Time Passes so Quickly

It is hard to believe that we are already over halfway through our internship with Maitri.  I think we both agree that, though lifetime in India is not sufficient to understand its intricacies,  the opportunity to expose ourselves to its elements, for only a short time, has been a life altering experience.  

During the past few weeks, Maitri has been preparing for three major events:

Arrival of Dr. Ulf Kristoffersson

The Chair of Maitri India, Dr. Ulf Kristoffersson, arrived this month in order to witness the progress that Maitri has made in the last year.  The entire office staff coordinated together in order to create a detailed presentation, which enumerated both the successes of Maitri’s projects over the last year, along with the next phase of action.

Bhoomi Pooja

In Vrindavan, Maitri has acquired a new plot of land, which will be dedicated to housing over 100 abandoned and destitute widows.  After construction of the new “Maitri Ghar” is complete, this home will become a place where the widows can feel secure and dignified during the final years of their lives.  However, before construction can begin the land must be blessed by means of a proper Hindu ceremony.     Over 200 widows came to participate in the ceremony and Dr. Kristoffersson played a critical role in the dedication process.  The colors, sounds, and smells were the most striking elements of the ceremony, and the spiritual devotion of the widows was particularly touching.

Following the Pooja, we distributed midday meals to the widows along with brand new sarees.  It was truly a humbling experience to serve these women.

National Seminar to End Violence against Women

Maitri recently hosted a consultation where professionals from various sectors of society came together to discuss the pressing topic of violence against women in India.  The sessions conducted during the two-day event touched on important topics such as: the global response to violence against women, concerns for medical practitioners and psychologists, the role of police and media, and comparative perspectives concerning violence against women.  Concluding the Seminar, Maitri launched a million-signature pledge entitled “Count on me.”  The campaign aims to engage men and boys in the fight to end violence against women.

This consultation was both meaningful and relevant following the tragic events of the 16^th December, 2012.  We were both so glad to be a part of this event and to see first-hand the social changes occurring in India.    

One month in!

Well, we (Annie and Shantel) have been here in Delhi for one month.  What a month its been!  India has been a huge shock to our senses on every level.  Culturally, this is the most foreign either of us has ever felt.  We have had to quickly adopt simple phrases in Hindi and learn about the customs of a culture very different from home.  Just the short walk to work presents a multitude of unfamiliar sights, smells, and sounds.  I'm proud to say that we have become accustomed to all these things and our little apartment is slowly starting to feel like home.  Not only have we been slowly adjusting to just living in Delhi, we have also had the opportunity to see so many amazing projects with Maitri.

Serving the Widows their midday meal

After being here only one week, we made our first trip to Vrindavan to meet the widows.  It was a life changing experience for both of us.  We met women at two ashrams and got to have the humbling experience of serving the widows their midday meal.  They were all so grateful for the meal we served them.  We also had the opportunity to help move eight widows into a new housing arrangement.  They were all so excited and we were thrilled to share that special day with them.  Its truly unbelievable that anyone would cast out such wonderful kind souls to live on the the street.

Some of the lovely Widows, waiting in line for their ID card registration

This lady is quite a character!!!

Rickshaw pullers 

Just last week, we attended a mega health camp in Karol Bagh, Delhi.  The main event of the health camp was the distribution of voter ID cards to over 250 rickshaw pullers from the district.  Maitri also managed to enroll 100 new rickshaw pullers into the program.  It was great for us to be a part of this event and to see lives being changed all around us.  The most striking take home message came from the children of the slum.  Even living in such terrible conditions, they had no complaints.  They were full of life and thrilled to share their home with all of us.   

From these two events we have taken home similar messages.  Both the slum populations and the widows of Vrindavan are a testament to how little we actually need to survive.  Back home, we are used to our comforts, and think they are quite necessary.  The truth of the matter is, we need clothing, shelter, nutrition and, most importantly, the company of those we love. 

If we have experienced all this in just one month, I can’t begin to imagine what I’ll have to say in May!

This little girl was fascinated by our blonde hair!

Spending some time with the kids in the slum

With some of the students at Maitri's Vocational Training C

Phir Milenge!

Sadly, my time at Maitri is coming to an end.  However, I couldn't leave India without learning how to wear a sari!  Anita was kind enough to show me how to wrap it, although I'm still not sure how I would walk without tripping.  It will definitely take some practice.

I'm so grateful for the things that I've learned, the people I've met, the experiences I've had, and the memories I'll carry with me forever.  Maitri has such a great team dedicated to making the world a better place.  But, I won't say goodbye because I expect to return to India to finish what I started and to see the wonderful places that are yet to be explored.  So, for now I will only say "Phir milenge!"

Golfournament 2012

Maitri's annual golf tournament (dubbed Golfournament) was held at Qutub Golf Course on December 1st.  It was a beautiful day, the golfers were in good spirits, there was plenty of delicious food, and we raised a lot of  funds for the ashram for the widows in Vrindavan.  I've played a few rounds of golf in my day, but never in December.  One of the benefits of living in India, I suppose.  I was impressed by the skill and also the generosity of the players and I could feel the commitment of the community as they came together to support a very worthy cause.  Another successful year!

Travels

We've have had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling while India.  It's one of the perks of interning with such a great organization!  The more that I experience India, the more I have come to love its culture, heritage, and its people.  Not to mention the colors, foods, and sights!  Here are a few highlights from our travels - and we're not done yet!

Vrindavan at night

Turban wrapping in Rajasthan

Jaipur

Varanasi - the Holy City of India

Getting ready for Diwali in Mumbai

A different view of the Taj Mahal

Amazing Rangoli in Mumbai

Beautiful Beaches of Goa

River Rafting in Rishikesh

And of course, good Old Delhi

View of Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai

They are the future . . . .

How could I not post something about the Children's Tutorial Centre?!  I think that most Maitri interns would agree that it is one of the highlights of the internship experience because the children are so wonderful, so eager to learn, and so much fun to teach.  My heart goes out to them and the challenges that they will face.  My experiences with these bright and beautiful children reinforces my belief that education is crucial for overcoming some of life's most difficult trials.  Maitri provides such a wonderful tutorial centre for these children and allows them to have an opportunity to overcome their situations by learning math, English, science, and the skills necessary to be healthy, independent, and participatory members in their worlds.  My greatest hope for these children is that they will continue with their education and realize their innate potential. However, I can honestly say that I have learned far more from them in the few short months that I have been here than they would have ever learned from me.  What an amazing opportunity it has been to interact with these children on a daily basis!

The Widows of Vrindavan

We finally took our turn visiting the ashram in Vrindavan and I was not disappointed. This is one of Maitri's signature projects and many of this year's fundraisers are dedicated to helping to build an ashram for the widows in Radha Kund.  We spent a day touring the facility and listening to around 20 widows share their life histories.  Those cute, frail little women were so welcoming, so kind, and so humble.  They have very few worldly possessions and many of them have faced terrible challenges in their lives.  Yet they were still happy!


The widows spend much of their day in devotion to Lord Krishna and they are each so grateful for the warm, dry place to sleep and to receive a nutritious meal each day.  We even toured the facility that prepares the meal for the widows and I was impressed with the cleanliness and efficiency of the facility.  We also brought soap and detergent with us to distribute to the widows and they hugged me and kissed me in appreciation for such a small gift.  How could you not love them!  The new ashram in Radha Kund will provide another 150 or so widows with the same kind of shelter that the widows in Vrindavan currently enjoy.  It will be such a blessing for them to get out off of the streets so that they will not have to beg to pay for shelter.  No woman should have to do such a thing at that age.  I thought of my own grandmother and how devastated I would be to find her in such conditions at a time of life when she should be surrounded by family and respected for her role and influence in our lives.  I'm glad that we had the opportunity to visit these women, to hear about their challenges, and to see how Maitri has helped them to finally have dignity in their old age.