A Copy of my Departure Letter given to the General Secretary:
Dear Mr. Sircar,
My time in Ranaghat has been incredible. Each day brought with it new experiences and fond memories which I will take with me always. I want to first and foremost begin with a big thank you for your invitation to volunteer with the YMCA of Calcutta. Your assistance and guidance from the beginning until the very end has been commendable and very much appreciated. Your kindness and generosity has gone above and beyond any possible expectation.
Most would view India as an overpopulated underdeveloped country with great suffering and poverty. This may be true to an extent but looking beyond the exterior persona you will find there is much more that makes up India. My impression of India is that it is a land filled with many precious gifts. India is rich in cultural heritage, rich in history, and rich in pride for the homeland. Countless signs are strewn about in every street corner and village reading "My India Is Great!" India possesses many gifts such as the gift of agriculture, the gift of ancient religious heritage, the gift of music and dance, the gift of its captivating and wonderful people, and most of all, the gift of its youth. It was this precious gift of India that I got to know first hand during my stay here and became most familiar with. Coming to experience India’s children first hand was by far the best gift I could have received. Without a doubt, it is an important fact to realize that the children are our future. This is a widely understood concept in the YMCA I know and love in the United States. Having come to India to experience the YMCA abroad, I can say confidently that this is not a new concept to India either. What the YMCA is doing and has done for the youth of India is of great value to the future prosperity of the YMCA in India on the micro level and the prosperity of the entire country on the macro level.
I have seen what many would say to be the poor, spoiled, disheveled, and uneducated children from the streets, the lowest of the low. This surface image however is not one to be leaned on firmly as it holds very little weight. What I have seen at the YMCA Girls Home in Ranaghat from a large group of street girls from Kolkata are their true colors. I’m quite sure actually I’ve been honored with the pleasure of meeting the most beautiful young girls in all India! They possess the largest and most sincere smiles of pleasure and excitement I’ve ever seen. Along with their bright and glowing exterior lies a truly captivating interior within each girl. These children are in fact filled with thought provoking, creative, and intelligent minds. The potential and drive they possess to become educated young women is clearly visible with a brief look into their deep brown eyes. Having been engaged with these children for three and a half months through all their daily activities and busy schedule of events I can say confidently that there is hope in these girls for a brighter tomorrow. With the aid that the YMCA of Calcutta and World Vision of India is providing in developing the future generations, it’s clear India has much to look forward to and a thriving future ahead. Each tiny body being nourished, mind being educated, and soul being loved, is a beautiful human being, a light amongst darkness.
As the initial steps have been taken, it is my prediction and pledge to continue to grow this relationship between Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks and the YMCA of Calcutta. The possibilities for both our YMCA’s to benefit from a unique and prosperous relationship are abundant. With the help from both sides to remain in touch and continue to live the YMCA philosophy I see a bright future ahead. In terms of my purpose here in India, to engage with, educate, and care for the 53 young girls from the streets of Kolkata, I did the absolute best I could. While attempting to adapt to several aspects of a new environment such as climate, cuisine, and language, in time I believe I was able to contribute to the YMCA wholeheartedly as I intended. However, selfishly I must admit that without a doubt it was the young girls from the YMCA Girls Home who benefited less in this exchange as I am sure they taught me far more that I did to them. For this, I am truthfully indebted.
A thousand thanks to Mr. Sircar, Mr. Sampson, and all those who I shared my days with at the YMCA Girls Home in Ranaghat, especially my 53 wonderful little gifts, complete with a bow in each braid.
Sincerely,
Timothy M. Losee
Ranchi YMCA
Kat, Alison, and I spent the last 5 days on a YMCA exposure visit to Ranchi in the state of Jarkhand. Mr. Sircar was kind enough to organize this trip for us to visit another YMCA and become familiar with their programs as they differ from Y to Y across the country. After a 9 hour overnight train ride we were greeted in the morning by the General Secretary of the Ranchi YMCA, Mr. Sanga. He was a very jovial man with a likable personality who spoke perfect English. He fulfilled the description of what a Y Secretary should be in my opinion. Confident, personable, humorous, incredibly hospitable, knowledgeable of all things Y related, and very relaxed, surprisingly relaxed in fact considering the vast number of programs under his supervision I was soon the find out about. The Ranchi YMCA consists of 5 Secretaries all responsible for various sites and programs and then Mr. Sanga, General Secretary of the central branch. Considering that Ranchi is the capital of Jarkhand, though a newly established capital in 2000, and that is has only begun to see large population growth in the past 10 years, the level of programming that the YMCA has established in this small city is extremely commendable. Since 1969 the Ranchi YMCA has been able to take giant steps towards the betterment of the community and with each step has left a large footprint. I couldn’t possibly explain all the programming that is going on because it would be too much so here are just some vague examples of the programming established by the Ranchi YMCA. The YMCA established, maintains, and oversees hostel services, nationally affiliated high school youth groups, nationally affiliated university youth groups, Religious Emphasis Committee, English Medium School, Sports (table tennis, volleyball, badminton, soccer, field hockey), Urban Slum Development Program, Village Reconstruction Program, Social and Economic Development of Tribals, Health Care Center, Youth Access to Reproductive Health Services, Family Health Clinic, and Vocational Training Centers (computer, typewriting, stenography, tailoring and embroidery, stitching, spoken English, banking, fabric and oil paining, fine arts, etc.). I could go on for pages about each program specifically and the incredible impact it is having on the community. In many ways this YMCA can really be seen as a model for how things should and can be done effectively through YMCA programming. All in all the impact the YMCA reaches to many thousands of students, patients, and members in a given year providing those people a service they otherwise would not be able to receive due to lack of availability or lack of money. It was really a pleasure to experience the YMCA at its best here in India and get know other types of programming aside from those familiar to me through the YMCA of Calcutta. My hat goes off to the Ranchi YMCA and its leaders.
See Photos Below
See Photos Below
Sports Fest 2009
Yesterday marked one of the most exciting and highly anticipated days of the year for the girls here in Ranaghat. Sports Fest 2009! Aside from a few pictures I had seen from the previous year I knew very little about what to expect of this annual sports day, only that is was to be a lot of fun. Getting a day off from school in the middle of week didn’t sound too bad to the girls either so we were all very excited to say the least. The sponsor for the event was the World Vision of India directors and it took place here at the Girls Home on the very grounds we play on daily. Yesterday morning the grounds were transformed into a wonderful sporting arena outlined by colorful flags, a small tent area to keep cool from the midday’s sun, a sound system for music and mic, and complete with chalked running lanes for the events. Weeks before the event the girls had been split up into four teams (YMCA colors: red, blue, green, yellow) evenly distributed by height. Also, the events were given before hand so the team captains could assign the best suited girl for each event. The events included balancing races, relays, 50m sprint, 50m hurdles, and several completely obscure but hilarious events like a putting on makeup race or threading a needle race. As well as these great events the day brought with it a chance for all the girl’s families to visit and share a catered lunch for everyone present. Kat, Alison, and I sat back and enjoyed the festivities as were true spectators and photographers for the event. It was truly a splendid day. In the end, a winner was declared and the red team came up victorious. But still, in the true spirit of the YMCA, all the girls were awarded a wonderful gift for their participation. Toy tea sets, puzzles, doll house accessories, and salwars (Indian clothing for girls) were some of the well deserved prizes distributed. Out of the 100 photos I took of the event, I’ve provided some of my favorites below!
Feb 11th - Holy Wednesday
At 5:30am the alarm on my watch begins to beep however two hours earlier than normal. The reason for this change in schedule is it is the morning of the annual Holy Wednesday celebration. Mr. Sircar, the General Secretary of the YMCA Calcutta, made the trip the night before to the Girls Home in Ranaghat so that he could attend and accompany Kat, Alison, and I on this very special day. 6am and we are piling into Mr. Sircar’s private jeep to take us to Chapra, 1.5 hours north or Ranaghat. It is there that the large celebration has been organized and beginning the previous day with food and dancing will host the holy day’s continuous activities. Just as Kat, Alison, and I were asking ourselves, you might be wondering what celebration in the Christian calendar we could be celebrating on Feb 11th. Well, don’t bother pulling out your calendar or bible to search for any such day. The celebration of Holy Wednesday is a locally celebrated Christian holiday recognized by followers in West Bengal, some neighboring states, and also Bangladesh. Chapra is located very near to the Bangladesh India border and on this special day citizens from Bangladesh are allowed to cross the border to celebrate together in Chapra. This year marked the114th annual celebration of Holy Wednesday and expected to see upwards of 10,000 visitors to Chapra. As told to me from our General Secretary, Mr. Sampson, 113 years ago a serious drought struck the land of Chapra and caused the local farmers much distress and worry for their lives depended on the success of their crop. So like good Christians the farmers turned to prayer and asked God to please save their land. A short time after their prayers were answered and a large burst of rain splashed down on them saving their crop and returning their hope for survival. It was said by Mr. Sampson that at the moment the rain fell the farmers believed they were being visited by the Holy Spirit and they began speaking in tongues and convulsing. It is this miracle of the Holy Spirit answering their prayers and visiting the farmers that we celebrate on Holy Wednesday. We arrived just in time for mass to begin and grabbed a seat close to the alter. By seat, I mean a spot on the ground covered with hay. We were surrounded by people all sitting beside each other in this massive pavilion made entirely of bamboo shafts for the frame and clothe for walls. If you didn’t look closely you would believe that this was a beautiful church made of stone painted beautifully. But in fact this was only a temporary structure built for the event that will be dismantled following the passing of Holy Wednesday. After lighting a candle at the alter and bowing our heads in prayer (as today was the most important day of prayer for it is believed that any prayer made today will be surely be answered) we awaited the beginning of the mass. This special day brought many priests to Chapra to share in the celebration as the alter/stage was filled with people. Spoken completely in Bengali, therefore difficult to determine what was being said, it was a spirited sermon filled with songs, bowing of heads, and the Eucharist just like the typical Roman Catholic mass I am used to from my childhood. After a brief tour around the grounds and a small meet and greet of Mr. Sircar’s relatives who live locally, it was back in the Jeep to head home to Ranaghat. Another unforgettable experience in the books.
Pictures Below
Pictures Below
Village Women’s Cooperative
A recent 20 minute rickshaw ride led me to the rural villages of Ranaghat surrounded by large fields of rice patties, giant chutes of bamboo, and small ponds as green as the overgrown grass bordering them. The purpose of this visit while accompanied by our General Secretary Mr. Sampson was to allow Kat and Alison a chance to see the Village Women’s Cooperative program set up by the YMCA Girls Home. The idea of the Village Women’s Cooperative is quite simple. There are several villages within close proximity to each other on the outskirts of Ranaghat that are inhibited by a large majority of women during the day while the husbands, sons, and any elderly able bodied men are out earning a few rupees a day doing any number of possible jobs nearby. These could vary from rickshaw wallah, machine operator, craftsman, shop owner or assistant, just to name a few. That leaves the women of the villages limited to doing the necessities around the house such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, and caring for the children. This however does not result in any additional income for the family so health and prosperity of the family relies solely on the back of a male provider who may be earning just barely enough ($1- $2 US dollars a day if lucky) to feed the family. With this reality in mind the YMCA decided to begin the Village Women’s Cooperative program to stimulate some more income for the families of the local villages. The program consisted of forming 14 village women’s groups ranging from 12-20 members per group (designated by the amount of available participants per village), therefore resulting in a membership of approximately 200-250 women in total. The YMCA’s initial investment in the program consisted of bringing the women’s groups to the YMCA for a variety of trainings. Examples of training the women received varied from skills such as sewing (using a sewing machine, making clothes, repairing, etc.), making crafts to sell in the market, agricultural training, gardening, animal cultivation, as well as training in management of funds. Another initial YMCA investment of seeds for rice allowed the village groups to get started and from that point on they have been responsible for full maintenance of the program. Now, some years later, Kat, Alison, and I bared witness to a thriving Women’s Cooperative in which each woman involved has a savings account at the local bank, each group has a group administrator, and a single female governing official of the entire Women’s Cooperative who was trained in administration at the YMCA is responsible for maintaining the prosperity and success of the Women’s Cooperative. An individual group consisting of 12-20 members maintains a certain trade or skill in which to earn their income. Specific examples I was able to witness included: vegetable gardens, raising goats, cows, chickens, and fish, or harvesting rice to name a few. Finally, the last part of the Village Women’s Cooperative Program consists of providing a medical professional to do health physicals for the participating women. The YMCA has arranged for a doctor to meet twice a week in the village to dispense medicine where necessary, treat any illnesses where possible, and provide a check up for any expecting mothers to ensure the mother has a healthy pregnancy. With these services and trainings supported by the YMCA the women of these villages now have the ability to contribute financially to their families, receive free healthcare, and work together as a large group toward a common goal. A common YMCA slogan I’ve heard a hundred times in the U.S. seems to resonate here very well in India as well, “YMCA - Building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities."
Pictures below
Pictures below
Fun in the sun
Sunday, February 1st marked one of my favorite days so far with the girls in Ranaghat. Sunday is normally a very lazy day for the girls as they get a break from their weekly scedule filled with studying and activities of all sorts. A typical Sunday is filled with lounging in front of the TV or napping. However on this Sunday a miracle happened and the power was out for most of the day, theref0re making it impossible to sit in front of the tv, the result, a beautful day in the sun. The girls joined us for most of the morning and afternoon in a variety of outdoor activities. Badminton, Frisbee, Cricket, and other games made this day one of my favorites! Check out some picures below.
Didis!
Kat and Alison have settled in and the three of us are full steam ahead with our efforts to contribute to our Ranghat YMCA. Our contributions vary from day to day according to the girl's schedule but consist of: studying with and tutoring the girls in each class, English, Hindi, and Bengali, teaching new songs and games daily, helping here and there with some cooking and cleaning, participating in their many classes including computer, sewing, dance, and table tennis. The excitement and pleasure shown on the girl's faces is priceless now that they have two new didis (elder sister) to spend time with.
Neighbors!
I spent the last couple days in Kolkata where I greeted the other 2/3 rds of the Silver Bay Team at the airport. Katlyn Cronin and Alison Rutkowski arrived from JFK with a little jetlag from the long flight but with big smiles as their Indian Adventure is just beginning. Together we all made the trip to Ranaghat where we all will be located for the remainder of our volunteer work here in India. Together we will all continue being engaged with the girls at the YMCA and participating in and supporting their daily activities. Katlyn in a graduate of Springfield College as well where she was a Youth Development major and an active member of the YMCA club. Alison Rutkowski is a graduate of Boston University with a degree in Psychology. I have had the pleasure of working closely with both of them at Silver Bay as we were all Children's Leaders this past summer. I'm really excited because I know they bring a lot to the table when it comes to working with children and being positive role models. With the trio now complete there will be lots more experience and various types of expertise that we can share with the girls at the Home and the local village groups. Silver Bay is here in full effect.
Ponch Bardo (Bengali for "5 Monkeys")
I woke up Monday morning unlike most mornings. I was up earlier than normal before the alarm on my watch went off and couldn't fall back asleep. For those of you who have experienced this you know it is usually quite annoying. But I took it as an opportunity to get an early start and walk around a bit before my breakfast was ready. As I approached the Y vocational center where the girls live I was greeted as any other day with "Good Morning Sir" from those I passed. Then, unlike any other morning I was approached by one of our youngest, a six year old named Sakila. She is a Bengali medium student so speaks little to no English but proceded to tug on my shirt and said "Sir Monkey, Sir Monkey" with a big smile on her face. I thought surely something was lost in translation and thought she may have been refering to one of the girls stuffed animals or something as she pulled me into the playground and pointed up at the veranda connected to the girls rooms. Sure enough, I looked up and spotted a huge Gray Langur Monkey perched above the veranda in a very human like pose simlar to that of the famous "Thinker" sculpture by Auguste Rodin. I was definitly shocked by its size as it was about the size of a 6 year old. I immediatly ran back to my guest house and grabbed my camera to capture this rare moment. When I returned I got some great pictures and videos of what ended up being a colony of 5 monkeys who apparently normally venture out of the woods to rural and urban areas when food supplies are low. It was a very cool site to see as I have never seen monkeys this up close and personal.With little hesitation I apologized to Sakila for doubting her and thanked her graciously in her native tongue with "onek dohnohbaad" (Thank you very much). Had I woke up on time as usual Monday morning by the time I would have been at breakfast I would have missed our unexpected guests as they were soon scared off to find another house to dine with. Makes me wonder what other cool stuff am I missing while I'm asleep?
A Brief History and Information
The current site which I am a guest of has a unique and successful history and from what I hear the YMCA has built a strong reputation locally over the years. In a country atmosphere dominated by Christians with Muslims and Hindus mixed in The Calcutta YMCA Boy’s Home was established in June 1970 in the town of Ranaghat, Nadia District, West Bengal. The Boy’s Home was sort of a satellite campus of the YMCA Calcutta. YMCA Calcutta has several sites in the city of Calcutta as well which encompass a number of things including: hostel guest quarters for those in transit, recreation facilities (badminton, billiards, table tennis, and basketball), community outreach programs, and professional instruction for a variety of skills.
During the time between 1970 and 2002 the 14 acre YMCA campus here in Ranaghat was home to upwards of 80 boys all of whom were selected because of their poor living circumstances, many of them living in the streets of Calcutta. It was at this site that they received three square meals a day, proper education at the local schools, sufficient clothes, and most importantly proper guidance and tutelage from their care-takers. The boys kept up a pretty rigorous daily schedule that included 6 am wake up call, 6 hours of school, 2.5 hours of gardening, 2 hours of studying, 1 hour of prayer, and1 hour of games. All this in a given day as well as visits from private tutors and trade specialist to instruct the boys weekly. The Boy’s Home also took part regularly in community outreach programs and was often visited by distinguished guest the likes of Mother Teresa, the Vice President of India, and other General Secretaries from YMCA’s across the world. The Calcutta YMCA Terry Waite Vocational Training Center was inaugurated on site in August 1991 as an additional building to educate the boys and give them opportunities to thrive as adults. From what I have heard the Boy’s Home was a great success as many of the boys have gone on from the Home, leaving at about age 16 after 10th grade, to become successful in their trade or business ventures. The reasoning behind the Boy’s Home coming to an end and the facilities becoming vacant was largely due to lack of sponsorship and funding being pulled. Before the YMCA Boy’s Home’s inception the buildings that once housed the boys were used as a hospital that was established in 1916. As you can imagine the buildings were in need of a lot of repair and maintenance became too costly.
From 2002 until some time in 2004 the Ranaghat campus was shut down. It was 2005 when the Boy’s Home became a Girl’s Home and still many of the buildings were not able to be maintained so therefore unusable. This left the YMCA with the fairly new Terry Waite Vocational Training Center which is now the sole building in use on site. The building is home to 52 girls ages 5-16 years old, several staff members, and classrooms. The purpose of the Girl’s Home is very similar to that of the original Boy’s Home just a different gender and on a much smaller scale. The majority of the girls are from Calcutta and were recommended by local community leaders as candidates for sponsorship. They are not necessarily orphans though this site looks very much like an orphanage from the exterior, many of them have single parents or their parents are too poor to care for them so they were living on the footpaths or the streets begging for money and food. The YMCA is their place of residence and takes responsibility for their care however the main sponsorship and the source of their financial needs comes from an organization called World Vision India. World Vision has approved the selection of the girls and representatives make occasional stops to the YMCA to visit and see that all is in order. Without the support of World Vision India the YMCA would not be able to maintain this facility with its current services I am told. Along with the huge task of looking after all the girls well-being and education the General Secretary of this site, Mr. Surogit Sampson, offers other resources to the community as well. The Girl’s Home in Ranaghat offers training to local citizens in a variety of trades such as electrical work, business, cooking, and electronics. Also, Mr. Sampson has established 14 local village women’s groups that work together to produce goods and products to sell in the market. The women’s groups are in the process of maintaining their own self-sustaining income and have opened about 100 bank accounts for all those involved. I have had the opportunity to visit these village sites and though they are living very primitively all their basic needs are being met and their appreciation of the YMCA’s contribution is clear. So needless to say the General Secretary Mr. Sampson is a busy man and spends all his time keeping up with these projects.
As for me, my day is mostly spent engaged with the girls. The site has employed one Home Mother who’s only responsibility is to look after the girls. However, this is a tough task due to the large number of them and the many needs they have. Similar to the Boy’s Home the girls keep up a daily schedule which includes studying, prayer, school, cleaning, bathing, and rest time. I have breakfast at 8 am and the rest of the day is spent mingling with the girls making sure they are on task and following their schedule. The girls are split up into 3 groups based on what their choice language of study is. The girls who are enrolled in Bengali Medium are studying the local Bengali language and they will be able to stay in the Ranaghat Girl’s Home until 9th grade, then they must go home where they will hopefully continue studying or become employed. The girls enrolled in Hindi Medium are studying the national language of India and will be at the Girl’s Home only until grade 4, then sent home. Lastly, those enrolled in English Medium are studying English among other subjects like math, science, physics, history etc. and will be at the Girl’s Home through grade 10. The girl’s recreation time is between 4 and 6 pm so we are always outside in the grass learning new games and having fun during this time. Sharks and minnows as well as giants, wizards, and elves are among their favorite games by far. The girls have taught me a few new games that I haven’t seen before so that is always exciting. Some days I visit the local market with Y staff to run errands or visit the local villages and check in on their progress. Since the Girl’s Home is relatively new and the first girls admitted are just not entering their last year of studies, the success of this program has not been fully determined. We anticipate a large success rate as the Boy’s Home was able to produce however many of the leaders involved in the success of the Boy’s Home are not involved here. At times I noticed that issues such as discipline, being on time, hygiene, and manners have been a problem with some of the girls. This is not surprising having seen the conditions first hand in Calcutta they were brought up in and used to for so long. With that in mind I have teamed up with the older girls who are looked up to take a leadership role with me and established a reward system. I recently sat down with all the girls and explained to them some of the characteristics of the YMCA in the US and the four core value system that is practiced. I explained to them (with much translation from the English students) that caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are very important qualities to have; as the emphasis of these values appear to be absent from any YMCA site I’ve seen in India so far therefore unfamiliar to them. I told the girls I would be keeping my eyes open for those who exhibited these qualities and through deliberation with the older girls would choose one girl for each core value to receive a small prize weekly. I was able to purchase some string from the marketplace to create some colorful bracelets that I will make and then present to them in a mock “Bead Ceremony” India style. My hopes are that this may raise a little awareness of the four core values and hopefully motivate some to pay closer attention to their actions. I think in turn developing these good habits and strong qualities will only benefit them as they leave Ranaghat and enter a much different lifestyle outside the gates. One in which they must fend for themselves again, try to continue their education, enter the workplace, or get lucky and find a rich husband! Whether this will be a successful system or a flop is yet to be determined but in time we will see. Meanwhile, my contribution to the YMCA thus far consist of giving these girls some much needed attention, care, and letting them know that someone in interested in their happiness and well-being as for many of them this is not a common feeling and I sense means a lot to them.
During the time between 1970 and 2002 the 14 acre YMCA campus here in Ranaghat was home to upwards of 80 boys all of whom were selected because of their poor living circumstances, many of them living in the streets of Calcutta. It was at this site that they received three square meals a day, proper education at the local schools, sufficient clothes, and most importantly proper guidance and tutelage from their care-takers. The boys kept up a pretty rigorous daily schedule that included 6 am wake up call, 6 hours of school, 2.5 hours of gardening, 2 hours of studying, 1 hour of prayer, and1 hour of games. All this in a given day as well as visits from private tutors and trade specialist to instruct the boys weekly. The Boy’s Home also took part regularly in community outreach programs and was often visited by distinguished guest the likes of Mother Teresa, the Vice President of India, and other General Secretaries from YMCA’s across the world. The Calcutta YMCA Terry Waite Vocational Training Center was inaugurated on site in August 1991 as an additional building to educate the boys and give them opportunities to thrive as adults. From what I have heard the Boy’s Home was a great success as many of the boys have gone on from the Home, leaving at about age 16 after 10th grade, to become successful in their trade or business ventures. The reasoning behind the Boy’s Home coming to an end and the facilities becoming vacant was largely due to lack of sponsorship and funding being pulled. Before the YMCA Boy’s Home’s inception the buildings that once housed the boys were used as a hospital that was established in 1916. As you can imagine the buildings were in need of a lot of repair and maintenance became too costly.
From 2002 until some time in 2004 the Ranaghat campus was shut down. It was 2005 when the Boy’s Home became a Girl’s Home and still many of the buildings were not able to be maintained so therefore unusable. This left the YMCA with the fairly new Terry Waite Vocational Training Center which is now the sole building in use on site. The building is home to 52 girls ages 5-16 years old, several staff members, and classrooms. The purpose of the Girl’s Home is very similar to that of the original Boy’s Home just a different gender and on a much smaller scale. The majority of the girls are from Calcutta and were recommended by local community leaders as candidates for sponsorship. They are not necessarily orphans though this site looks very much like an orphanage from the exterior, many of them have single parents or their parents are too poor to care for them so they were living on the footpaths or the streets begging for money and food. The YMCA is their place of residence and takes responsibility for their care however the main sponsorship and the source of their financial needs comes from an organization called World Vision India. World Vision has approved the selection of the girls and representatives make occasional stops to the YMCA to visit and see that all is in order. Without the support of World Vision India the YMCA would not be able to maintain this facility with its current services I am told. Along with the huge task of looking after all the girls well-being and education the General Secretary of this site, Mr. Surogit Sampson, offers other resources to the community as well. The Girl’s Home in Ranaghat offers training to local citizens in a variety of trades such as electrical work, business, cooking, and electronics. Also, Mr. Sampson has established 14 local village women’s groups that work together to produce goods and products to sell in the market. The women’s groups are in the process of maintaining their own self-sustaining income and have opened about 100 bank accounts for all those involved. I have had the opportunity to visit these village sites and though they are living very primitively all their basic needs are being met and their appreciation of the YMCA’s contribution is clear. So needless to say the General Secretary Mr. Sampson is a busy man and spends all his time keeping up with these projects.
As for me, my day is mostly spent engaged with the girls. The site has employed one Home Mother who’s only responsibility is to look after the girls. However, this is a tough task due to the large number of them and the many needs they have. Similar to the Boy’s Home the girls keep up a daily schedule which includes studying, prayer, school, cleaning, bathing, and rest time. I have breakfast at 8 am and the rest of the day is spent mingling with the girls making sure they are on task and following their schedule. The girls are split up into 3 groups based on what their choice language of study is. The girls who are enrolled in Bengali Medium are studying the local Bengali language and they will be able to stay in the Ranaghat Girl’s Home until 9th grade, then they must go home where they will hopefully continue studying or become employed. The girls enrolled in Hindi Medium are studying the national language of India and will be at the Girl’s Home only until grade 4, then sent home. Lastly, those enrolled in English Medium are studying English among other subjects like math, science, physics, history etc. and will be at the Girl’s Home through grade 10. The girl’s recreation time is between 4 and 6 pm so we are always outside in the grass learning new games and having fun during this time. Sharks and minnows as well as giants, wizards, and elves are among their favorite games by far. The girls have taught me a few new games that I haven’t seen before so that is always exciting. Some days I visit the local market with Y staff to run errands or visit the local villages and check in on their progress. Since the Girl’s Home is relatively new and the first girls admitted are just not entering their last year of studies, the success of this program has not been fully determined. We anticipate a large success rate as the Boy’s Home was able to produce however many of the leaders involved in the success of the Boy’s Home are not involved here. At times I noticed that issues such as discipline, being on time, hygiene, and manners have been a problem with some of the girls. This is not surprising having seen the conditions first hand in Calcutta they were brought up in and used to for so long. With that in mind I have teamed up with the older girls who are looked up to take a leadership role with me and established a reward system. I recently sat down with all the girls and explained to them some of the characteristics of the YMCA in the US and the four core value system that is practiced. I explained to them (with much translation from the English students) that caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are very important qualities to have; as the emphasis of these values appear to be absent from any YMCA site I’ve seen in India so far therefore unfamiliar to them. I told the girls I would be keeping my eyes open for those who exhibited these qualities and through deliberation with the older girls would choose one girl for each core value to receive a small prize weekly. I was able to purchase some string from the marketplace to create some colorful bracelets that I will make and then present to them in a mock “Bead Ceremony” India style. My hopes are that this may raise a little awareness of the four core values and hopefully motivate some to pay closer attention to their actions. I think in turn developing these good habits and strong qualities will only benefit them as they leave Ranaghat and enter a much different lifestyle outside the gates. One in which they must fend for themselves again, try to continue their education, enter the workplace, or get lucky and find a rich husband! Whether this will be a successful system or a flop is yet to be determined but in time we will see. Meanwhile, my contribution to the YMCA thus far consist of giving these girls some much needed attention, care, and letting them know that someone in interested in their happiness and well-being as for many of them this is not a common feeling and I sense means a lot to them.
Christmas Time
It has been very clear that Christmas is in the air as the girls have been exploding with energy day and night. Much time has been dedicated to decorating the grounds and making everything look festive with lights, ribbons, and balloons! We even had a cd player with two large speakers delivered via rickshaw so we can play music day and night. The girls have been enjoying themselves dancing in the courtyard and munching on christmas treats. I had an opportunity to take a walk and see the local decorations and since this is a mainly Christian area many people decorated extensively. So that was nice to see and all the white lights and decorations made me feel right at home minus the Hindi Christmas music. I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of two other Silver Bayers and good friends of mine Katlyn Cronin and Alison Rutkowski. They will be arriving in the next couple weeks to volunteer their knowledge and expertise to these girls and gain their own perspective of the YMCA in India. Together we will be assisting with the villiage support programs, daily management of the the Girls Home in Ranaghat where we will be staying, as well as participating and contributing to other events that occur during our stay. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Everybody make a snow man for me
Visit to Kolkata
I spent the last two days in the City of Joy, Calcutta. I was there staying as a guest in the Calcutta YMCA located right in the heart of the city. During my visit I attended a nice Christmas Party hosted by Mr. Sircar, General Secretary, which was entirly in Bengali so I spent the majority of it enjoying the music! Highlights of the trip included a visit to St. Pauls Cathedral, the Indian Museum, and Queen Victoria's Palace. Parts of the trip I will never forget included being crammed in a train like sheep for two hours and pushing my way through thousands of people marching in the streets as I made my way to the metro. The chaos was a political demonstration by the D.Y.F.I. "liberal" communist party as elections are drawing near and the year comes to a close. Surely I will never forget seeing this city and all it's culture. But I am happy to call Ranaghat home for now as it is much more my style, cleaner air, a few less people, a lot more trees, and better food. All is very well, and the girls and I are having a lot of fun.
Pre Christmas Celebration
Dec 13th, as good a day as any to celebrate Christmas as far as we are concerned at the Y. Lots of preparation and work was done to make this day a success as we welcomed around 40 guests to our site to host the annual Pre Christmas Celebration. Among the guest were a high priest, President of Calcutta YMCA, Mr. Swaraj Sircar Secretary of Calcutta YMCA, board members, various other YMCA Secretaries, and all their families. I would say the day was definitly a hit and my Secretary Mr Sampson, has a huge wieght lifted off his shoulders as I saw his stress level slowly rising as the day grew closer. The girls were extremely helpful with all the plans and decorations as with preparing some beautiful dance and drama numbers for the celebration.
Each distinguished guest was able to take the stage and say some words about the last year in the YMCA and also to send thanks to Mr Sampson for hosting the event. Among those speeches was Mr. Swaraj Sircar, Secretary of the YMCA in Calcutta. Mr. Sircar spoke very elegantly and with sincerety. If ever there was doubt in my mind as to whether I am suppost to be here at this time it was completely laid to rest after his inspiring words. Mr Sircar gave many thanks to Silver Bay for their hospitality during his visit as well as recognized their efforts in organizing the exchange to have me in India. He thanked me for being their guest and joining their efforts in Ranaghat. Mr. Sircar spoke of the future YMCA. He spoke of the children and how their success here in Ranaghat will impact their lives and eventually all of our lives as they are the future. Mr. Sircar as well as the President of the YMCA Calcutta both shared some truly inspiring words. Th high priest as well gave a reading from the book of St Luke and gave much emphasis on three essential aspects of life. He said that faith sets the course, love strengthens the soul, and patience guides us till the end. I am seeing now very clearly the YMCA globally and how the Y worldwide is truly one global community and as I smirk to myself i'm feeling proud and happy.
Each distinguished guest was able to take the stage and say some words about the last year in the YMCA and also to send thanks to Mr Sampson for hosting the event. Among those speeches was Mr. Swaraj Sircar, Secretary of the YMCA in Calcutta. Mr. Sircar spoke very elegantly and with sincerety. If ever there was doubt in my mind as to whether I am suppost to be here at this time it was completely laid to rest after his inspiring words. Mr Sircar gave many thanks to Silver Bay for their hospitality during his visit as well as recognized their efforts in organizing the exchange to have me in India. He thanked me for being their guest and joining their efforts in Ranaghat. Mr. Sircar spoke of the future YMCA. He spoke of the children and how their success here in Ranaghat will impact their lives and eventually all of our lives as they are the future. Mr. Sircar as well as the President of the YMCA Calcutta both shared some truly inspiring words. Th high priest as well gave a reading from the book of St Luke and gave much emphasis on three essential aspects of life. He said that faith sets the course, love strengthens the soul, and patience guides us till the end. I am seeing now very clearly the YMCA globally and how the Y worldwide is truly one global community and as I smirk to myself i'm feeling proud and happy.
YMCA of Calcutta
My travels have taken me Ranaghat, India in the Nadia District of West Bengal. Ranaghat is the site of what used to be an affiliated YMCA of Calcutta home for boys. But these dormitories have since been abandoned and these days the site is home to 52 young girls of approximatly 1st to 8th grade. The Secretary of the Y, a very firendly Mr. Sampson, picked me up from the airport and rode with me the 1.5 hours north of Calcutta to Ranaghat. I have been greeted with much enthusiasm by several staff members and a beautiful flower lei that was draped over my neck as I exited the vehicle. My first three days on the 14 acre campus have been quite pleasent. Everybody is very concerned for my welfare and I can tell are concerned with my comfort. Food is an absolute non-issue. There is plenty of it, and the cooks have gone out of their way to make me many dishes according to my liking. Potatoes, vegetable soup, vegetable omelette, chicken, fish, bread, and the best honey tea I could ever imagine are on the menu regularly. The girls are in school all day learning many subjects including English class, Bengali, and Hindi. My time is spent with the girls in the afternoon for recreation time where we have had a lot of fun learning new games (elbow tag, spud, everybody's it, are favorites). I have been to the market several times which is a very eye opening experience and was able to purchase an electric converter and some bottled water, although we have filtered water in the kitchen that hasn't bothered me "yet". I am having lots of fun and next will come the task of learning all the girls names! The Ranaghat Y is hosting a christmas concert of sorts on the 13th in which the girls have been preparing some wonderful dance routines nightly. It will be after this time that I will start to venture out of the campus and into the villiages where Mr. Sampson and I will be starting some programming. All is very well! Check out the pictures, feel free to comment, Namaste.
Please Donate
Unfortunatly costs for this trip have added up quickly and there will be no income coming in from the YMCA in Calcutta as this is a strictly volunteer service trip. If anyone is interested in being a sponsor of the trip it would be greatly appreciated. Things such as air fare, medical shots, Indian Visa, etc. have been paid up front out of pocket. I have set up a Pay Pal account which is a popular and secure online banking system to make it more convenient for anyone interested in donating towards this trip. Any amount is welcomed as there is no minimum and your credit information is private not to be seen by myself or anyone else. Simply click on the Donate button and follow the prompts. Check this website occasionally to get up to date information on what I am doing specifically, where I am posted, who I am working with etc. And Thank you for your support!!
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