Tag Archives: varanasi

Child sponsorship in Varanasi

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I recently connected with a Hungarian individual named Attila, who is a computer engineer in Hungary and volunteers with a Hungarian NGO (www.afroaid.hu). This NGO operates a child sponsorship program in Africa. Attila expressed his desire to volunteer in Varanasi, India, with plans to come next year with his wife for a year. He was particularly interested in NGOs focused on children’s education programs. I introduced him to various NGOs in the area, and he showed interest in several of them. Given my own interest in similar initiatives, I suggested to Attila that we consider starting our own program in Varanasi.

Attila was enthusiastic about this idea. He shared that he had a great experience working with children in Africa and was eager to apply his expertise to establish a similar program in Varanasi. We discussed how to initiate the program and decided to begin with some preliminary research. We visited several local schools to estimate the cost of education per child. Attila was also keen on providing one meal a day to the children to alleviate the burden of meal preparation at home. We decided to start with 30 children: 10 from the city area and 20 from the village area.

We made a trip to Mehndiganj to visit Lok Samiti, which runs an education program that Attila wanted to see. We toured Lok Samiti’s school and training centers, interacted with the children, and heard some heart-wrenching stories. Lok Samiti offers evening classes for children who work during the day, which is my favorite program among their offerings. It was striking to see children working 12-hour shifts and still attending evening classes. There were more than 30 children at the evening center.

The children were incredibly innocent and curious. They asked Attila questions about his life in Hungary, such as whether he had goats, what he grew on his farm, how he came to India, and how much money he earned. Given that these children earn about Rs. 1,000 per month, Attila found it challenging to answer their questions. We also visited some of Lok Samiti’s training centers for girls over 14, where they receive training in sewing, embroidery, dance, and basic education. The aim of these programs is to empower the girls to become self-sufficient.

We asked Nandlal Master, the president of Lok Samiti, to select 20 children from his program who are both impoverished and eager to continue their education, with supportive parents. We conducted a similar search in the city and identified 10 children from impoverished families who were interested in learning. One of them was a 12-year-old girl named Rashmi, who had previously attended an English-medium private school but had to quit due to financial constraints.

Rashmi impressed me deeply. She had attended school up to the 6th standard, and my niece, who was also a student at Rashmi’s former school, told me that Rashmi was well-regarded by her teachers. Rashmi was the only child who clearly articulated her future goals. When Attila asked her what she wanted to become, she replied, “an engineer,” and specifically, “a computer engineer.” Rashmi explained that she wanted to develop computer programs to help poor people. Both Attila and I were taken aback by such a thoughtful response from a 12-year-old.

All the children we met were eager to attend school, but many faced obstacles. Some had already stopped attending school due to financial difficulties, while others who were capable of attending better schools were stuck in government schools that offered only minimal education. We have selected a few schools and plan to enroll the children in the nearest quality school to their homes starting in March 2010. Some of the children will need basic English language training to thrive in English-medium schools. We are organizing two-hour evening classes for the selected children. With this initiative, thirty families now have hope, and I feel a strong responsibility as a local supporter.

Attila has returned to Hungary but has already secured some supporters and hopes to find more for all the children. We have decided to keep office expenses minimal until we reach 50 children. Attila and his wife will be living in Varanasi for a year and managing the program’s administrative work. We aim to forgo formal office space to ensure that all funds directly benefit the program. I am excited to be involved in this project and look forward to working closely with Attila.

Voting Day 2009 in Varanasi

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Voting day in Benares was on the 16th. Everyone was supposed to have a voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India, but once again this year, not everyone received theirs, including me. Three days before the elections, I read in the newspaper that voters could use 16 different types of documents instead of the voter ID card. Since I didn’t have a voter ID, I went to vote with my ration card and PAN card (income tax card). I first went to Assi Crossing, where assistance centers for all the major political parties were set up. This year, there were four assistance centers: BJP, Congress, SP, and BSP. I needed to get a slip with my serial number from any of these centers to verify my name on the voting list.

I chose the Congress counter because it had the least number of people, whereas the BJP counter was the most crowded. After getting my slip at the Congress counter, I decided to visit the other counters as well. At the Congress Party counter, I saw something quite unusual: they were offering breakfast to people visiting their counter, which is an illegal activity. The counter was on the main road, but the breakfast was served inside a room. They encouraged people to go inside, have breakfast, and then vote for Congress. It was surprising to see how many people switched their support this year. Those who were at the BJP counter during the last elections were now at the SP counter. It’s amazing how quickly political allegiances can change.

The BJP candidate, Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi, called me a day before the election. Usually, political campaigns use automated calls, but this one seemed personal. At first, I thought it was a computer call, but the responses matched my questions, so I believe it was Mr. Joshi himself. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and couldn’t talk to him much. I would have liked to have a longer conversation with him. Mr. Joshi asked me to vote for a suitable candidate. While he never explicitly asked me to vote for him, he did identify himself at the end of the call, which was a clear hint. Since he was my preferred candidate, I voted for him, though I would have liked to ask him some questions before casting my vote. Maybe next time.

When I went to vote, I noticed there was less security than usual. There were only four or five security guards at the polling booth, whereas polling booths are typically guarded more heavily. Various party representatives were urging me to vote for their respective parties. Some individuals had Fevicol (a type of adhesive) and other chemicals, advising me to apply them to my finger before voting so I could remove the ink easily and vote multiple times for their party later in the day. They were also keeping track of those who hadn’t voted yet and planned to send someone to vote in their names. Despite these manipulations, I was content to vote only in my name.

Voting in Indian elections

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Many people have decided not to vote in this year’s elections due to frustration with the current government. I was among those considering abstaining from voting. However, I recently discovered an interesting option: even if you choose not to vote, you can still visit the election booth and inform the officer of your decision. They will then record your refusal in a special register designated for individuals who opt out of voting. This ensures that no one else can cast a vote in your name.

Political parties maintain detailed lists of voters in their constituencies and closely monitor voter turnout. To facilitate the voting process, they set up booths near polling stations where voters can collect a slip containing their name, address, and other necessary details. Without this slip, individuals cannot vote. Consequently, party workers at these booths know which voters have cast their ballots and which have not.

As the voting period nears its end, parties often identify those who haven’t voted and send representatives to vote on their behalf. This can lead to instances where individuals discover that their vote has already been cast by someone else, making it difficult to contest. The new system of formally registering a refusal to vote can be a valuable tool to prevent such misuse. By officially recording your decision not to vote, you ensure that your name remains protected from being used fraudulently.

For those who have lost faith in the electoral process but still want to ensure their vote is not misused, this option provides a safeguard. I encourage everyone who chooses not to vote to use this system to secure their rights and prevent any potential abuse.

Indian elections 2009

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The upcoming central government elections have created a stir in the political landscape. Benares, historically a significant city in India, has gained even more prominence this year due to the high-profile candidates from various parties contesting in the elections. The city has become a focal point of national political interest, with parties fiercely competing against one another, resorting to tactics such as bribery, religious targeting, and caste-based appeals, rather than focusing on the needs of the people and development.

Recently, several political leaders were caught illegally distributing money to voters to sway their support. This practice, while illegal under the Indian constitution, highlights the troubling state of our politics. The real issue is not just the legality of these actions but the nature of our politicians. Instead of working towards genuine governance, they seem to resort to bribery when elections approach. Prominent figures, who are already wealthy, continue to amass more wealth in a country with widespread poverty.

Today’s headline in Amar Ujala (5/03/09) reveals that many politicians’ assets have skyrocketed in the past five years. Despite the fact that over 77% of Indians live on less than Rs. 20 per day, the wealth of politicians has grown six to seven times, with some even seeing their assets increase tenfold. These figures raise concerns about the sources of their wealth and the transparency of their financial dealings. Politicians are required to declare their income when they file their candidacy, yet those with assets worth Rs. 5 crore in previous elections now report holdings of Rs. 50 crore. This raises questions about the extent of undisclosed wealth.

I had initially decided to vote for Mayawati due to her effective governance, which has generally seen lower crime rates and less exploitation compared to others. However, her decision to field Mukhtar Ansari as her candidate for the Varanasi seat has been disappointing. Ansari, a convicted criminal involved in inciting communal violence, was introduced to secure Muslim votes, undermining the integrity of her party. The competition in Varanasi this year features prominent names: Ajay Rai from the Samajwadi Party, Murli Manohar Joshi from the BJP, Rajesh Mishra from the Congress, and Mukhtar Ansari from the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Ajay Rai, a notorious criminal, and Rajesh Mishra, who was recently caught bribing voters, are among the candidates. Mishra, who previously claimed credit for declaring the Ganga as the national river, has done little for Benares since his election. The BJP’s introduction of Murli Manohar Joshi, a respected and non-criminal candidate, was seen as a strong move. However, Mayawati’s choice of Mukhtar Ansari aims to consolidate the Muslim vote, knowing that the Hindu vote will be split among Joshi, Mishra, and Rai. This strategy, which risks fostering further communal tensions, might lead to Ansari’s victory, posing a grave concern for Benares and the nation.

It is disheartening to see that our political system is plagued by corruption and self-interest. Instead of focusing on effective governance and development, politicians are more concerned with winning elections through any means necessary. This reflects poorly on the state of our democracy and governance.

HIV & AIDS workshop at girls’ school

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We recently organized a workshop at Gopi Radha Girls School in Varanasi, where social workers and volunteers from Sanjeevani Booti conducted a presentation on HIV and AIDS. This has been a long-standing goal, and it was exciting to see it finally come to fruition. We presented to the 9th and 11th grade girls, though we had hoped to reach the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Unfortunately, the school did not allow presentations for the 10th and 12th grades due to their upcoming exams. The 11th grade presentation took place on February 11th, and the 9th grade presentation on February 12th.

Class 9th students

We had originally planned to send one girl and one boy to each class, but the school only permitted female presenters, so we were able to send only girls. While I have some very motivated girls interested in this issue, they prefer paid positions rather than volunteering. Although I understand that finding people willing to work for free is challenging, this situation complicates my project. I currently lack regular donors and do not want to rely on just a few individuals. I need new sources of financial support for my projects.

Presentation about HIV infection

We also had valuable assistance from two international volunteers who helped make the event a success. Claire Abraham from Montreal, Canada, and Christina Hunter from San Francisco, USA, contributed significantly. Claire had been supporting me for the past month, providing information and training for Sanjeevani Booti’s social workers. Unfortunately, she could only attend the workshop on the 11th due to her need to travel to Nepal for a visa extension. Christina joined us on the second day.

School staff and Volunteers of Sanjeevani Booti

Some of the girls requested that we discuss condoms, sex, and sexually transmitted diseases in more detail. However, we refrained from showing condoms due to concerns about the school administration’s reaction. The girls have expressed a desire for a more comprehensive workshop on these topics, but organizing such an event is expensive. I am in touch with several doctors and social workers from other organizations to help make the next event successful.

Class 9th Students

I believe it would be valuable for the students to hear about HIV from people living with the virus. There is a network of HIV-positive individuals in Varanasi, and I hope to invite some of them to future events. While everything went well, I am concerned about the future. I realize that I need to learn how to write grant proposals to secure funding. Claire had promised to teach me this skill, and I am looking forward to her return in the next few days.

Sanjeevani Booti Staff with Students

25 new HIV patients everyday

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Today, Claire and I visited the NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) center at BHU to obtain data on HIV patients in Varanasi for our upcoming school workshop. Initially, the counselor refused to provide any data and directed us to seek permission from the head of the department first. Despite informing her that we were from an NGO, she remained unwilling to share any information. We then went to the head of the department’s office but were unable to meet him as he was occupied with another matter.

We spent two hours waiting in the counselor’s room, where we observed many people coming in for testing. I met a girl who is HIV-positive and now volunteers at the NACO center. After spending some time with Claire, the counselor warmed up to us and eventually provided the information we needed. I suspect her change of heart was influenced by Claire’s presence. She mentioned that NACO has testing centers in many districts across Uttar Pradesh, but the BHU center is the only one in Poorvanchal with an ELISA testing facility.

Poorvanchal is a region in Uttar Pradesh comprising seventeen districts. I was surprised to learn that people seeking HIV tests from across the region ultimately come to the Varanasi center. Although testing is available in their own districts, those results are not considered final. The ELISA test, which is the most reliable, is only available at the BHU center in Poorvanchal. The counselor noted a significant increase in HIV cases over the past few years. When she started her job nine years ago, they saw around five to six hundred people seeking tests each month. Today, that number has risen to between one hundred fifty and two hundred.

She also reported that a few years ago, they had fifty to a hundred positive results each month, but now they have at least twenty-five positive results every day. This increase was staggering and hard to believe. Interestingly, these figures only reflect those who have been referred by doctors; it doesn’t account for individuals who may be unaware of their HIV status. The counselor expressed concern that the number of positive cases will likely continue to rise due to inadequate government action.

She was dissatisfied with her job, citing a low salary. According to her, while WHO provides substantial funding to the Indian government, and then the Indian government allocates money to the Uttar Pradesh government and NACO, much of the funding is consumed by politicians and others involved in the project. One positive aspect of their work is that they now provide free ARVs (antiretrovirals) to HIV-positive patients, but only to those with a CD4 count below a critical level. Although I inquired about the specific CD4 threshold, she did not disclose it.

Vodeo filming for AIDSvideos.org

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I have received a project from an American organization called AIDSvideos.org, which produces videos to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. They want me to create videos in every major Indian language. They have provided twenty-seven different scripts in five Indian languages, making it a long-term project. My tasks include translating these scripts into various Indian languages and then producing the videos. Since there are twenty-two official languages in India, completing the entire project could take several years.

I recently made a Hindi video using one of their scripts for Sanjeevani Booti, but it didn’t turn out as expected. During that time, an American student named Allen Roda from New York University was staying with me and had a high-quality camera. We used his camera to film the video. Without a teleprompter, I had the script printed and placed it on either side of the camera for the speaker to read. While this setup seemed fine on the small camera screen, it revealed issues when played on a larger TV. The speaker’s eyes were constantly shifting from side to side as they read from the different pages, making the video look unprofessional. Therefore, I’ve decided to re-record it.

Ravikant

I am encountering additional challenges. Lane and I searched for teleprompter software and found some that worked well with English scripts. However, these programs do not support Hindi or other Indian languages. Without a teleprompter, recording long scripts becomes very difficult. The script is eighteen minutes long, and it is nearly impossible for anyone to memorize such a lengthy text and present it smoothly on camera.

Our camera setup

I was very excited about this project, but the lack of a suitable teleprompter has become a significant obstacle. The speakers are concerned that they won’t be able to remember the entire script. Additionally, I translated the script into Bhojpuri, which was challenging due to the language’s many regional variations and accents. I aimed to write in a simple Bhojpuri that would be understandable to a broad audience. I’m confident that the translation will work well, but I am still unable to start producing the videos. I hope Lane will find a solution to the teleprompter issue soon. Meanwhile, I am also reaching out to others and searching online for potential fixes. I am eager to get this project underway and am excited about its potential.

Allen Roda

Sewage in Ganga River

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India TV News Channel hosts a competition called “Video of the Day,” where participants are encouraged to submit videos on various topics. Each day, a winner is selected, and the prize is a color TV. I entered the competition with a video highlighting the issue of sewage discharge into the Ganga River in Varanasi. To my delight, my video was chosen as the Video of the Day, and I won the TV. While I was thrilled to win, the process was more complicated than I had anticipated. I had to pay a 25% tax on the prize and make phone calls that cost nearly a thousand rupees. Additionally, there was a lengthy wait of six months before I finally received the television.

I even had to travel to Lucknow to collect the TV and bring it back to Varanasi by bus. I chose the bus over the train because I was wary of potential encounters with the police. In trains and at railway stations, the police are known for seeking bribes, especially if they spot someone traveling with something new or valuable. I wanted to avoid sharing my joy with those who might dampen it. I made this video with Lane two years ago when he was in India. We visited the sewage discharge point in Nagwa and used his small camera to film the footage. I wish we had a better camera for the project.

Kite festival in Varanasi

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The kite festival on the 14th and 15th was one I really enjoyed. I used to fly kites for at least four or five months each year, but I stopped doing it about six or seven years ago. Now, I only fly kites during this festival, known as Khichadi. Khichadi is also the name of a traditional dish that everyone cooks for the occasion. The festival has religious significance, with people expected to make some kind of donation. For the past ten years, I have donated blood on this day, but unfortunately, I couldn’t this year.

I went to the hospital to donate blood, but they turned me away because I was suffering from a cold and cough. I’ll try again in a week. I did manage to fly a few kites, but not as many as I had hoped. I bought about fifty kites, but only managed to fly five myself. My friends flew the rest. The festival is more of a family event now; people gather on their rooftops, enjoy loud music, eat Khichadi, and fly kites all day. The number of kite flyers has decreased significantly over the years. The sky used to be filled with kites, but now it’s much emptier.

Many parents today discourage their children from flying kites, associating it with risky behavior. They prefer taking their kids to McDonald’s for junk food and Coca-Cola, but see kite flying as undesirable. I think kite flying is a far better activity than sitting in front of the TV watching political debates. Unfortunately, there are some risks associated with the festival. Each year, around 15-20 kids get injured from falling off rooftops, and occasionally, there are fatalities. Despite the dangers, kite flying remains a lot of fun.

Another danger associated with kite flying involves the use of Chinese strings, which contain a lot of iron. While it’s common to get minor cuts from kite strings, the iron in Chinese strings can lead to tetanus if not treated. Additionally, if Chinese strings come into contact with electrical wires, they can cause electric shocks. In Varanasi, where many electrical wires are exposed, this is a real concern. Indian kite strings, which only contain glass powder, are safer, but many people prefer the Chinese ones because they are stronger, despite the risks.

When I ask my foreign friends about kite flying in their countries, it often sounds less exciting. For example, my friend Adam in Chicago boasted about his ability to maneuver kites in different directions and spin them around using special equipment. I laughed when I heard this because we do similar tricks with just one string. I showed him our kites, and he was amazed that we could spin them and cut other kites down with a single string.

I asked him if kite-cutting was common in his country, and he said, “No.” To me, kite-cutting is a crucial part of the fun. We’re hosting an international kite festival in Gujarat this year, with participants from various countries. But, as usual, it’s likely that India, China, or Pakistan will take the top prize.

Swiss family takes Hindi class

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This is the first time I’m hosting a family, and they’re a couple with two children. Nadia is pursuing her master’s degree in Hindi Literature and Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, while her husband is an engineer. They’ve come to Varanasi for a family vacation. Nadia has chosen Mr. Vimal Mehra as her Hindi teacher. Mr. Mehra taught Hindi at Nadia’s university last year, which is why she selected him. I took Nadia to Mr. Mehra’s place yesterday; it’s just a three-minute walk from my house. Mr. Mehra seems like a very nice person. From what I’ve heard, he also teaches at the Wisconsin University’s Varanasi center alongside Mr. Virendra Singh.

This is the first time any of my guests will be learning Hindi with Mr. Mehra. Although I had heard of him before, I had never met him personally. Many people have spoken highly of him, so I’m confident that Nadia’s classes will be beneficial. Nadia is also pleased with her lessons; she appreciates that Mr. Mehra encourages her to speak, which she had been missing in her previous two years of learning Hindi. I’ve enjoyed hosting their family. They are incredibly organized, reflecting their Swiss background. For example, when Gaitano, Nadia’s older son, dropped a plastic wrapper on the floor, Nadia immediately addressed it and disciplined him, which I found impressive.

Gaitano isn’t fond of Indian food, so we’ve been preparing noodles and pasta specially for him. On the other hand, Elio, the younger child, seems to enjoy our food and eats with his parents. Nadia has brought plenty of instant food and powdered milk for Elio. He’s adorable and always smiling. Everyone in my family and my neighborhood adores him. Whenever he’s on the roof, people from other rooftops often look over to see him. Paolo, Nadia’s husband, speaks a bit of English, which creates a small language barrier between us, but we manage to communicate. I enjoy talking to him because I’m interested in learning about his job.

Gaitano doesn’t speak any English, but Elio speaks an international language—mostly just “Mama,” which I find endearing. Nadia plans to travel to Mumbai on February 20th after completing her Hindi classes here. Following that, she will visit Singapore and then Australia.