Harpal.. all the way from down under

Harpal came all the way from Australia. A warm and caring young man he spent his short stint at project why with the children of the special section.

catherine, a way with the kids

Catherine Lough spent six weeks at project why. Share her experience:

During the months of July and August 2009 I volunteered for six weeks as a teacher with Project Why, a charity based in New Delhi. Project Why offers educational support to over 700 children from underprivileged areas in Delhi, helping to supplement the education they gain at government school and widen their learning opportunities. The Project runs two early education programmes, one preparatory class, primary and secondary after school programmes, a computer centre and a day care and life skills class for 20 children with disabilities.

During my time at the Project I worked with the Junior Secondary Programme which was children aged 11 to 14 years old. The children attend the project for a half-day session, 5 days a week. I worked at the Okhla centre in the mornings teaching boys and at the Govind Puri centre in the afternoons teaching girls. I taught Mathematics, English and some Science. I tried to combine teaching important skills, such as English grammar or algebraic equations, with creative activities so that learning was more varied and interesting. I created grammar exercises, as well as using the pupils’ English language textbooks. The older children also wrote short essays or letters about topics such as their school, friendship or the environment.

It was useful to engage the children in conversation or debate. Whilst at school they do written English exercises, they often do not have the opportunity to practise spoken English. I was really impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and creativity. In a discussion about stereotypes and religious tolerance one student contributed some very mature insights, relating the idea of stereotypes to a film we had seen. After we had looked at a text on global warming, one boy created a wonderful poster on the environment, focusing upon different kinds of pollution. All the students were very willing to learn and this made teaching both interesting and enjoyable.

As well as written exercises, we occasionally cooked simple dishes with the children, such as fruit salad or stewed fruit. The children would not have the opportunity to eat different fruits at home, so it was interesting for them to sample fruits such as mangoes, bananas and pears. We asked the children to write the recipe in English so that they would learn vocabulary such as ‘cutting,’ ‘peeling’ ‘slicing’ etc. We went with a small group of girls to buy the fruits, and asked them to work out how much a certain amount of mangoes, for example, would cost, so that they could practise their Maths skills.

During my time at the project, there was an eclipse of the Sun. A fellow volunteer and I thought the eclipse was a good opportunity to teach the children about the solar system and space exploration. We took our class to the Delhi Planetarium where the show illustrated the discovery of planets in an exciting and entertaining way. After the visit, we constructed a model of the Solar System with papier-maché, balloons and paint with the girls. This was displayed in the classroom. They really enjoyed doing something creative and the exercise helped them to learn the order and size of the planets in a meaningful way.

If there was a significant event or festival, I tried to incorporate it into the lessons. For example, on Independence Day we prepared a comprehension text about the history of the Indian Independence movement. Comprehension exercises were a good way to introduce the children to new vocabulary and ideas. After we had discussed the text, we asked the children to create an acrostic poem about India, with each of the letters of ‘India’ or ‘Independence’ being used to create sentences describing different aspects of the country. The poems were fantastic, discussing respect for wildlife, democracy, the struggle for independence and the diversity of religions in India. One girl memorably ended her poem, ‘East or West, India is the best!’ On the visit to the Planetarium we had also visited Nehru’s house which helped the children to understand the history of August 15th.

At the Okhla centre on Saturday mornings the boys usually played games such as Ludo or Caramboard. This gave me the idea of creating a board game, based on Ludo, with educational questions on Science, Mathematics, English and Pictionary using English words. The children enjoyed the structure of the game while practising language and mathematical skills from their lessons. I enjoyed teaching Mathematics and, as I taught using an English-medium textbook, it also improved the children’s comprehension skills. I found the students’ level of Mathematics to be excellent.

I really enjoyed being a part of the Project, albeit in a small way. The children really benefit from the dedication of the permanent teachers at the Project and the different activities and opportunities on offer. I was really impressed by the conscientious attitude to learning of the children. All the students involved with the project achieve brilliant results in school exams and continue with their education.

It was difficult to say goodbye to the children. On my last day they gave me some pens and one girl invited me to her home to drink chai tea (which I am now a fan of)! I hope to remain involved with the project and would welcome an opportunity to volunteer there again.

Project Why is a worthwhile and inspiring programme, which makes a difference to the lives of many children. To enable it to carry out its work it is always in need of new sponsors and financial support.

Catherine Lough, August 2009

nina.. gentle ways of the heart

Nina came to us some as a long term volunteer in September 2008. It took her very little time to become one of us and to be part of our team. Nina teaches English to our teachers both at the main centre and at the women centre. She also helps us in various other matters such as fund raising and project writing. Her endearing smile and warm personality is loved by all.

But that is not where it ends. Nina knows how to look with her heart. She was touched by little Meher's plight and set on singlehandedly to rebuild this little girls' future.

Hannah.. truly the best

Hannah has been travelling for over a year now. She sometimes takes a break to volunteer with an organisation and she did just that with pwhy. During her stay with us Hannah undertook exciting craft projects with the special section and battled her way trying to teach proper English to a bunch of rowdy teenage girls. She will son leave us to wander the planet again!

flore...a remarkable young lady

Flore is just 19. See her at work and you will think she is way beyond that. Flore works with the most difficult of the disabled kids and loves it. Always looking for new ideas and activities Flore has taken her work really to heart and is the darling of her kids. She also undertook to renovate the special section classroom and he are all waiting to see how it will finally look!

jenine.. artist at heart

Jenine came all the way from Calgary in Canada. She spent six weeks with us. An artist by profession Jenine initiated several craft projects and set out to decorate the special section classroom. A warm and loving person Jenine was loved by all.

sarah..

Sarah was our second volunteer from Cambridge. She spent six weeks with us and taught at our second creche. In spite of a language barrier, Sarah managed to communicate with her colleagues and teach many new things to the children. Her commitment and dedication were truly exemplary. Even after she left Sarah did not forget her pwhy kids and sent them a huge hamper of toys for Xmas.

Xiong... a friend forever

Xiong spent a month with us. This serious young man from Singapore was a joy to have. He taught the secondary kids and the primary ones too. He brought new methods of teaching and shared them with our teachers. But above all it was his desire to try and understand things that was touching. An avid reader of the pwhy blog, Xiong still shares his views and thoughts that I value dearly.

sophie.. going all the way

Sophie did not just volunteer. She spent two months living in our newly set up women centre in the dead of winter taking care of our women, working with the children and helping us overcome our teething problems. Her lovely smile and calm ways endeared her to all.

opf...where hearts rule

It all began with an email and the words: I am interested in becoming part of pwhy! The rest is history. They have helped run our schools, funded many of our activities and gifted us thousands of books that now make the pwhy library! They are Willy, Lily, Gordon, Steve, Nick... or the omprakash foundation and they are one of kind!

sabrina and chris.. a matter of the heart

They came almost four years ago and decided to help us and boy they did. From helping sponsor open heart surgeries to helping set up our women centre, to being there a h time we needed them Sabrina and Chris are one of a kind.

They set up Aktion Lebenstretter and came every year to meet us and bring some sunshine into the lives of our children.

mathilde.. Heidi from the mountains

Mathilde came from a tiny village in the French Alps to the hustle and bustle of Delhi: a shock indeed. Yet she adapted to our ways in no time be it the spices in the food or the noisy kids.
She worked with the special kids who loved her. A karate expert she decided to teach karate to her very special wards an brought huge smiles on their faces!

mira and brian... saving a site

Mira ad Brain spent two short weeks with us. They were true saviours as they set about revamping our site that was really in need of a make over.

What was truly wonderful was that they understood the spirit of pwhy and managed to convey everything just the way we wanted it. It was a huge relief for me as I am the ones who normally webmasters for pwhy!

the sari kids.. learning to manage hearts

The Sari kids as we call them were a bunch of seven young and bright management students from a prime institution in France. They set up an organisation withing their school to help children in India and we were the chosen one.

During their stay they reached out to us in more ways than one teaching classes, repairing roofs and even taking the kids for a fascinating outing.

marla... a warm hearted mom

Marla is Mias' mom. She also came for a few weeks to volunteers with us and brought with her the love and compassion only a mom has.

She spent her time with the little ones who basked in her love unabashedly! Marla still spoils them and send huge gift hampers all the way from Arizona.

Mia..a smile to die for

Mia's smile would warm any heart or light the dreariest of days. She spent six sunny weeks with us. A very imaginative young lady, Mia brought fun and laughter to even the most boring task.

She worked with our hearing impaired girls and also with the foster care kids who still miss her

Lucy...

Lucy was our first volunteer from Cambridge and she came to us through Camvol a wonderful organisation. She spent six weeks with us working with our special kids for part of the day and with the primary girls of Sanjay Colony.

In spite of her young age and language problem, Lucy became a great favourite with all her students and colleagues who still talk of their Lucy Didi!

joe.. magic with a brush

Joe is an mural artist and he gifted project why two wonderful murals one depicting hot climate animals and the other cold climate ones. He spent part of the day in the excruciating heat, without a fan painting delightful animals on our stairwell.

But Joe also di much more as he worked with our hearing impaired girls who became his best pals and with the foster care kids. A very warm hearted human being indeed.

isabelle and stephane.. cybernuts

Isabelle and Stephane came all the way from Canada. They decided to spruce up and upgrade our computer centre and did so with great diligence.

They worked out lessons and tests and organised our rather haphazard cyber club. We are ever grateful to them for that!

Fen... a celebrity lenswoman

Wang Hui Fen was not truly a volunteer. She came with Kim as his photographer but somehow adopted us all. Fen too came twice and spent a lot of time with the children even giving Utpal his very first lesson in photography!

Here sensitive eye captured the very spirit pwhy in more ways than one.

Here is one of her very special picture.

elise... an indian at heart

Elise has come to us twice and booked her ticket for her next visit. She is an Indian at heart and in more ways than one. When with us. Elise spends her time with the smaller kids who now consider her one of their own.

cyril.. our angry young man

Cyril has come to pwhy twice. We will remember him most for his angst in the wake of things he saw and his burning desire to change things. He helped us at our cyber club where he ran several workshops but Cyril wanted to live his experience to the fullest and even spent two nights at the gypsy camp in order to imbibe life in the slums.
A keen lensman, Cyril shared his experience at pwhy in two picture books he published.

barbara.. our mentor

Barbara is definitely our wisest and dearest volunteer. She came not once but twice and we hope to see her again. She helped us set up the creche at the women centre and worked in our main creche too. She also helped us draft our planet why proposal and remains our mentor in many ways.

monica and the camera

Monica spent a few weeks with us and worked with the smaller children. An endearing person she will be remembered for her passion for photography and the innumerable pictures she took.

alienor.. resident volunteer

Alienor decided not only to volunteer at pwhy but also to live with the children. She came in the dead of summer and lived at the foster care for a whole month notwithstanding the heat, the power cuts or the rustic living conditions. She was dearly loved by her roomies and by the special kids with whom she spent the day.

Her dedication and compassion were one of a kind!

adrian .. Kyagua

Adrian spent a whole month with us. To us he will always be Kyagua as that became his famous hindi rendition of Kya hua - what is happening -!

Adrian was God sent as he came at a time when we needed someone to help us draft project reports something he excelled in. He shared many of our anxious moments as we saw dreams almost happen then shatter and reappear again. His strong presence helped us weather many a storm.

Firdaush.. a force to reckon with

Firdaush spent six weeks at project why and was a real force to reckon with. She spent her time with the tiny tots and her formidable spirit added zest to the class. She introduced many new games and activities that we still follow.
Her joie de vivre was a great fillip for all of us. We miss her dearly!