A Dangerous Smile
Some years ago, the Foundation registered with the National Trust, an autonomous government organization formed to protect the rights of people with mental handicap. Like many things the government does, it’s a great idea, but difficult to implement and frustrating to be involved with. We have been asked to serve on three Local Level Committees, […]
One In = One Out
This is for those of you who live close enough to Rainbow Resale to donate your excess, your clutter, your unloved objects yearning to breathe free. . . the “one in, one out” rule can save you from the tyranny of possessions. Every time you bring something new home, send something old to Rainbow. It’s […]
The Guest is God
Here’s a wonderful poem my daughter Cathleen shared with me. I love it for many reasons, especially living here in India where guests arrive and depart with no reference whatever to anyone’s convenience but their own! The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, […]
Finding Good Staff
Everywhere I go, people are saying the same thing: we can’t find good people to work in our school or clinic or development centre. It’s the same all over the country – at least for the voluntary sector. The corporate world offers such a tempting array of prizes: travel abroad, plush offices, material comfort and […]
Latika Vihar’s Spring Mela
The mela starts at the gate, where you buy your entry coupon (5 Rupees for adults, 2 for kids), along with your coupons to spend inside. Every stall was sponsored by a different Foundation project, or by parents from Latika Vihar. A whole bus load of kids from Hopetown School came, with a fixed amount […]
Our Namesake Turns 91
Karuna Vihar takes its name from a very special person – Karuna Chopra: Moy Moy’s Dadi and my beloved mother-in-law. She turned 91 today and in honor of the occasion, she consented to take a day off. Normally, her days are packed with work – even at this age, she still teaches students from around […]
A Special Day
Birthdays, anniversaries, AND Home Management! It all happened on Feb 16th this year. Rama turned 60, Satpal and Kusum aren’t telling and Sunita celebrated her 14th wedding anniversary. It called for a party – so once the Home Management crowd had dispersed, it was time for samosas, jalebis, dhoklas and chai. Happy Day everyone!
The Teacher as Artist
I mentioned Shivani’s beautifully decorated classroom, but my blogging abilities didn’t allow me to post the photo I took to showcase it! Here’s a picture of just one of the displays Shivani has created for her lucky kids.
Dreams Come True
It’s actually happened. The dream we have had of having our own shop in a real market has actually come to pass. Rainbow Resale, Vina Srivastava’s brainchild and pet project of Savita Thapliyal and the whole CVT family, opened its doors today in Sethi Market. We had a small crowd of around fifty people present […]
Improvisation
I had fun watching this little boy trying to construct a tower from plastic blocks. It was too tall for its width and kept toppling, but he was determined. Finally, he took the whole structure, leaned it against the wall and added the yellow crown with a little yelp of delight.