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Dear friends,
The advanced technology in communication can
bring people together wherever they may be and the world has shrunk
into a small global family. This is a great advantage for our work in
India too. We have regular contact with India through the electronic
communication. The installation of this set up was not easy as there is
no electricity in the project area. We installed a solar pannel for the
operation of a computer and got connection to the internet, now we are
able to communicate through this system. We prepared a software for the
supervision of the management of the school, this bring to us in
Belgium all the minute details of the work done daily.
As I see the work being done so far, I feel
happy, at the moment we have reached the completion of the school
building, with 180 children in 4 classes-nursary, LKG, UKG and Class 1,
they are children from the age of 4 to 8. The preparation for the next
batch will start in the month of December 2004.
Marc Valentin,
President
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| We have regular contacts with the school thanks to modern technology. |
More Girls AdmittedAs mentioned in the previous newsletter, the ratio
between the boys and girls in St. Anthony’s School was 4:1. We did feel
the difference to be too much even for the first year. Knowing the
village set up and the delicacy of the issue,we made plans carefully
before implimenting them. Admitting more girls, completely free and
supporting their families could evoke jealosusy among others specially
as there are so many children not getting proper education. Also, the
villagers can easily be mislead by a small event they dislike.
Involving the village leader for the selection would worsen the
situation as he himself may choose his own people and even get bribe
from them. Inspite of these drawbacks we decided to admit 20% more
girls on a sponsorship basis. We put forward some criterias such as to
admit girls from the low caste families, starting from families having
more than 6 children, with preference to parents diseased or without
any job or land. Our staff took a survey in the village and took note
of these families and called them in the school. We made it compulsory
that the mother and the father have to come with their child for
admission and we gave only one day’s time. The news leaked and many
more came in. It was a very difficult situation, we interviewed all who
came and realised that many of them who came had enough money to send
their children to school, but they wanted it to be done completely
free. We motivated them to educate their girls, telling that we sponsor
only very poor children, a few among them joined our school.
The Pradhan (leader of the village) was not
happy about it and came with some villagers, asking for sponsorship.
When he realised that it was not possible, he came out with the issue
of Sheela, the low caste women who works in our school, asking
to remove her from the school as she is mingling with the children of
high caste (see our previous newsletter). We had to make him
aware that his demand is against the law in India and if he proceeds
with any move on this matter, we will go to court against him and he
will be removed from his place as a Pradhan. Since then he never raised the issue.
Inauguration of St. Anthony’s School
The blessing of the School and its inauguration was not done at the
start of the school as we had not yet completed the work of the entire
building. August 14th, the day before the Independance day was fixed
for inauguration and blessing of the school. Since the running of the
school had already started, it gave an opportunity for the teachers to
express their talents and to bring the children together to perform
different activities. It was a good start for a collaborate action
among the teaches, students and parents. They worked hard to teach
children many cultural programs in a short period of time. The program
was presided over by Dharamveer Singh, the Block Development Officer and Fr. Borgia
Blessed the school. Parents and the villagers crowded on that day and
they were very happy to see their little children on the stage. It was
a big event for the people in the area !
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| The inauguration day was a real success, the children enjoyed
performing cultural programs for their parents and other villagers. |
Parent-Teacher’s Meetings
The first parent teachers meeting was held in the
month of August, surprisingly almost all the fathers of the children
were present. Though we insisted that the mothers of the children also
should come, there were only a few. We had special guests to speak to
the parents. Fr. Borgia and me talked to them about the aims
and objectives of the school. The parents were motivated to send their
children regularly to the school and to help them at home to study the
lessons. They all were happy with the school and were ready to coperate
with the teachers and help the children at home. In the following
months, we conducted meetings for each class separately, so that the
class teacher is able to discuss the progress of the children with each
parent.
Monsoon
was heavy this year. The bridge on the main road was overflowing by the
rain water and no vehicle could pass through. The school had to remain
closed for three days. A proposal was put forward by our staff and the
parents of the students to initiate to build a bigger bridge, so that
the same problems don't occure again. All the parents signed the papers
and we are getting it ready to submit it to the Development officer of
the area.
A life snatched away...
Parul’s father was murdered on the 13th October, on his wayback home from a near by city. Parul is studing in U.K.G. in our school and her father, Yadav,
is familiar to us. He was going back home alone on a two wheeler from
the nearby city around 9.30 in the evening. In the next morning, the
villagers saw his dead body on the road, near to the village of Dugawar,
and informed the police. The investigations are going on and the rumour
is that it is due to a personal revenge. Incidents like this are not
isolated. The news has shaken up the school and the staff as most of
them are coming from outside the area.
Molly Sebastian,
Project manager
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Yesudasan, Pius, Hati, Krishna, Sunil, Joy, Annie, Archana, Jyoti,
Molly, Sheela, Elizebeth, Neelu, wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New-Year !
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The
year 2004 was an eventful and fruitful year and with of all our team in
India, I thank each one of you. We wish that each of you find Joy and
Happiness in the Year 2005 !