Pieces of the Puzzle

We are now able to understand some of the 'pieces of the puzzle' that make Nagpur such a interesting and diverse city.

 

 

When we first saw the sign at the airport, “Nagpur – Orange City!” in orange font, Katherine and I immediately thought of the color, not the fruit. However, it turns out that Nagpur is famous for its loose jacket oranges. They are usually sweeter than other oranges, looking and tasting like a big tangerine.

 

 

You can always identify Nagpur oranges because they will be stacked in perfect pyramids!
 

Outside homes in our neighborhood, we found many of these chalk drawings. Today, one of the students told us that they were blessings. Families did not have them for a special occasion. This is a year round tradition!

 

 

A blessing drawn in chalk.

 

A typical youngster at Nav Jeevan has one of these hats that Katherine and I have affectionately termed ‘sock hats’. The climate of Nagpur is dry and it has been between 50 degrees at night to 80 degrees during the day. Most children are cold on their walk to school because they are not used to this cold weather.

 

Katherine helps the Pre-school children sing their morning songs.

Today, Katherine and I helped the grade 5 Hindi medium (there are two classes for each grade at Nav Jeevan, one instructed in Hindi medium and the other instructed in English medium) with their English lesson. They absolutely loved to use the new crayons Katherine donated to write their sentences.

The boys with their sentences and artwork.

 

Also, today marked a break though with Ravi. We’ve really struggled to teach him because he is fairly new to Nav Jeevan and has never attended school or learned how to read or write before. However, we found that he responds really well to computer videos of the alphabet. This is just one way that technology is making a huge impact here at Nav Jeevan.

Ravi

 

And of course, today we got lots of stamping and organizing done in the library. A girl, Estha even asked if she could take two books and return them tomorrow. It's amazing to see how an organized library makes children more enthusiastic to read!

 

Katie stamping books in the library.

That's all for today. Tomorrow we will continue with our library work and attempt to come up with some creative lesson plans for the students.

Kids on the playground of Nav Jeevan.

 

 

Godhni!

The children pictured are in 3rd class Hindi medium. 

School began again for the week today, so Katie and I were back in the library. We ran in to such a great problem: we are not sure how we are going to fit all of the books donated by Center Point School, a high school nearby, on the shelves! I am sure though, that once we finished organizing them, the books will fit. Today, we read several books to the children, but the favorites among all ages (including Katie!) were The Cat in the Hat and The Eye Book. The children love the silliness and we get a lot of giggles! We also helped other classes whose teachers took some time off, teaching English comprehension and science (acids, bases, and salts).  

Katie loves cows! She always tries to talk to them.

After school, we hit the books, studying for our Alma College Model United Nations (MUN) class. Though Katie and I are here in India, both of us still are participating in Alma MUN. Then we decided to take a break and walk to the post office in our neighborhood, Godhni. After discussing some landmarks to make sure we didn't get lost we started on our way. We made it to the post office 3 minutes after 5pm and they would not take our letters since their hours are from 9am-5pm! So, we decided, let's go on a little tour of Godhni. We walked to the main crossroad where there is a small Hindu temple and a statue, then continued down the street a few more feet to the edge of the city of Nagpur where we could begin to see lots of farmland. A kind gentleman plowing his field with two roped oxen noticed us taking a photo of his field and stopped to pose for us. He invited us to pet his oxen also! 

A child rides his bike next to a cow through the small streets of Godhni. He is carrying some wood on the back of his bike.

Katie and I decided to turn around then. Meandering back we were able to glimpse the afternoon rests of many Maharashtrans (Maharashtra is our current state) sitting on their stoop  or strolling enjoying the last of the sun. There were people of all ages, many of which nodded or said hello, all in colorful, traditional Indian clothing. Children rode bikes in the streets, cows nibbled on stray patches of grass, and puppies careened into walls following their noses!

This is the main road in our neighborhood. It is called Godhni Road. As you can see, it is lined with homes, stores, people, and animals. Katie and I are thankful there is not too much traffic so it is easy to walk! We are also grateful that the city bus is available here too. 

A man enjoys an evening walk in Godhni not far from Nav Jeevan.

The water tower 

Getting close to the school since we both needed to finish our homework, we walked past the water tower in Godni. The locals who live near the tower and maintain its small plot of land offered us a wonderful view of the city taking us to the balcony of the tower. Instantly looking out at our new city, our breath was taken away at its beauty and uniqueness. We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we do, though we promise it looks better in person. 

From the tower balcony, we were able to see the steeple of the nearby temple, many other neighborhoods, and a far of coal burning electricity plant that serves the city of Nagpur.

The large gray building just to the right of center in the above photo is Nav Jeevan! The roof of Nav Jeevan holds a rooftop garden which I am sure we will feature here someday. The front is facing left of the picture. The two towers hold classrooms and the children's bedrooms.

Over my shoulder you can see the main part of Nagpur. It takes about a 10 minute rickshaw ride from Godhni Road to reach it. To walk to Godhni Road from Nav Jeevan is about .5 miles. 

Weekend Adventures in Nagpur with Nav Jeevan Sanstha

All school physical training on Saturday even includes a drum beat to which the children do their movements.

Saturday school begins with all-school physical training exercises.

We have come to the close of our second weekend in Nagpur. Though we are feeling a little homesick, we could not be more grateful for the warm welcome we have received from everyone in Nagpur (except the people on the streets who stare at us because we have white skin!!) and are beginning to learn our way around Nav Jeevan and the city. Before dinner today, we noticed the youngest border at the school, Monica (4 years old), crying. The older boys said that she missed her family and her village. Monica has not cried for home since she arrived after Christmas break on January 3^rd! Katie and I decided that she is our inspiration as we continue to be far from our families as well.

First of all today we have a few updates for you regarding some things that have happened recently:

1. The boy who has scabies is rapidly improving! He is no longer in any pain and the infection around the infected area is cleared up allowing the ointment treatment he was given to work well. The Wardens, Vijay and Veronica, have been so very diligent in making sure he takes his medications properly and applies his ointment. Also, I (Katherine) failed to point out an important fact in the original post—this case of scabies occurred while the child was home for Christmas break. His mother was infected, so he did not become infected at the school. This is a tribute to Nav Jeevan and their attention to the children’s health and wellbeing, noticing all that is amiss.

2. We have SOAP! Since our lunch discussion of soap at the school sinks, Anita, the director of the school, immediately began to arrange for soap dispensers to be installed at all the sinks for the children. They began to go up the day after our original post and now are fully functional. The best part is, there has been no need to cajole the children into using them! They are well aware of proper hand washing hygiene. I bet we will need to buy more soap bars by Tuesday.

3.  Ravi, the child who Katie and I have been helping with the alphabet, has learned how to spell his name confidently! He no longer needs our assistance with this task and is quite proud of himself. I hope the trend continues as we continue with the alphabet, numbers, and English comprehension.

Katie and I returned to the craft fair we went to last week with Kiran and Roger (photographer) to listen to the regional music and see the beautiful traditional dances.

Dancers from Rajasthan show their skill and poise. We were given a front row VIP seat at the show!

This weekend has consisted mostly of school (both as part of Nav Jeevan and of Alma College!), sleep, and discovery. While we are settling in, many things are still new, as we think will be the case for the duration of our stay in Nagpur. This morning we went to the Christian worship service that the Christian children from the school attend. The sermon about healthy habits for the soul, spirit, and body while focusing on the future rather than the past was uplifting to many of the children as well as to Katie and me. We intend to keep this in mind for next week as we work to accomplish our goals of finishing our organization of the library and planning a female reproductive anatomy, health, and wellness class for the older girls of the school. Somewhere in between, we probably should do our laundry....

New Flavors and Friendships

As we make it farther into our first week here at Nav Jeevan, Katherine and I are starting to settle in to a routine. The children are beginning to open up to us, seeking us out for extra help on homework or to read them a favorite book from the library. Our hard work pays off when we see the children are proud of the progress we have helped them achieve.

Today, we were in for a special treat. Aneeta, who runs much of the business side of Nav Jeevan, took us for an India thali. A thali is a combination of small samples of many types of Indian cuisine. Usually you can find dal, rice, curry, vegetables, yogurt, sauces, bread, and more. The flavors range from savory to sweet (and from spicy to extremely spicy!). We really enjoyed savoring the vast and diverse flavors that India has to offer.

The diverse cuisine of India is symbolic of the diversity of the population, illustrated by the range of children found at Nav Jeevan. For example, some children living at the school were picked up by concerned teachers when they saw the orphaned children begging on the busy streets of Nagpur. Other students from the tribal regions of India walked for five hours before they could even find a bus stop so they could travel to Nagpur. Some students have parents to visit, others do not. In addition to diversity of location and family situation, some students arrive at Nav Jeevan unable even to speak Hindi because of the diverse selection of languages found in India.

Despite the differences between the children at Nav Jeevan, it is hard to find children with more genuine enthusiasm and strong friendships than at Nav Jeevan. At dinner today the entire school sang Happy Birthday to Anjali while she passed out candy and cake for the entire staff and students. It is moments like these that show despite our differences we all have a similar need for connections and love. The students and staff of Nav Jeevan continue to teach us and help the children achieve this need, making us better volunteers and stronger individuals!

I think I'll take a shower now...

Scabies: An itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei; highly contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact; readily treatable by topical ointment. (Mayo Clinic Website)

When one of the smaller boys came to the office today (Warden Vishay and the patient. Please note that the boy will be referred to as child/boy because we are still not clear on his name...it is very long!), scabies immediately was on everyone’s minds. Since the child is staying in the school’s hostel, his care fell to the wardens who live at the school 24/7. After washing the child’s hand and giving him some antimicrobial cream for it, Warden Vijay and I took the child to the doctor. We rode into the city, about a 10 minute drive, before stopping at a small house that really blended in with everything else we always pass by. A secretary took down the child’s information and showed us to the doctor’s office where she was sitting behind a desk. The doctor looked from across her desk at the affected area of the child’s hand and scribbled down a prescription for ibuprofen, antibiotic, and topical ointment. That was it! Having heard that the doctor likely spoke English, I began asking her sever questions about the boy’s condition, her diagnosis, his prognosis, and her treatment. She was a bit taken aback, but after realizing my sincerity began to answer and further explain to Warden Vijay what would be best for the child. Unfortunately, I think this may have been the first time Vijay received so much instruction from the doctor. The service she provides, though, is of utmost importance to Nav Jeevan, since she does not charge to see the children. In that light, any service she can provide them is crucial. In the end, once the boy’s infection is reduced, she will provide a treatment for Scabies.

Another note about Scabies is that it is common among the children at Nav Jeevan. Scabies spreads easily, especially when hygiene is not properly maintained. As Katie mentioned the other day, children often do not use soap when washing their hands. When Katie and I talked to the administration about this today, they all agreed that it would be a good idea to provide soap at all the sinks for the children, but there was no consensus as to how we should go about doing this. Hopefully, we can keep working on this, but until then, we will have to appreciate that water does wash away more germs than not washing at all.

One of Katie's typing students

After school got out, Katie and I took a break by going for a walk through our neighborhood since neither of us were able to take a break outside today. The neighborhood near the school is quite quiet and peaceful, and so we were happy to have a moment of (near) silence in which a child was not clinging to us, trying to shake our hands, or yelling at us! Today, I taught for the first three periods—English in fourth grade for two periods and one period with seventh grade for English conversation. Katie read in the library and taught typing today, more geography lessons as well. 

Katherine taught Ravi (above) how to spell his name, and hers, today. He is in third grade, but since he has only recently started going to school, he does not yet know the alphabet or the sounds of the letters. 

Back at school, Katie and I distributed clothes today that were donated to the children. Since their meals are typically (always) vegetarian and very low protein/calcium, many of the children are extremely small, though larger than when they first arrived at the school! The boy who I accompanied to the doctor this morning, for example, is 21 kg or about 47 lbs! He is 10 years old. Though within the normal range for his age group, he is on the VERY low end. Again, he even made it to the range for 10 year olds thanks to Nav Jeevan. Luckily, the clothes-donor realized the children are mostly undersized and so the clothes range from 18 month to 6-7 sizes, which will fit many youngsters.

The large silver pots are used for every meal. A couple of the adults are always in charge of serving the children so that each receives the correct portion of each part of the meal. Then, when they are finished with one plate, the children are always allowed to eat more if they wish.

Above, you can see what we all had for dinner tonight here (thanks to Yash's smiling face!!). Two types of dahl with lentils, rice, and chipatis, which are like thick tortillas. Below are two of the dining room tables full of hungry children. The children are always chatting, but meals are to be eaten quietly so that the wardens are able to monitor each child's intake. Though very low in protein and calcium, we all enjoyed it and the prayer before our meal says it best of all: we are thankful for the food we have and we hope that those without food are blessed to receive it. 

  

Kindergarten Roundup

Day two at Nav Jeevan! Katie and I spent a lot of time "class hopping" today. Since there are many teachers with absences, there are always classes who need teachers for various subjects. Between us, we taught 9th grade, 3rd grade, 7th grade, and kindergarten at some point throughout the day. When we teach, the students' English proficiency really determines what we do with the class. Some classes at Nav Jeevan are designated "English Medium" and some are "Hindi Medium," meaning they are taught either primarily in English or Hindi respectively. As you can guess, it is easier for us when we jump into "English Medium" classes!! But, in either format, the children are very enthusiastic and understand the language of games and smiles. And, many of the children speak English very well. For example, in 7th grade today, I taught a science lesson about the central nervous system. We concluded by holding mock visits to the "doctor." Each of the students pretended to be either doctor or patient and determined the ailments based on our discussion and those they previously had. 

Three young girls enjoy part of their lunch during the short break
the children have around 10am. 

For some students, the decision of whether they would fit best in "English Medium" or "Hindi Medium" is also a challenge. Since over 300 languages are spoken in India, some students' first language is neither English or Hindi, but perhaps Marathi, the language native to the state we are in, Maharashtra. Marathi is also taught at Nav Jeevan as it is mandated by the state, but it is not a primary language of the school. 

Though we moved around a lot today, Katie and I enjoyed Kindergarten very much and spent several periods with them. Below, you can see Katie teaching the class colors using the shapes on the wall. Most of the Kindergarteners are minimal English speakers, but are sponges and remember whatever we say to them! The time we spend with them is critical because the Kindergarten class only meets for half of the day. Some students go home, but the 7 you see below in Katie's class are either waiting for the bus which is at 2pm, or are children who live at the school's hostel. Without this structure, the children are left to their own devices for nearly 4 hours. Since English is a marketable skill for anyone in India, we are so  thankful that we are of use teaching the Kindergarten after their classes and with the older classes as well. We have been learning from the Kindergarten too. When we teach them the words for things, usually they laugh and say it back to us in English and Hindi so that we then can learn the Hindi words!

Katie and Monica, one of the cutest Kindergarteners! Monica is from Uttar Pradesh, where her parents live in a small village. She was brought to school by her uncle with her brother who is in first grade, even though her parents are worried that no one from their village will marry her if she is educated. 

Katie and I spent the last few minutes of the day with the Kindergarteners outside on the playground!

Airplane running in front of Nav Jeevan!

After school Katie and I went with Roger, Kiran, and two teachers into Nagpur proper to the slum areas to see if there were any children that would be good candidates for the school's hostel. There is always room for one of the 31 million children in India that are living on the street. The problem with offering to put street children in school is that there is a fear among slum dwellers that since the school is Christian, the object is to convert the children to Christianity. But, Nav Jeevan prides itself on having no strings attached. There is daily prayer, but the children focus on "God," in a non-denominational way, with the object of learning how to be thankful for what they have and generous towards others, a practice which all major religious traditions in India keep.

As you can see, to the left of the slum there are many apartment buildings that loom. They are much nicer than the makeshift shacks in the slum and remind all of the income disparity throughout India.

While driving by one of the slum dwellings, we happened upon this beautiful young girl. She is the sister of one of the 9th graders, Vishal. It was touching to see that Vishal, a hostel student now, previously lived in and returns to the slum on holidays. Vishal's sister does not attend school due to her mental disabilities. Unfortunately, India does not have many options for those with mental or physical disabilities which makes these children a liability to the family. Often families abandon children with disabilities, making this girl fortunate that she is still able to work and live with her family. 

On our way home, we stopped at an art and music festival! Filled with color and music, the festival was a great way to get a different taste of Indian culture. We tried some Naan, a traditional Indian bread that was cooked for us on the inside of a piping hot barrel. 

Thank you for reading! We look forward
to what tomorrow brings, be it in English or Hindi, or something else! 

Our First Day of School

Our first day of school was at times overwhelming. The children at Nav Jeevan have tons of energy and find excitement in many topics. It was a challenge to adjust to the many cultural and structural differences compared to a school in the United States. For instance, the schedule seems to be more of a guideline when the students from the slums are often late to class or unable to attend school. Teachers and the curriculum must remain flexible and so will we! Below is a photo of the schedule of Nav Jeevan that hangs in the courtyard.

To celebrate our successful first day, we will give a brief virtual tour of Nav Jeevan. Below is a photo of Katherine and I (Katie) with the school’s principle, Vicky. She has been very welcoming and we look forward to getting to know her better as we find our place in the school.

The 100 or so children that live full time at Nav Jeevan sleep dormitory style, one huge dorm for the girls and separate smaller dorms for the boys, separated by age. In these dorms, the children have a bed and a locker to keep their clothes or any toys they might have. The children have little else in these rooms, we frequently find the girls creating dances or songs while the boys are more apt to be causing mischief!

Below are the sinks for the children to wash their hands (as you can see, there is no soap!). It is critically important that the children stay clean, especially in India where most people eat with their hands. However, it is hard to teach children about cleanliness when they have no knowledge of bacteria or infections.

Moving on the school section of Nav Jeevan, below is a typical classroom. Like the dorms, it demonstrates the lack of resources the children face, even with Nav Jeevan’s help. Only the preschool classrooms are painted and have educational posters.

On our first day, Katherine and I had a whole host of different responsibilities, from being substitute teachers, reading with the kids in the small, unkempt library, and doing special guest lectures on science and geography!

Below is the computer lab. On our first day, the school had to call a man to fix the wifi, which hadn't been working at the school for quite some time. Even with the fix, a third of the computers remain unusable because of various problems, and they will not turn on.

Regardless of the difficulty, Kiran and Roger Wingelaar have helped to establish a typing class at Nav Jeevan so the children will learn an employable skill for their future. The kids seem very excited to work with computers and get competitive to see who can be the most accurate typist! Katherine and I will help facilitate this class as well.

We look forward to the upcoming days at Nav Jeevan!