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One! Canada 112 Garland Cresent Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada T8A 2R2 Phone: (780) 467-6254	One! India Phone: (91) 98205-17805
Email: OneMumbai1@aol.com Webpage: www.one-international.com

Radha’s Story

Radha is one of One!’s sweethearts! She has a brilliant smile and helps encourage the other children to study and participate by being so eager to join in herself!

She has an older brother named Raju and two younger syblings - her sister Roopa who is one of her biggest rivals for top honours in our classes, and her little brother Rahul. Radha also has other syblings that do not live in the slum with her. Radha just had her eleventh birthday at the beginning of this month.

Radha has blossomed under One!’s efforts. Since the middle of November she has been reading and writing Hindi and the light in her eyes is never as bright as when she sounds out a word and connects it to its meaning! She is also quite smart in mathematics where, after only six months, she is studying at a grade two level in Canada.

Radha’s past has not been the brightest. She has always lived in the slum and her parents often have trouble with alcohol and abuses physical as well as verbal.

As of late, One! Volunteers have noticed that Radha’s demeanor fluctuates very rapidly. One minute she is bubbly and then the next she is shriveling in a corner in fear or sadness. One! Is looking into this, though everyone seems to make excuses rather than help. This life entails so many issues that it is sooo hard for people in Canada to imagine. Hopefully we can help Radha keep smiling!

In this picture, Radha is seen on a ride at the Juhu Beach Fair. Since joining One!, she has enjoyed many adventures, learned how to read and write basic Hindi, and is looking forward to dancing in our Christmas celebration!

Everyone’s Favourite... Saturday Fieldtrips!!!
Without having gone on fieldtrips for quite some time, the children were more than excited for the first fieldtrip after I, Tania, returned. Our first big trip was a ‘déjà vu’ moment for all of us, back to place where the fieldtrips all began - Juhu beach. This time it entailed frisbees and baseballs and you should have seen the commotion. Once again we realized that our time is much more valuable than our money. We followed this trip with a trip to Carter Road. Here we played more games and read the children a story - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The children thoroughly enjoyed this.		The following weekends entailed another trip to Juhu and another trip to Carter Road, and finally a trip to the movies. Not just any trip to the movies however! Mayatri, a friend of One!’s opened up her home for the children to enjoy. The children saw Heri Pheri which they liked very much - but I am not sure whether their favourite part was the movie or the chocolates, ice cream, and bean bag chairs!!! On our trips to Carter Road, we have begun to teach more extra-curricular activities. Pallavi - who has trained in dance for more than ten years - is teaching the children some Bollywood songs that she has choreographed. I - Tania - am beginning music lessons on the recorders that were donated to One!.

Looking Ahead...

One! Is so excited about the events that are coming up:

1) Doctor Ashish - He will come to Khar Danda and volunteer his time in examining the children as well as their parents. Hopefully he can give the families pointers as to how to lead a healthier life despite the conditions.

2) School Room - We have inquired about using a room in the local schools to teach our classes and conduct other activities. This will allow us to start more projects and be more effective.

3) Karate! - We have been blessed to have befriended Mr. Shankar Makwani (A 3rd Degree blackbelt!!!). He will teach the children Karate. Hopefully the children can learn to harness their agresion and use it as an asset.

4) Christmas Program!!!! - Singing, Dancing, Acting, Displaying Crafts...and telling more people about One!

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