Back in England

My time at Prem Nivas always flies, when not preparing for Christmas and festivals, birthdays and special events, I am usually  involved in teaching. I take the gifted in our primary school who want to go on the the English medium section of High School, as well as those  helping those who find learning a struggle and are shortly going to High school.  I have long emphasised the need to learn basic maths, tables and reading in the local language,  Every morning before the teachers arrive the children are encouraged to read a set of Telugu books  . I even had to drag out my very rusty Hindi when I found three High school boys who could not manage to read  the letters of this compulsory language of the curriculum.

The adult scooter that was bought by Sue and David can be ridden by all ages and is very popular in break times and after school. It is in such demand that we had to ration its use for smaller children to before 5pm! 




The cricket bat for the taller boys from Karen and Maura is used on Sundays  when the college and senior boys go out to a park to play with their school friends -  well away from our windows!

 

 One Sunday morning we got out some old lego  and  the children had a go at making vehicles.



I decided that they should be encouraged  to use their imaginations and ordered  some plastic meccano kits from Amazon India.courtesy of Sarah and Simon.

 These construction kits to build cars and aeroplanes arrived for the Prem Nivas children after I left but we had found some pieces in the toys room  to practice with. Besides learning how to follow the diagrams and  following instructions the children were encouraged to make things of their own design.

Sundays are chappati making days and I was pleased to see that since my last visit in March 2017 the is occupation is now undertaken by boys! The girls so sweeping and cleaning while these are being made.

 Perhaps the boys will have a go at washing and cleaning one day ?  

We had several birthdays and visits from Grandmothers too!

Gowri

Satya 

I was only able to stay one night at what was Shanti Nivas. The children from Karuna Nivas and the HIV children from Thompson House are now part of the Dewan Children's Village. They still go to the government schools at Ompali, are part of the Vocational Training Centre or at Inter College.

One thing led to another!

My Thank You letter to the DM cheekily told him that most of the children were very late for school that morning. Not because they didn't get up in time, or because there was no water to shower with. It was because the firewood was too green to catch light and produce enough heat to cook the breakfast. We had ordered our gas cylinder but being near the end of the month nothing was available. The DM  immediately contacted the boss of the gas agency telling them we were to be allotted 3 cylinders a month as an institution caring for children. Mr Venkat went the same day with another letter from me enclosing proof of our children's home status and returned with a cylinder of gas!

The next day we were informed that a local  government officer connected with education would visit us. The upshot of this visit was that the wheels were set in motion for all of our  children who are on  anti-retroviral (ART) therapy  should be able to receive a 'pension' of 300 rupees a month.(about £3) straight into a bank account. Wonderful news! A little Nest Egg building up for these òrphans for when they leave us.

We have been trying to get this 'pension' for our ART patients attending our  Feeding and Finding project and very few have been successful. Similarly we have not had much success getting widows' pensions for them They live in a neighboring district and are dependent on their local officials.

HIV infected women receiving monthly food parcels in 2016 

Yet More Holidays!

The new school term, the last of the academic year, began on Monday 22nd January but there were no lessons and only a half day attendance because it was Saraswarti's festival. 

Saraswarti is the Hindu goddess of learning, music and the arts, so she has many devotees  among teachers and those involved with  the arts. School children often bring small gifts for their teachers and there are programmes of dances, songs and sketches by the children at some schools. Jhansi, our girl with very poor sight, goes to a special school in the village. Jhansi says she did two  dances and other children sang songs. In the afternoon they ran races. Our High school children had half a day at school. 

On Wednesday we had a very important visitor, namely the  District Magistrate, of Gajapathinagaram district. He came with several advocates to meet the children and hear about them and about Prem Nivas. He wanted to get to know about organisations on his patch that provide a service to the people of India. He asked if we had any government help and of course the answer was no apart from providing the main medicines. He wanted to know about me and I told him the history of Prem Nivas. As Chief Judge he and  his advocates kindly invited me and all the children and staff to be guests at a function at the Court Building to celebrate Republic day.  He promised to provide transport for us to get there. He asked what he could do for the children. Swarti, our housemother, and Mr Venkat our teacher, told him that new uniform clothes would be very acceptable.       

Thursday was marked by the Coming of Age Ceremonies for  Nagamani. As a complete orphan, without any relatives, the traditional ceremonies associated with a girl starting her periods, maturing as they say in India, were performed for Nagamani by our staff and older children.

The first couple of days were spent in a little room into which only other matured people could enter. Nagamani sat on a mat and was washed with turmeric.

Her hair was dressed and sprinkled with yellow rice as a blessing by visitors. She applied kohl eyeliner inside her eyelids and people put red bindi mark on her forehead.

Staff and children gave money to buy gifts for Nagamani.It was decided that her main gift would be silver anklets.

Staff, from Shanti Nivas and from Prem Nivas came to bring Nagamani a half sari, jewellery and bracelets. Swarti lent her a very beautiful purple sari to wear as the others would be given later.

There was another turmeric wash the next morning and Nagamani put on her finery.

 

Friday 26th January was Republic Day, was very busy. Senior boys made a flagpole of a length of bamboo and decorated it. They learned how to secure the flag with the help of Mr Venkat our teacher. 

Sampath and Ashok tie up the petals in the flag

The staff and children had their flag ceremony and I was invited to pull the string to unfurl the flag and release the flower petals that had been enclosed within it. Just as the children finished their oath of allegiance the manager and staff of a local bank arrived ( a little later than arranged) to  give the children nutrition packs - lentils, ginger, jaggery and oil. 

Swathi's phone  rang to say that the ordered maxi taxi was about to arrive to take the children to the Court and that a car would be sent for me! 

On arrival at he Court the children gathered in the shade of a awning for tiffin - a breakfast of idli and chutneys. I was offered some and bravely took a plate but it was so hot with chilli that I passed it to a child and drank the offered sweet tea instead. The Chief Judge, who is also called the District Magistrate, and his staff engaged me in conversation until the official part of the gathering began. Formal introductions were made and the wish to do more for the socially deprived and neglected sectors of society were expressed. The Chief Justice was surprised that our home for HIV infected children, Prem Nivas, was not previously known to him or his staff  despite having been in Gajapathinagaram for more than 10 years.

After  more speeches and a couple of songs about India I was asked to tell my story and how Brighter Future started working with HIV/Aids children and adults. Everyone was impressed by my age and the things I have done for Indian people over the last twenty one years. I was presented with a garland of marigolds, a bunch of roses, a model musical instrument, made locally, and a shawl as a mark of respect. The children were presented with lots of material to make new dresses, tunics and trousers and a coordinating check material for shirts. Another guest at the function was the local state Bank of India manager and he too gave a gift of white dress material to the children.  Altogether it was an event to emphasise how those that can must give social service. The absence of  politicians from the event was notable. 
When the official part was over we were all invited to see the judges' chambers and the court. 
The children were impressed! My parting request was to be allowed two gas bottles for cooking as we are only officially allowed one.

That was the end of my day but the children went to Shanti Nivas to mark the opening of two new houses of the Dewan Foundation. More speeches, egg curry and not enough time to play cricket!

Pongal Holiday

ANOTHER CELEBRATION

The Children only had 2 days of school holiday for Christmas but the 14th January  is a bigger National holiday. Known as Pongal in South India including Andhra Pradesh, as Lohari in the Punjab and also Kitcheri (after one of the festival's food dishes).  All celebrating  the Hindi New Year known as Makar Sankranti. Officially the festival lasts for 2 days but the children have a week off school.
Our children with relations often go to stay with them. Special traditional foods, mainly sweets, are prepared or bought. Here in Bihar, where I came to see a colleague from my days working with leprosy patients, I will be treated to the new season's rice with a mixture of yoghurt, vegetables and lentils (the kitcheri). The special sweets are made from sesame seeds, flat rice or peanuts combined with jaggary, a form of sugar, and are offered throughout the day.

As with many major festivals it is often a time to give new clothes. Swathi told me that in her community the unmarried girls wear half saris. a separate waist length blouse and long skirt with a  shawl worn over it.

Swathi in her new Pongal half sari

My hosts are still feeding me with sweet goodies and my weight is increasing! It is time for me to return to the children - a 24 hour train journey.

Wishing our readers a Happy New Year

Apologies for not writing recently!  I have been on one of my forays to north India to visit colleagues from my days working to prevent deformity in leprosy patients.  Unfortunately I managed to choose some unseasonable weather with temperatures down to 6 degrees. My daughter informed me that Bury St Edmunds had 1degree but I reminded her that where I am staying there is no heating, no glass in some windows and hot water comes by sticking an electric coil in a bucket. Bare feet on stone floors is the rule as a form of respect  and outside doors are forever being left open as the kitchen is outside .
 The poor people suffer terribly from the cold. Yesterday morning I heard a lady walking along the street calling out like the vegetable sellers do. She was begging for a blanket and clothes for her children. The Bihar government are providing wood for bonfires around the town so that people may warm themselves.Last night I saw a TV appeal for blankets for the people in Delhi who sleep  anywhere they can find to lay their bodies all year round. Schools in the fog covered north, the whole of the Ganges valley, are closed for children up  to 8th year (14/15 yrs) and the exam year children can start at 10.30am while the cold continues - their normal winter start is between 7 and 8 am.It really make me appreciate my central heating and all mod con at home.
 Andhra Pradesh is basking in 29 degrees at the moment so don't worry about he Brighter Future children!

Some of the cards the Prem Nivas children made to thank local donors of meals, sweeets, biscuits and other things

The Children's Christmas party was a great success. 

Cutting the \Christmas cake

There were a few adjustments to the time-table and the whole event went more smoothly this year.The children were given their presents earlier in the day , distributed by various guests, including yours truly.
After the warm up of hymn singing led by Pastor Elisha the special guests took their places on the stage and the opening prayers and bible readings followed. Guests made speeches and the long awaited presentation of gifts to the children took place.

This year only the boys has new hostel uniform shirts, the girls had dresses of various designs and colours and wore them for their dances

The main meal of the day was at lunchtime and included chicken  two rice dishes, chutneys, sweets and fruit.

After a small break during which the older boys rearranged the chairs under the shamiana shade the cutting of the Christmas cake took place, followed by skits and sketches and a tub of ice cream for everybody.

The evening was devoted to dances set to Christian songs. These dances had been practiced for the last month. Children download songs to pen drives or to phones from where they are reproduced through the hired sound system at the party. The senior girls from DMC House compere the whole event and I must say they did it very well.

.Groups of children, boys as well as girls, from each of the homes vie with one another to produce the best dance arrangements.








 The stage was flood lit with disco lights and the whole party area as well as other areas of the campus were strung with fairy lights.The VTC boys who learn about plumbing and electrics were instrumental in setting all the lights under the overall supervision of their teacher, Srinu.

As the evening drew to a close with the candlelit singing of Silent Night the children had
another meal and  the stage was made available for dancing to film music. Anyone could volunteer and the first on the stage was Jhancy of Prem Nivas - the first time she had done anything as a solo!

The sound system, catering equipment and awnings had to be dismantled and rented chairs etc had to be packed up.Tthe Prem Nivas children had two taxis to take them home, the Visianagaram children and staff were ferried to their homes by a fleet of Brighter Future vehicles.

I got to Victor's town house by about 11 and he came back around midnight. The next morning, Christmas eve,  I was kindly driven to the airport by China Rao at 5.45am.

More pictures when I get back to warm and sunny Andhra Pradesh!