The best way to predict the future is to create it.
Dexter Yager
|
|
Suitcases
We are so fortunate to have donations in-kind of various items provided to us by individuals, schools, and organizations. Our biggest challenge is getting the items to India. Due to the prohibitive cost of mailing, items are sent by ‘extra’ suitcases with whoever is going to India from Canada. Tania takes two suitcases with her when she goes. We have been lucky this year to have had three volunteers (Chelsey, Nevidka, and David) take extra bags, as well as one of our supporting families, Sarita, take two more.
If anyone going to India from Canada is willing to take a suitcase of items for One! and the children, please contact the Canadian office.
|
|
|
What a Semester!
|
|
We had such a phenomenal semester (November to May), that there aren’t even many stories to tell! Everyone behaved!
The semester began in November and with the steady growth, it meant that we were constantly trying to grow as an institution and adapt to the new scenarios. With every step, we seemed to get more and more professional and more and more ‘comfortable in our own skin’—not only the staff, but the children and parents also.
The level of respect is much higher, and the children seem to have more enthusiasm and energy towards each other as well as the job that they come to school to do.
Family horror stories were there—Chaman beating his wife and children and not working, Ramesh’s father passing away leaving him an orphan, a couple of our families’ houses getting burned down, one mom threatened by the community and running away, etc — but compared to the past these problems were far less. In fact, couples seem to be working better together and communicating and making great decisions for their children.
|
|
As a direct result of their parent’s union and positive efforts, the children are excelling in school. We conducted exams at the end of April and we were all pleasantly surprised at how well the students performed. 20 students achieved an overall honours ranking!! Not a single student failed overall, and only twelve single exams were failed in the school—considering each student wrote at least 5 exams—WOW!!!!
But it isn’t only the academic numbers that show how far the students have come. They have more confidence in themselves and are working hard to take their future into their own hands!
May capped off the fantastic semester with a month of fun. An excellent way to celebrate growth, hard work and success!!!
|
|
|
A Different World—American School Visit
|
|
About 15 of our KinderKid to C1 children were taken on a special fieldtrip.
Since January, One! has created a partnership with the American School of Bombay (1st class school—mostly for foreign diplomat’s children). The kindergarten teacher, Caroline, feels it is important that we do whatever little steps we can toward breaking the class barrier. Her students ran a penny carnival in their school and managed to raise over $250 for One!’s children.
Rather than just giving the money, about 15 of our children were invited to the school to eat and play. The children had a blast!!!! They loved the great supplies and new toys and new...EVERYTHING!!!
|
|
Unfortunately, the two sets of children did not interact all that much with each other. It was quite a rushed event, so we are hoping that if we spend more time to plan more events in the new year, both sets of children can learn from the partnership—they can learn an appreciation for each other and that really...kids are kids, no matter the size shape or color!!!!!
|
|
|
