It’s always good to get a new perspective. We took the Core Group on the road this week when we went to visit Preeti Kirbat at the home of her new project, Astitva. Preeti has been associated with us in a variety of ways (not least being that she is married to Dr Sebastian) – including being a member of the Latika Vihar Creative Group and a documentation consultant to Karuna Vihar. All of us just love her for her warmth as a person and for her passion about women’s issues and keen interest in children’s education. A kindred spirit indeed.
Astitva (it means Identity) is a women’s cooperative project which provides job training, employment ideas, health care and childcare to low income women. Some of the non-traditional avenues they are looking at include training women to become drivers and malis.
We are interested in all of it, but our particular connection is the creche they have recently established for construction workers’ kids. We are hoping that we can establish a satellite EIC there eventually; in the meantime, we will be helping to train their staff to play with kids in ways which make best use of their time, skills and special needs. 
It was so much fun having the Core Group meeting “onsite”. Preeti has managed to find a gorgeous and huge space in Defence Colony – the rooms are open and airy and very empty at the moment. There’s a wonderful, brand-new feel to the place – that feeling you get before all the stuff starts pouring in (and it will, Preeti!). The kids sleep on mats on the floor and the meeting also took place on ground level. Everything is sparkling clean and the two staff members whom we met (Runa and Kamlesh) were enthusiastic and ready. One of the best parts about the space was the amazing garden – it just cries out for children, and swings, and a sandpit and rollerskates . . .(calling all donors! this is going to the talk of town project very soon. Get in now while it’s still in its fledgling phase!)
And here’s Preeti, the soul of the place. Even though she lives all the way across town in Defence Colony, we can feel her excitement and energy here in Vasant Vihar.
