February 16, 2015: Access To Knowledge Is Power

 

Access to knowledge is power. An easy thing to say but a difficult concept to grasp when we in North America live with a device attached to us at all times. We have the power to learn and to explore the world at our fingertips and we often forget how powerful that is – until you understand and experience life without technology.

Our group had the opportunity to take part in a panchayat (meeting) of all the regional leading women in the Railmagra Block.  These women meet to discuss social issues and present the grievances and challenges faced by the women of their respective communities. During the meeting, we had the opportunity to exchange questions and discuss the differences in our daily lives and cultures. We touched on household economics, education, gender, and even marriage. The contrasts in our lives are stark, and our knowledge of each others’ lives is minimal, but we all want the same thing – a better future for our families and our communities.

It was in this meeting that I truly began to understand the value technology will bring to this community. These women had little knowledge of life outside their village and thus found it hard to imagine life outside the roles and responsibilities defined by their communities. Technology provides a vehicle to access knowledge, to explore places and people far from home, and a space to craft a better future.

We often hear the phrase, “knowledge is power”, but I would like to revise that to, “Access to knowledge is power”. After we left the meeting, I was able to use my phone, connect to the internet, Google all the issues we discussed and learn why they exist – a luxury not available to these local women and their families. Technology provides me the power to access knowledge from anywhere about any topic.

As a result of this project, women and children will have access to exponentially more information and technical skill development than they can even imagine. The speeds and feeds, the network design, the software, is not what matters. What’s important is providing a vehicle for knowledge and power that puts the ability to learn literally at their fingertips.  Technology will provide a vehicle from them to explore the world.

Brittany Pepper
DWC/Softchoice Volunteer Participant
India. February 16, 2015.

February 15, 2015: India - A Feast For The Eyes

Glances out the window reveal life in action. A bare-foot and bare-bottomed boy running down an alleyway using a stick to control a rolling bicycle tire. An old man wrapped in many layers of clothing to ward off the morning cold, lighting his morning cigarette. A young girl, maybe 10, carrying a toddler along the sidewalk on her hip. Begging. Filthy. Her hair matted with dirt. But somehow pretty all the same.

An elephant, painted for some occasion-or maybe just for an everyday show. A platform strapped to his/her back with a single large rope. Moving through traffic, horns blaring on all sides, the sound of bells clanging as the huge beast rocks back and forth on a stiff march through the centre of the city. What is the look in his or her eye?

A groom riding a white horse as part of a noisy procession. Making his way to his wedding. Not a young man. Women, girls, young men colorfully dressed. All dancing along throwing some sort of powder in the air as they followed a small vehicle playing music over a loudspeaker.

A man working in a building 6 ft square – a barber shop. A look of pride and recognition as we make our way past his shop for the second time today. We see him and he sees us as he flicks a sheet around the shoulders of his next customer.

A woman on the back of a motorcycle. Dressed elegantly and colorfully. Barely hanging on, just balancing – years of experience. She has her head buried behind the drivers back, looking down at her cell phone - texting someone. Oblivious to us or the cows her driver is snaking through on the tiny village road.

India is a study of beauty. And that beauty is found right next to or between the filth. Focus on the stench, the garbage everywhere, the cacophony of noisy car horns blaring and you will have great distaste. But make eye contact with people, see their beauty, see the smiles, see through the dirty exterior and you will find the beauty of the human condition. And then it is gone.

India is a feast for the eyes and paying attention is the only requirement.

Nick Foster
DWC/Softchoice Volunteer Participant
India.  February 15, 2015.

February 11, 2015: Unleashing the Hope within Rajasthan’s Local Youth

Children scare me. Why and when this fear developed, I’m not 100% sure. I do find them cute, and I do care about kids, but the thought of the responsibility to raise a child tends to bring out the fear in me. Therefore, I typically avoid situations that involve being around kids when I can.

So when I learned that we were going to attend a youth center in India after a long and exhausting day of lifting bricks, the last ounce of my comfort zone was drained from me.
Sitting at the front of a room no bigger than my bedroom, 30 children ranging  from two to 14, majority boys, only a handful of girls, all sitting crossed leggeged on the floor, personal space non-existent, just stared at the spectacle which was us.

Our guide translated the purpose of the youth center which focuses on better education programs, sex education, and instilling hope that these kids can create their own futures. As translations went back and forth, my eyes would wander the room. So many of these kids just waited for me to make eye contact so we could exchange a smile and a small hand wave.
After listening to the translation of the teacher for a while, my curiosity took over and I asked our guide to translate to the kids “Does anyone have any questions for us?” I just wanted to know what these little minds were thinking.

The first question translated back to us:

“Do you have child marriages in Canada?”

I was stunned! I wasn’t sure what to anticipate and right from the start, their questions just seemed so surreal. I just  couldn’t believe what was on their minds. Throughout the hour, we were faced with more of the same sort of questions you wouldn’t expect from a group of children.

“Do children have to go to school? What happens if they don’t?”

“Do you have youth centers? What do they teach?”

“Do you have abortion? Do parents abort children of a certain sex?”

“What festivals do you celebrate?”

Both taboo and innocent questions were answered and translated for these kids. It started to hit me. These kids, full of song, curiosity, smiles, energy, and hope, struggle every day for their rights to just be kids.

They want to grow up to be police officers, doctors, engineers, teachers, soldiers, but they need to first find a way to avoid the typical reality that is life for many children in India: Marriage at the age of 10.

I initially feared being stuck in a room by a bunch of kids. Yet these children are scared of losing their rights, hope, freedom, and their youth.

This project is all about enabling these kids to unleash their potential by answering questions and providing them with access to information through the Internet and technology. We are here to teach them as much as we can in our short time here; but what they don’t realize is that they’ve also taught me so much about my own reality.

I can’t wait for the next time I get to be surrounded by these amazing, young and hopeful individuals.

Angela Cope
DWC/Softchoice Volunteer Participant
India. February 11, 2015.

February 10, 2015: When a Once in a Lifetime Opportunity Happens Twice

I’ve know from a very young age the importance of helping others and making an impact in their lives.  I remember when I was 10 years old, listening to my best friend’s father share his stories of those he had volunteered his time to support in rural Africa – and of those who still needed the help more than ever. I sat in amazement, listening and realizing that one day, I too wanted to visit and help.  It became a life long dream I never knew how I would make a reality until 2013 when I was lucky enough to be on the SC Cares Board that went to Maai Mahiu, Kenya.


This once in a lifetime opportunity provided me with the chance to work with a fantastic organization along side some of the best people.  We met amazing people and I came back a changed person.

With some hard work and a little more luck, I carried over to the 2014 board and that once in a lifetime opportunity came around for the second time.  Only this time the project wasn’t in Africa, it was in India.

India, a place that wasn’t really on my bucket list,  seemed so far away to me, and for a number of reasons, getting excited was a little difficult.

The purpose of the project for India was similar to the project in Kenya – help a community to learn and grow.  We had weekly meetings with the gentlemen from Jatan who were all friendly and thrilled we were coming.  We planned out what we were about to undertake, booked an exciting adventure for our weekend off and began to learn about the culture we were going to visit.

We boarded not one, but three planes and in all that I still wasn’t getting pumped up.  Everything seemed like a haze or a dream and I was just walking through it.  It wasn’t until we were driving through Udaipur and pulled over to for a look at one of the lakes that it really hit me.

As we began to meet the people we were to work with it was clear that the colour and energy felt around it came from the people themselves.  Their excitement for the potential we bring with us shined as brightly as that pink camel.

 
As I looked around, the true beauty of India woke me up and I became excited for the potential of what we could accomplish here!

Tara Bradbury
DWC/Softchoice Volunteer Participant
India. February 10, 2015.

October 14th: Day 2 of hard work by villagers & volunteers!

We woke to another beautiful morning here in Bhinder so Bob and I took the opportunity to squeeze in some light yoga before breakfast.

The mattresses here aren't exactly what you'd call pillow top. Following a "non-spicy" breakfast we headed off to the job site.

 
You know that saying, "actions speak louder than words"? This absolutely rang true when we arrived at the job site. Not only were the villagers already hard at work, but they had reconstructed our shade covering to 'better suit our needs'. It is now complete with a double cot and blankets.

As if that wasn't bad enough, when we went to start work on the water structure it was very apparent that after our departure yesterday they all worked their tails off. Overnight the work had progressed significantly. We were beginning to feel as though we might be slowing down progress rather than boosting it. However, we are quick to remind ourselves that it's simply their eagerness to please that's shining through.

We must have proved some of our abilities yesterday though, because today was filled with a few more challenges in terms of work. For example, David graduated to carrying the large boulders by using the handmade "stretcher," or horizontal ladder as it has come to be known. This is a step up considering that yesterday David and Bob were barely permitted to lift more than one stone at a time. I also was able to try something new, carrying water on my head! While I've got the balance bit down, I think it's going to take a few more days to boost my confidence enough to attempt it hands free.

We continue to marvel at the ingenuity and hard work displayed by the villagers. They have a system for all aspects of the project. Sand is mixed with cement and water in free standing piles before it is transported via big bowls to the masons waiting down in the trench. They lay the foundation as rocks are passed down by other workers. Even the collection of smaller rocks and bigger boulders has a process. They work together like a well oiled machine. Sometimes we feel like the extra parts that they're trying to make use of - ha! Okay, to be fair, it is only day two and we're still finding our groove.

It was super hot today and we quickly realized that we were spoiled yesterday with a refreshing breeze. Unsurprisingly, we all jumped at the opportunity to leave the job site a little early in order to visit the village primary school. They have 61 students to just the one teacher... unfathomable. The kids were so excited to see us, all save except one little one who started crying at the sight of Kim. The older children introduced themselves in English and then a few of them sang us some traditional welcome songs in Hindi.

We toured the teacher's office and the classroom before heading back to the palace for a nice refreshing cold shower.

We spent the afternoon recharging our batteries (not just our electronics but our bodies as well) and continued to get to know one another a little better over a light lunch and good conversation.

Anya Malda
DWC Volunteer Participant
Udaipur, India: October 2014 

October 11th: Our first day in Udaipur

Hello everyone!

I'm happy to report that we've arrived safely at the Jaiwana Haveli Hotel, Udaipur, India. Well, four of us have anyway. Four of our Californian friends have been experiencing some frustrations in obtaining their visas and the unfortunate result is that one had to postpone her DWC trip for another time and the remaining three won't be able to join us until later next week. Ironically, this includes our fearless team leader, Tommy. Leaving the rest of us to do double duty I see, well played my friends, well played. Jokes aside, we hope you guys are able to get things sorted out and join us soon!

Just a heads up to all of you back home who might be taking in our daily blogs over your morning coffee, I'm not exactly what you'd call a gifted writer so feel free to set your judgements aside. Having said that, I'll do my best to report on our daily experiences without boring you too badly.

Today was a great day. After what at times felt like seemingly endless hours of travel Bob, Kim, and I met up in Delhi airport and embarked on the final leg of our journey together. Upon landing at Udaipur airport we were met by our driver, Jamil, who with skill and ease, zigzagged along single lane streets, narrowly missing overloaded motorbikes, trucks, cars, and more than the odd cow or two.

After enjoying breakfast with a view from our rooftop terrace we wandered the streets a little, taking in the local vibe. However, the moment our rooms were ready the three of us were all too happy to catch a few hours of shuteye and recharge our batteries. The three of us regrouped this afternoon, some of us more energetically than others, and met with Mr. Heera our host partner. He welcomed us warmly and arrangements for travel to Bhinder tomorrow morning were made. As we were flying in over Udaipur the floods from the heavy monsoon rains last month were very evident.

It's cool to think that we're going to be assisting in building irrigation systems that will aid in collecting the water and put it good use.

Following our meeting Bob, Kim, and I headed off to tour the Monsoon Palace and take in its infamous sunset. The Palace is situated upon a high hill and overlooks the city of Udaipur. We were able to wander around, learn some some of the history, much of which did not stick due to lack of sleep. But thankfully the view and sunset did not disappoint.

Arriving back at the Jaiwana Haveli Hotel, we were excited to meet up with our Australian teammate, David. Despite exhaustion the four of us enjoyed our first authentic Indian meal together. The conversation was full and lively and the energy and excitement palpable. We even captured a "group selfie," the first of many to come I'm sure.

There's no question that we've all been eagerly anticipating this trip and are excited about this experience with DWC. For some of us this is our first time on such a volunteer trip and for others we're repeat DWCers. There's no question that this is going to be a dynamic team and a memorable experience for all of us.

Tommy, Denise, and Chris, looking forward to your safe arrivals! Until then, rest assured that Bob's holding down the fort.

Anya Malda
DWC Volunteer Participant
Udaipur, India: October 2014

May 14th: Productive workday followed by "American" ice cream and the Sunset Temple

Whoever said noodles wasn't an acceptable breakfast clearly hasn't been to India! After that nutritious breakfast, we were fully ready to go to the work site and achieve the goals we set for ourselves yesterday. We arrived and got piles of sand ready for the cement mixture. We then went on to categorize rocks into sizes; this process ended up having around 5 sizes ranging from "super small" (with a Mexican accent), to small, to kind of medium, to medium to big and everything in between. Having completed this, we started building our own part of the wall, trying to communicate as much as possible and to help each other fit the makeshift puzzle pieces. We spent the whole day doing this kind of job and, I might add, getting very good at it.

As always, we went back to the office to have lunch and, before going back to the the work site, Chirag (our awesome translator) had no choice but to listen to our cries for ice cream. We tried a flavour called "American" and it was great - although nothing like you would find in America!

After finishing our work for today, we went to Sunset Temple, a beautiful one in a mountain. All the trees around were covered with bracelets and clothing, representing wishes people had made.

With roosters singing and locals cutting coconuts in the background, we took on the challenge of going through holes in between the rocks. This is done after you make a wish, and only people who are good at heart are able to go through. No, ladies and gentlemen, it is not based on body shape at all! You'll also be glad to know that everyone in our team made it to the other side!

After a bumpy ride back, in which the always adventurous Vienna chose to ride the motorbike with Chirag, we went back to the house. We played very intense card games before having dinner and going to bed!

Ana Gargollo
DWC Volunteer Participant
Railmagra, India: May 2014 

May 11-12th: Visiting a health centre & experiencing an Indian wedding

Hi everyone!

We are able to access wifi on our lunch breaks at the Jatan office in Railmagra, so I'll give you some quick updates!

This past weekend we visited Mt. Abu, a four hour drive from our village. There is a beautiful lake called Nakki Lake and lots of Indian tourists. On Sunday, we went peddle boating on the lake.

Yesterday, we worked in the morning and then visited a health centre in the afternoon. The health centre serves as a hospital for over 50 villages around Railmagra and there are only 4 doctors! We were shocked when they invited us on a tour through the maternal delivery room and the infant and mother's care centre when we were covered in dust and dirt from construction. Some of the babies were so tiny and some of the mothers were 18 years old or younger.

In the evening we were invited to an Indian wedding. For some of our group, it was their first time seeing one! We got so many stares, especially while dancing, but it was a lot of fun!

Today we worked in the morning and we are currently having lunch that consists of cantaloupes, papaya, chapati, rice, daal and potatoes. We are also planning this weekend's trip to Jaipur and Agra to see the Taj Mahal!

Vita Sackville-Hii
DWC Team Leader
Railmagra, India: May 2014

May 4th: Visiting the Royal City Palace of Udaipur

May the 4th be with you! Happy International Star Wars Day!

Today we visited the Royal City Palace of Udaipur. It is the second largest palace in India and is filled with beautiful designs, windows and views of the lake. Udaipur, also known as the Venice of the East, is a city with two lakes and a royal palace where the royal family still lives.

Later in the day we rode tuktuk which is 3 wheeled vehicle-half motorcycle, half smart car. We weaved around cows, stray dogs, pedestrians, cars, donkeys, horses and anything you can imagine - all sharing a 3 metre wide street.

We were all exhausted by the end of the day and happy to finally sleep at around 8pm. As we fell asleep we could hear the echoing sound of prayers from a nearby mosque.

Vita Sackville-Hii
DWC Team Leader
Udaipur, India: May 2014