I would like to introduce you to the Cornerstone School (Emmanuel School) in Badshapur Village on Sohna Road in Gurgaon. This is a school for the poorest of the poor - children of low cast, ragpickers, day workers and seasonal workers, some of whom live under appaling conditions.
The fabulous couple, who started and run this school are Sharon and Rohit Massey.
These wonderful people dedicate their time and effort to educating children, who otherwise would have a very slim chance of ever learning to read and write.
The children are easy prey for traffickers and the like if they are not supervised at all times, so it is crucial to have the school close to where they live. Rohit and Sharon rent 4 small rooms in a building in the area.
It is not much, but it is certainly more than nothing, and the children are getting a chance of a better life than their parents did. Every parent's wish I think.
The bigger children do not have any desks, so they reside on the floor mostly.
Lunchtime! Get your tiffin out and dig in.
In February this year we were there to help distribute school bags to every child. No more plastic bags, or indeed nothing at all to carry their things!
It is February and although it is just right for "us people", it is still cold for most others.
At the beginning of the school year 2016-2017 Rohit contacted me and asked if we could help out with school books and other material. Of course! I had no idea what I said yes to ...
It all began with visiting the supplier offering the best price. Off we went an evening after work. We drove and drove and drove. It got dark and we were well outside of the city. Hmmm. Finally Rohit stopped in a tiny village in the middle of literally nowhere. What? Really? Actually, yes.
We spend a couple of hours selecting the books needed to enlighten the students in the wonderful world of language, maths and science. Sharon has the last say as the principal of the school.
The following day Rohit and I took off again. This time to venture into hardcore India = Chandni Chowk a.k.a. Old Delhi. To get to where Rohit wanted to go, the School Book and Note Book Street as he called it, we had to abandon the safe airconditioned car and get on a very unsafe non-airconditined bicycle rickshaw.
Here we are - Rohit is happy. He has found the shop where we can get all the notebooks we need for a good price.
The street is lined with these little "holes-in-the-wall" packed from floor to ceiling with school material ...
... and, as it turned out, the space below each "hole" as well. The nice notebook walla suddenly got on his knees and soon he had disappeared down this opening from the waist up! Only his behind was sticking up like a traffic cone warning people of danger ahead.
If you have ever been to southern Europe, you know the importance of thoroughly and lengthily discussing all the possible ways of doing something for a long time. Everyone has the best idea. Finally, they agreed and we could get on with it.
"Yes! All that is ours."
It all got packed on another bicycle with trailer - the only way to get it out of the area really.
The queue was amazing and not moving at any measurable speed ...
Rohit lets them know what is going to happen, and why! "Education is the most precious thing, and you are expected to work hard and do your best. School can change your life if you let it."
Being handed their school material by this strange, tall lady with sick-looking skin and the wrong colour hair was even a bit daunting to some of them, even though they had met me before.
"Pew, I made it. Now I want to get out of here asap. She is even touching me!!! I might catch something." (I made that up... Think she was happy as Larry. Who is Larry anyway??)
This student found herself in a picture on the standee and was so proud to show her friends.
"Picture madame?" Yes, of course. As many as you want!
These teachers are themselves students and work here as much as they can for a salary of around £30/month. Yeah ... I know.
Can't remember what happened. Guess you had to be there. Oh, I was ...
Sometimes the parents still have to be persuaded to send their children to school, since they are needed at home to work and help out with younger siblings. Another excuse is that the children get wet on their way to school during the monsoon. Well, that was an easy one - we went and bought them all rain coats!
Darren desperately trying NOT to tower over these poor children. He looks completely mesmerized! And the little boy as well...
It is a real treat for me to have met Rohit and Sharon. They are so full of love, patience and dedication - an inspiration to all. If anyone would like to pitch in let me know. School material, clothes, a bob or two ... you name it, they need it.
The children are easy prey for traffickers and the like if they are not supervised at all times, so it is crucial to have the school close to where they live. Rohit and Sharon rent 4 small rooms in a building in the area.
In February this year we were there to help distribute school bags to every child. No more plastic bags, or indeed nothing at all to carry their things!
It is February and although it is just right for "us people", it is still cold for most others.
At the beginning of the school year 2016-2017 Rohit contacted me and asked if we could help out with school books and other material. Of course! I had no idea what I said yes to ...
It all began with visiting the supplier offering the best price. Off we went an evening after work. We drove and drove and drove. It got dark and we were well outside of the city. Hmmm. Finally Rohit stopped in a tiny village in the middle of literally nowhere. What? Really? Actually, yes.
... but we managed to eventually reach the car and repack.
A few days later it was time to hand everything out to eagerly awating students. The older students, the ones who come after school for tutoring, were glad to help out.
It is a very big thing for many of them to have their own notebook, pencil and eraser for the very first time.
Sometimes the parents still have to be persuaded to send their children to school, since they are needed at home to work and help out with younger siblings. Another excuse is that the children get wet on their way to school during the monsoon. Well, that was an easy one - we went and bought them all rain coats!
