AGAINST NATURE
Why does an unmanageable number of Indians urinate and defecate in
public places? Because some Indians — mostly in the villages and urban
slums — have houses that have no toilets. And some, mainly in cities
and towns, have no homes at all. Many in the first category,
especially in rural India, have made a virtue out of this necessity,
and believe that they actually prefer to answer the call of nature as
naturally as possible. But for the homeless, particularly for women
and children, it boils down to a stark absence of choice. All these
realities and factors, geographically and sociologically so varied,
will make it difficult for the Centre to achieve its target to end
public defecation by 2012. (It seems to have forgotten about public
urination altogether, but making it part of the campaign will make
matters more difficult, for perfectly well-off city people will then
have to be toilet-trained too.)
On the part of the State, it will not be enough to spend money on
making toilets for homes and communities, or even to supplement this
with programmes for behavioural change. The function and meaning of
actual — and not just ritual — hygiene will have to be radically
transformed across society. Most of India is used to filth and stench.
Here waste disposal is still in its primitive stages, most of the
public water is contaminated by rusty pipes or leaking sewers (there
is arsenic in the water even in hospitals), and rivers are lethally
dirtied by human waste. City-dwellers routinely walk past women
delivering babies under flyovers, dogs feasting on discarded babies or
sick people rotting quietly in garbage vats. So convincing people to
change their habits of cleanliness for the sake of others will be a
tough job here, to say the least. People keep themselves and their
surroundings clean for two reasons. First, if they feel good about
themselves, and second, if they feel that those they share public
spaces with feel good about them too. Most of the homeless in India
cannot imagine either. The transition from ritual purity to actual
hygiene, or from policed hygiene to natural cleanliness, is not simply
a matter of making toilets or imposing fines, although these would be
steps in the right direction.
SMS Children with learning disabilities
The following is a report we have received from our Child Protection Officer at our school.
Any comment \ suggestions are welcomed. rupa@fflvrindavan.org
For the first time SMS has had to send some children home.
It was not in any way a punishment for these children, who are absolutely unable to sit still and participate in classroom activities and the disruption they create affects all the other children and of course the teacher. We made it clear to their parents that this was not a punishment and definitely not a permanent step.
Most of these children are severely beaten at home by one or both of the parents.
Beatings are common as the parents are perpetuating a cycle – they too were beaten when they were children.
We asked the parents of these children to give them proper attention for sometime.
All these so called difficult kids were over disciplined at home and this was causing them to be disruptive in school.
Ananda ( six) and Rukmini (8)were amongst those sent home temporarily.
When Ananda’s father came to see us he broke down.
His wife is promiscuous, he alleges. She lashes out at the children regularly.
Ananda was hit, just above his left eye with a rolling pin by his mother a year ago.
This head injury may in fact be responsible for his behavior. This was suspected by our Doc. who takes care of the children’s health.
We decided to send both Ananda and his sister Rukmini to a hospital for a brain
Scan. (EEG)
In the meanwhile the wife had gone back to her parent’s home and taken Rukmini with her.
Ananda has been for a brain scan . The reports show abnormalities and from Monday he will be taking medication under Dr Lila ,a qualified Neuro Surgeon.
We have decided to put Ananda back in the nursery with his teacher there , who says she will be able to take care of him as she knows him from when he first came to us.
He is clearly one of those that we will have to have a special needs classroom for.
Three of the other children that had stayed home for a week have been taken back and are now adjusting well, except for one child whom we will also send for some tests.
One of the boys Banwari’s mother is a widow and was unable to spend anytime with him. She was given a weeks pay, asked to quit her job and be with her son. We are now employing her at our sewing centre for twice as much as she was making milking cows and cleaning which did not give her anytime with Banwari.
Now she comes to school with him, attends her classes and does some sewing for the school children. After school they both go home together.
Banwari is now more settled in the temporary special class we have created for the children that were not coping.
We also want to make some special classes for children who are gifted and hope to do this after the summer.
Any comment \ suggestions are welcomed. rupa@fflvrindavan.org
For the first time SMS has had to send some children home.
It was not in any way a punishment for these children, who are absolutely unable to sit still and participate in classroom activities and the disruption they create affects all the other children and of course the teacher. We made it clear to their parents that this was not a punishment and definitely not a permanent step.
Most of these children are severely beaten at home by one or both of the parents.
Beatings are common as the parents are perpetuating a cycle – they too were beaten when they were children.
We asked the parents of these children to give them proper attention for sometime.
All these so called difficult kids were over disciplined at home and this was causing them to be disruptive in school.
Ananda ( six) and Rukmini (8)were amongst those sent home temporarily.
When Ananda’s father came to see us he broke down.
His wife is promiscuous, he alleges. She lashes out at the children regularly.
Ananda was hit, just above his left eye with a rolling pin by his mother a year ago.
This head injury may in fact be responsible for his behavior. This was suspected by our Doc. who takes care of the children’s health.
We decided to send both Ananda and his sister Rukmini to a hospital for a brain
Scan. (EEG)
In the meanwhile the wife had gone back to her parent’s home and taken Rukmini with her.
Ananda has been for a brain scan . The reports show abnormalities and from Monday he will be taking medication under Dr Lila ,a qualified Neuro Surgeon.
We have decided to put Ananda back in the nursery with his teacher there , who says she will be able to take care of him as she knows him from when he first came to us.
He is clearly one of those that we will have to have a special needs classroom for.
Three of the other children that had stayed home for a week have been taken back and are now adjusting well, except for one child whom we will also send for some tests.
One of the boys Banwari’s mother is a widow and was unable to spend anytime with him. She was given a weeks pay, asked to quit her job and be with her son. We are now employing her at our sewing centre for twice as much as she was making milking cows and cleaning which did not give her anytime with Banwari.
Now she comes to school with him, attends her classes and does some sewing for the school children. After school they both go home together.
Banwari is now more settled in the temporary special class we have created for the children that were not coping.
We also want to make some special classes for children who are gifted and hope to do this after the summer.
Overwhelming response!
All our posting have received a positive response, please see below...
Sat.21st 3pm USA pacific time:
I just got information that Khemchand treatment has been sponsored.
This is very good news. Thank You Nilesh Patel, UK.
Updates on Khemchand,
Khemchand will be treated for diabetes and T.B.
It should be about Rs 4,000 in medicine , Rs 1000 for tests. But he needs to have a proper diet and that may cost at least 1000 per month for about 8 months.
So it is 4,000 + 1,000 + 8,000. Total of 13,000 rupees or GBP: 156.
Anyone for this poor chap with a numerous family?
Ys
rupa
Sat.21st 3pm USA pacific time:
I just got information that Khemchand treatment has been sponsored.
This is very good news. Thank You Nilesh Patel, UK.
Updates on Khemchand,
Khemchand will be treated for diabetes and T.B.
It should be about Rs 4,000 in medicine , Rs 1000 for tests. But he needs to have a proper diet and that may cost at least 1000 per month for about 8 months.
So it is 4,000 + 1,000 + 8,000. Total of 13,000 rupees or GBP: 156.
Anyone for this poor chap with a numerous family?
Ys
rupa
Thank you Bhakta Giovanni from Italy
Bhakta Giovanni will be donating for this family on a regular basis,
sure he will get the mercy of the Brajabasi and Krsna!
One more very needy mother with three children. She has three kids whose name is Laxmi 15yrs, Vriendra 12yrs and Anil 10yrs old. All are studying. Her father had died eight months ago. He was murdered by enemy.
After that her mother left that place and come to Vrindavan. Here she lives in small rent room paying Rs-300/month rent. She works as a cook in an Ashram and she earns Rs500 a month and she takes food from an Asharm to eat.
Her three kids are studying in 4th grade, 6th grade and 8th grade in other school. Fees of all three kids are Rs 380 a month and study material is Rs 3000/- per year.
Can anyone help her?
Laxmi, Vriendra, and Anil
sure he will get the mercy of the Brajabasi and Krsna!
One more very needy mother with three children. She has three kids whose name is Laxmi 15yrs, Vriendra 12yrs and Anil 10yrs old. All are studying. Her father had died eight months ago. He was murdered by enemy.
After that her mother left that place and come to Vrindavan. Here she lives in small rent room paying Rs-300/month rent. She works as a cook in an Ashram and she earns Rs500 a month and she takes food from an Asharm to eat.
Her three kids are studying in 4th grade, 6th grade and 8th grade in other school. Fees of all three kids are Rs 380 a month and study material is Rs 3000/- per year.
Can anyone help her?
Laxmi, Vriendra, and Anil
Thank you Barry from UK
Barry has kindly donated for these girl's needs.
Namrata and Priyanshi two sisters studying in SMS. Their father died four years ago by a heart-attack. Her mother is working in SMS Nursery.
They need help to cope with following expenses:
Rent of Room- Rs 800/ month
Gas stove & Cylinder - Rs 3,000/-
Ceiling Fan - Rs 1,200/-
2 bed @Rs600 - Rs 1,200/-
Namrata and Priyanshi two sisters studying in SMS. Their father died four years ago by a heart-attack. Her mother is working in SMS Nursery.
They need help to cope with following expenses:
Rent of Room- Rs 800/ month
Gas stove & Cylinder - Rs 3,000/-
Ceiling Fan - Rs 1,200/-
2 bed @Rs600 - Rs 1,200/-
Thank you Harsha!
Harsha from UK has offered to help this old man.
Thank you Harsha.
He has got tooth cancer in the initial stage and the doctor said it can be cured. The expences Rs15,000--Rs 20,000. Can we help him?
Ramgopal Saxena
Thank you Harsha.
He has got tooth cancer in the initial stage and the doctor said it can be cured. The expences Rs15,000--Rs 20,000. Can we help him?
Ramgopal Saxena
A kind soul has paid for her treatment.
Guddi is doing well and we thank Project Balaram from Vrindavan who has helped her.
Thank you.
A lady whose name is Guddi from Bari Atas village, 26 yrs old, mother of three children. Her husband is labourer. She is admitted in hospital because she slipped while fetching water from the well.
She is suffering from stable compressed of D12 vertebral body for which she require a M.R.I scan immediately. Cost Rs 10,000 - 15,000. and more expenses for treatment.
Anyone out there who wish to help her? Or better help us to help her, we are going ahead and paying for the expenses, hoping that some kind soul will cover for her.
Thanks
YS rupa
Thank you.
A lady whose name is Guddi from Bari Atas village, 26 yrs old, mother of three children. Her husband is labourer. She is admitted in hospital because she slipped while fetching water from the well.
She is suffering from stable compressed of D12 vertebral body for which she require a M.R.I scan immediately. Cost Rs 10,000 - 15,000. and more expenses for treatment.
Anyone out there who wish to help her? Or better help us to help her, we are going ahead and paying for the expenses, hoping that some kind soul will cover for her.
Thanks
YS rupa
What a difference!
I just landed in San Francisco after a week in China. I already miss Vrindavan, even though I must say that I enjoy some quietness and the western facilities....
I just got an apdate from our doctor she has brought that little Radha with the broken leg to the school and she is planning on bringing her daily. When the girl saw the room with a fan, she was amazed and she said, "hooo! here is very good, you even have a panka (fan)".
Also the swimming pool is good and kids are enjoying so much!
Thanks Pratiba for sponsoring the playground and swimming pool.
I just got an apdate from our doctor she has brought that little Radha with the broken leg to the school and she is planning on bringing her daily. When the girl saw the room with a fan, she was amazed and she said, "hooo! here is very good, you even have a panka (fan)".
Also the swimming pool is good and kids are enjoying so much!
Thanks Pratiba for sponsoring the playground and swimming pool.
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