! a gold mine of health and family information which will assist in helping the families to achieve greater health and wellness in the time to come.

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A group of staff and volunteers during Holi Festival (Festival of colours) 



The following comments are in no particular date order, although I will attempt to go from older ones to the more recent ones. 

On my first day at Khar school I was really nervous, would the children like me?  Would the teachers like me?  Would I be good enough at teaching the subjects?  Would anyone understand me?  It turned out my teaching abilities surprised me, I felt like although I was not there for very long I definitely noticed improvements in the children's English language and even in the teacher's!  The children are the funniest, liveliest, most loving children I have ever met.  Despite making my job difficult at times (like any children/teenagers) having strops and getting frustrated, most of the time they were so excited about learning it warmed my heart and made me even more determined to leave my mark on the school.  I'm not sure now that I did do that but I hope the children look back and if they do remember me that they remember me fondly as I do of them.  The Nallasopara school was another challenge for me.  Working with my best friend helped a lot!  At times it was very frustrating as we had to try and implement new strategies that the children weren't used to, but they soon came round and enjoyed their new regime, especially exercise and drama!  I hope to return to both schools and see the improvements in the schools as a whole and the individuals within.  I will never forget my experiences with One! International, they have made me a better person; a more open minded, appreciative individual.                                                                        Lu

Lu wrote the above early in 2008 and is returning to India to see the improvements and progress of the children in November of 2011.

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The following quote was written by a young man who was 15 at the time he worked at the school.  He was visiting family in India and only able to volunteer for a short time.  He is returning to India as an 18year old this coming summer.  He is thinking that he wants to devote his future to some area of education as he has come to realize it's importance in making changes in the world.

I am at loss of words from the brief volunteering I did.  ...........the memories and the gratitude will last a life time.  I still marvel at the genuine affection and intelligence of the children who became not only my students but also my friends and companions who were there to help and offer encouragement at any time.  One of the things I appreciated the most about this trip was that I felt that I learned more than I thought.  More than the Math and the English I taught, the perseverance and the genuine happiness they shared with me taught me something I could never learn from any teacher, parent, or even a chemistry test.    I would really like to thank you for this once in a lifetime opportunity.  ..............................................You have opened my eyes unlike any other thing I have witnessed before. ............I look forward to working and sharing that wondrous experience again in the near future.   

Anjan will be getting his wish in the summer of 2011. This time his younger sister will also be volunteering.

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Shawn used his volunteer feedback form to make a few suggestions that have been acted on since he was there in 2009.  I think he will notice some positive changes when he returns - more full time teachers and a volunteer coordinator.

If hiring multiple full-time teachers is not possible, maybe one position should be created where one teacher is completely in charge of volunteer training.  Since volunteers are relied upon greatly to teach the subject matter the kids are supposed to learn every semester, maybe it would help if there was one full-time staff member that knew what was going on at all times and could help the transition of one volunteer to another ( in the sense that they could tell the new volunteer where the old one left off in terms of what has been taught and what needs to be taught. ).....................................I'm Indian, so I'm biased.....but I loved it.  I'm going back to visit/teach in the school every chance I get. 

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I will close this blog with Leah's comment.  Leah went on to do a cross US bike ride fundraiser for One! We are so fortunate that volunteers continue to be actively involved with supporting One! International after they return home from their experiences. Their assistance and commitment to the children they taught helps us to make positive changes in the organization, and help more children.

I thought it was amazing, challenging, and unforgettable experience.  Far from easy a lot of the time, I wouldn't change my decision to go there at all.

CANADIAN NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

You Never Know

                                                            By Helen L. Marshall

You never know when someone

May catch a dream from you

You never know when a little word

Or something you may do

May open up the windows

Of a mind that seals a light

The way you love, may not matter at all

But you never know, it might.

And just in case it could be

That another's life, through you

Might possibly change for the better

With a broader and brighter view

It seems it might be worth a try

At pointing the way to the right

Of course it may not matter at all,

But then again…it might

This coming week is National Volunteer Week in Canada. I wanted to come up with a special way of saying Thank You to all the volunteers that are committed to the children of One! International in Mumbai, India.
Everything I thought of seemed not quite enough.  

          Our volunteers in Canada believe in the words of the above poem.  They believe in  
          Tania Spilchen's mantra of  " One person - helping one child - can make a difference".
         
          People may not realize that One! International does not have any paid staff in Canada.
          All of the work - Board, financial, administration, event planning, and all other areas - is
          accomplished by the dedicated work of numerous volunteers.

THANK  YOU

        One! International in India would not be able to accomplish all the wonderful work with

        the children and families in Mumbai without the dedication of the

               Canadian Volunteers.

       The following anonymous poem seems to say it all, and is a reminder to all of us.

THE POWER OF ONE

One child can spark a moment

One flower can wake a dream

One tree can start a forest

One bird can herald spring

One smile begins a friendship

One hand clasp lifts a soul

One star can guide a ship at sea

One work can frame the goal

One vote can change a nation

One sunbeam lights a room

One candle wipes out darkness

One laugh will conquer gloom

One step must start each journey

One word must start each prayer

One hope will raise our spirits

One touch can show, "I care"

One voice can speak with wisdom

One heart can know it's true

One life CAN make a difference

Each day it's up to YOU!



In a future blog I will talk about all the wonderful volunteers in India and the ones who travel to India from all over the world to help our children and their families.  One! International depends on all of the  volunteers in India and in Canada.

Once again                               THANK YOU  -   ALL OF YOU 

ART CONTEST by The Children of One!

We have started a tradition at our One! International Galas in Edmonton.

Last year in January of 2010, in partnership with the Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace, our children were asked to draw "What does non-violence mean to you." We were thrilled at the art works the children produced, as well as their thoughtful portrayal of non-violent concepts. At the Gala we asked all the attendees to vote for the picture they thought best exemplified the non-violence theme.

The first three place winners received a small prize, and all the students at the two schools received art lessons. Attendees commented, in the after Gala survey, that they thought the exercise was a good one to bring India and the children closer to Canada and the sponsors.

"One! believes that every child can be inspired through creativity.  Learning to express oneself, helps develop self respect and confidence." (Julie H.) 

This year on One!'s 10th year anniversary 29 January 2011, the children were asked to draw what 'Happiness" means to them.

Once again, the attendees at the Gala were asked to place their vote for the painting that best represented the concept of happiness. I think happiness is a little harder to pin down, but the children did a magnificent job in their efforts.

This year, the paintings were framed before they were displayed for voting, and were available for purchase after the evenings events. In addition, were possible, a picture of the child artist was put on the back of the painting. Fifteen of the twenty paintings in the contest were sold for twenty dollars each.

Two special paintings were put in the Silent Auction part of the evening instead of the contest: One!s resident artist Sunil's painting, and One!'s blind student Rohit's painting. The one is "too good", and the other received "a little bit of help". Between the two of them, they raised $82.00 for the schools both are so very proud to be a part of.

Sunil - One!s Resident Artist



Rohit - Step 7 - Age 11 (blind)



 ALL OTHER PICTURES (Prior to them being framed)



Ramoo  - Step 10 - Age 17



Karan - Step 7 - Age 12





Vandana - Step 2 - Age 6






Ashish - Step 8 - Age 16





2nd Place
Sunil - Step 6 - Age 14




Parvati - Step 2 - Age 7



Ekta - Step 8 - Age 15



Navrit S. - Step 7 - Age 13




Omprakash - Step 5 - Age 10



Vipin - Step 4 - Age 8





Shashikant - Step 7 - Age 14





Ramesh - Step 10 - age 17



Sanjana - Step 4 - Age 9



3rd Place
Ashish - Step 8 - Age 16




Ramoo - Step 10 - Age 17





1st Place
Laxmi - Step 9 - Age 11



Saydha - Step 1 - Age 5



Gautham - Step 1 - Age 5





Shivkant - Step 5 - Age 11






Shabnam - Step 1 - Age 5



One of our Canadian volunteers Paragi bought one of the framed
paintings and has proudly displayed her picture
for all those who visit her office to see.

I hope you have enjoyed the art work of our students in India.
We think they are quite talented.
If you have any ideas for next year's theme, please let us know.

World Water Day

Today is World Water Day, and although I don't like to copy the work of others, I think today it may be forgiven.

Most of our One! International families have trouble getting fresh, clean drinking water.
Most of our families drink or cook with water that is not considered drinkable by Western standards.
Many of our children walk through polluted standing water that contains many diseases to get to school.
Most of our families do not have access to proper plumbing to meet their hygiene needs.
Malaria is common within our family communities.

Many would not think that Canada would have any problems with access to safe drinking water, but that is not the case.  Many of our Aboriginal communities have no better access to proper drinking water than do our Indian slum communities.
In addition to that, we were informed today on many radio broadcasts, that if we do not take proper measures to protect public access to our water, we will have increasing problems as years go by.

I will let the following quote speak for itself.



"World Water Day 2011


A message from Maude Barlow

Dear friends,

Today is World Water Day and a time to reflect on the gift of water that sustains all life on Earth. While many have access to clean safe drinking water, millions do not. We must come together this World Water Day to commit to a new relationship with water. We must conserve it, restore watersheds, protect source water from pollution – pollution must be viewed as a criminal act – and share it more equitably for all humans, for the future and for other species as well.

Modern humans see water as a great big resource for our pleasure, convenience and profit and not as the essential element of a living ecosystem that gives us all life - so we pollute it. We dump an amount of industrial and human waste into the watersheds every year equivalent to the combined weight of all humanity. We pump water from watersheds and rivers into mega cities where, if they are anywhere near the ocean, it is then dumped as waste – a major cause of rising oceans. We grow crops with flood irrigation in deserts. We poison water with mining, nuclear, fracking and tar sands production. We let water drain away from ancient rusting pipes because we have "run out of money" for public infrastructure.

The United Nations has recognized water and sanitation as a human right, which means that every government must now come up with a plan of action based on the "Obligation to Protect, Respect, and Fulfill" this right. We expect no less from the Harper government[Canada]. The United Nations must also turn its attention to water conservation and watershed restoration, and to finding ways to make water a means of peace, not conflict.

We must also declare water to be a common heritage, a public trust and a public service, and we need to support the government of Bolivia in its new move to declare that water must be protected as a public right and not allowed to be delivered on a for-profit basis by the private sector. We need water for life. Water can teach us how to live in harmony with one another and more lightly on this Earth if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.


Maude Barlow

National Chairperson, The Council of Canadians

March 22, 2011"


Let's make sure we do not add to the world water shortage.
Let's make sure we respect the life sustainability of water.
Let's do our part to protect the world's most valuable resource.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

International Women's Day celebrated it's 100th Anniversary on 8 March 2011. The very first day was celebrated on the 19th of March 1911.  My comments will be sort of in the middle of these two dates.

Since it was first celebrated Western women have gained many rights: voting rights, rights around the institution of  marriage, employment rights, reproduction rights.

Many of these changes have occurred in the last fifty years.  In the 1960's working women were expected to leave their employment when they became pregnant.  In the 1970's when I had my children, women in Canada received eight weeks unemployment insurance benefits and if they were lucky three months off work. Now, both men and women are able to take paid time from work to celebrate the birth of children and bond with them. 

"When biology no longer determines destiny, any destiny becomes possible." - Margaret Wente

"If you are a [Western] woman reading this newspaper today, you are singularly blessed.  You belong to the freest, most educated, and most affluent group of women in all of human history." - Margaret Wente, Globe And Mail, March 8, 2011.

There is no doubt that women have much to celebrate.  However, let us  not forget that women in the 'developing' world are not as lucky as we are.  And, let's not forget that, even in the western world, many crimes are centered on women; Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse.  

We need to celebrate - yes.  But, there is still much work to be done. 

In the same copy of the Globe And Mail referenced above, Stephanie Nolen tells the following story.

" Two weeks ago, in India's rural province of Rajasthan, I met low-caste girls whose mothers had defied their fathers to insist they go to school.  The girls had turned up on the dot of 9 a.m., their worn uniforms well pressed, their hair slicked down. But, they sat alone and in the dark, because they were too short to reach up and open the shutters, and their teachers had not come - because only women deign to teach in a low-caste girls school, and the teachers can't bear the sexual harassment they face when they take public transport, which is all they can afford, to get to work.  The girls sat in quiet rows with their books open, trying to sound out words, lips working, fingers sliding along the tattered pages. 
There is a universality to sexual harassment, to sexual violence, to the struggle for reproductive rights, and to the more quotidian question of how to work and care for children and older family members.  Women in the developed world see this."

The issues in the developing world for women and girls are far more intense.

One! International tries to make a difference for women and girls.  The girls are encouraged to attend the schools in the same way the boys are.  The major reason One! provides care for pre-school children, is to enable the girls to attend school, and enable the mothers in the family to work. One! also hires the older girls and mothers to do various tasks around the school.  In this way they learn work skills.


We hope that "our" girls will pass on to their children, a love of education and a belief that there are options for them beyond housekeeping and motherhood.

We believe that education is the key to change.

We hope that there will be a International Women's Day in the future that is truly international.    

BUY A BRICK - BUILD THE FUTURE

At the 10th Anniversary Gala on 29 January 2011, our theme was "Honour The Past, Live in The Present, Create The Future".


As part of the "Create The Future" section of the evening, we introduced a new program called

                                         "Buy A Brick - Build The Future".

Board and Bricks  Developed in India for the Gala

Through generous donations from people at the Gala, we were able to raise over $10,000 towards the
Goal of  $50,000.00.


BACKGROUND

Mumbai is a city of officially 15 million people, and unofficially over 20 million people. It is made up of seven small islands and land is at a premium. Its real estate values are the 5th highest in the world (next to cities like New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo).

Nallasopara is a suburb just outside the city limits. One! International currently teaches 220 children in a rented Nallasopara School, and there is scope to grow exponentially every year. With landlords exploiting tenants and not providing the required maintenance and upgrades, One! constantly struggles to balance the needs of the children, the rising costs and the need for adequate teaching space.

In 2007, One! International was renting 200 sq. ft. of teaching space in Nallasopara for approximately $15 per month. At that time it could be owned for approximately $3,000. Only 3 years later, the rent for the same 200 sq. ft was approximately $50 and it could be owned for approximately $10,000. Today, with the growing demand for poverty relief and education, One! International currently requires 1000 sq. ft. of teaching space.

Inflation is extremely high and each year prices continue to balloon. The cost of land has spun out of control – and pushed rent prices up too. One! International has chosen to act now, to build a future for the children.

With your generous assistance, in its 10th anniversary year, One! International would like to purchase 2000 sq. ft. of land and build a 1000 sq. ft. school – to meet immediate needs, and with ample room for expansion. It is estimated that the cost of the land and school will be approximately $50,000, which is the goal of One! International’s “Buy a Brick – Build the Future” Campaign.



For more information contact: Marilyn Spilchen, Manager, Finance & Administration
Email: MarilynSpilchen@aol.com Telephone: (780) 467.6254



Thank you for your support.
Together, we can create a future for the children of One! International.

Riding India's Trains: 101

We were really lucky to have two volunteers - Thaya and Marc -  with us in India for six months and five months respectively, from August to February 2011. The consistency was wonderful for the children and the organization.

One of the volunteers was Marc Valentin. When Marc left at the beginning of February 2011 he said:

 "I have to thank you for giving me this incredible opportunity.  Not only are you and Tania changing the lives of the kids, teachers and India, but you are also changing the lives of volunteers.  ..............Completely unexpected [changes] as well as learning many more diplomacy, creativity and survivor skills.  Thank you for that."

Marc also gave me permission to use an article he wrote for a travel website in 2005 on a previous trip to India.  I think everyone will find the article humorous; but for those of you who have travelled the rails in India in economy class, you will identify completely with the description.  

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April 23, 2005

Riding India's trains: 101

By MARCEL VALENTIN -- Special to Canoe Travel


Nothing says more about India than taking one of their magnificent trains.

A legacy of the British Raj, the train system is expansive and efficient. You can set your watch by it.

The train serves two purposes in this country. The first is to ferry foreigners like me all over the country to various sites. The second is to transport Indians to the place in the country that is furthest away from their home so that they can attend a wedding.

Chatting with our fellow train travelers, everyone is going to a wedding and it's usually for someone they don't know.

"Yes, my mother-in-law's neighbour two doors down has a man who delivers milk and that man's uncle comes from the same village that his father came from and his father's father came from. Now his father's father sold a Pepsi to a taxi wallah. It is his daughter who is getting married. Would you like to come? The wedding is rather short at only four days, but I am sure that you will have a wonderful time."

Seriously, everyone is going to a wedding and complete strangers invited us to weddings of people that we and they don't know.

Now, this next subject is rather delicate and you may want to skip it. If so, then I'll say thanks for reading up to here and good bye.

However, if you are planning a trip to India and planning to take the train, then you MUST read this! You are going to have to know this. It involves a rather delicate matter and that is going to the bathroom on an Indian train.

First, let's back up a bit. We hopped on board at Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak station and departed. We chatted with fellow passengers for awhile, munched on some delicious naan that we bought at the station and sat in the train's open doors, blissfully watching the green hills roll away as we chugged through the countryside.

Well, nature eventually came a calling. When the train stopped at the next station, I got up, stretched and sauntered over to the two closets that are at the end of each car. I slowly opened the closet door and was amazed how bright it was.

I was a little pensive at first because the fixture I was most concerned about did not have the familiar American Standard or Crane logos embossed across it.

In fact, I was astonished to realize that the source of the bright light was a hole in the floor that looked down to the tracks. On either side of the hole were two stainless steel footrests that looked remarkably like the pictures of Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon.

So, I took my one small step (trust me, it was a giant leap for me) and adjusted myself so that each foot was firmly planted. Hey! This isn't so bad after all.

After a few moments, the train lurched forwards with a big jerk (no, not me). Whoa! Okay. That's not so bad. Just a little bump in the road.

But the bumps progressively became more and more frequent. By this time, the train was picking up speed and I was relying on my shins to absorb the lateral motion of the accelerating train. As the train picked up speed, my thighs kicked into action to absorb the up and down motion. It felt very similar to riding a horse.

A small sweat broke out on my brow. Hmmm. If that one-eyed fellow could ride Sea Biscuit to victory, then I can still do this. Faster and faster. Okay. I got the hands up in front of my face for more balance.

By this time, the train was racing down the tracks at full speed. STOP THE TRAIN!!! PLEASE!!! My backside was pumping up and down like an oil well on steroids and whenever I looked behind to check on Secretariat, my eyes focused on my wallet and passport dangling out of my back pocket about to be sucked down into the bright light.

PLEASE! SHIVA, LORD OF YOGA... FIND ME A NEW POSITION! I was balling my eyes out at this time, but I was coming down the home stretch praying that the grey water swirling around in the sink would cease splashing onto me.

Finally, I crossed the finish line. Okay. Now some toilet paper and I can get out of this hellish position. Hmmmm, none beside or behind me. Is it above the sink? WHERE IS THE TOILET PAPER?!!

Well, Indian trains have none. As shocking and terrifying as that was, my heart literally froze as I came to the realization that the water tap, which was about two feet off of the floor, was not a drinking fountain. I'd have to deal with that unsettling realization later.



Next problem. Each Indian note has Mahatma Gandhi on it. He has this cherubic smile and I couldn't deface him in this way. So I tore him off a few notes and shoved him in my pocket. However, I couldn't help but think that he was saying, "All my life, I have shunned material possessions and non-violence. But you, my stupid Canadian friend, and your toilet paper... I would have you shot dead like a dog in the street."

The deed done, I gathered what was left of my pride and quickly scurried out the door and back to my seat.

My partner noticed my abnormal silence and asked, "Why are you blinking? How was it?" What else could I tell her but, "If you don't bring a roll of T.P., then it quickly becomes a pay toilet."

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Thank you Marc for your dedication to the One! children.

Thank you for sharing your story.