tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16329944886583921072024-03-14T11:47:47.314+05:30Reality GivesReality Gives is a registered NGO that runs and supports social projects to improve the lives of our communities in Dharavi - one of Asia's biggest slum in the heart of Mumbai.
Besides running several educational projects we also support and collaborate with other NGOs, organisations, businesses and individuals to offer a wide rank of extra-curricular activities.
Find out more on www.realitygives.org.nirlephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03591358974805111787noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-2810233395801689182016-03-14T11:15:00.001+05:302016-03-14T11:57:39.888+05:30How a Recent YEP Graduate's Trip to a Rural Village Changed The Way They Think About Dharavi and Inspired Change <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Recently, Kaveri and Hasnain, two graduates from our Youth
Empowerment Program joined youth from the French NGO Global Potential for a
four day leadership course in our partner village, Chinchoti. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Global Potential is an 18 month leadership and entrepreneurship
program for youth from underserved communities. A key aspect of their program
is a 45 day service-learning project in a rural village. During the month and a
half immersion, program participants learn from local youth and cultures, carry
out internships, and support community projects in health, environment,
education, and media. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This year, they came to India for the first time to explore
potential partnerships and partner villages with our co-founder Krishna. They
also took the opportunity to host the leadership course with their students,
and invited Kaveri and Hasnain along too! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group, led by Reality co-founder Krishna, pause for a photo with Reality staff, Lethy and Nick</td></tr>
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Upon their return we sat with Kaveri to reflect on her time
away from Dharavi.</div>
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<b>What was it like
working with young people from France?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“We were like friends... even more... like family members! I
already miss them. We spent 3 days together, always helping each other! It was
really very nice!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I know Indian people but for the first time I also have
foreign friends! I'm very happy. We are still in contact, even if they are back
in France!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>What did you have in
common?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“At the beginning I thought that the language would have
been a barrier. How we would communicate? But [it] was amazing to see how we
always manage to understand and to make us understood! And sometime they were
also helping me to improve my English, correcting me”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>What differences did
you have?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“The language is the big difference! But I improved my English
and I also taught a bit of Marathi to Adina [one of the French students]. Words
like ‘goodnight’ and the names of the food and she was always tried to speak
Marathi”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>How is life in the
village compared to the city?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“It was my first time in that village. In the city there are
people from all over India, and also from all over the world. In the village
just Marathi people…there are not good schools, not much development, no
computer classes, just 450 houses and not much possibilities.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And the market is very far! You have to go far far away!
They need a lot of help and education! Most of them don't know how to use a computer.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>But if you ask me if I prefer the village or the city I will
be confused, because I really like the village, but just for some days not for
life long! Because there the life is very hard, I'm used to the city, where I
was born! I'm happy here!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>How did you feel
coming back to Mumbai?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“Lucky, because the life in the city is easier, and I have
much more possibilities than the people in the village”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>What did you do in
the village?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“Mountain trekking, for two hours was very amazing! We learn
how the bricks are done [and] we collect the rice, that was hard work - I
didn't know that was so hard!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Also the journey was very nice! We took a boat [and] I did
also some translation work (from Marathi to English and English to Marathi)”<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We were like friends... even more... like family members"</td></tr>
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<b>How will your
experience change you? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“Now I want to speak more English, because I usually speak Marathi,
but after these days I see that is possible to communicate in English and I
want to practice more! Because I need English!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>What did you learn?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“I learn leadership…and the day we did the trekking in the
mountains it was my first time and it was very hard, but with the positive
thinking, I knew that it was possible, and I reached the top of the mountain! I
keep on repeat to myself 'you can do it' and I did!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I learnt how to overcome the difficulties, focus and achieve
my goal! Also during the farm workshop, it had always been a team work, we were
collaborating all together. So I also understood the importance of the
teamwork!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Thanks also to the help all the others, we were always
tighter, helping one other!"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>What was the best
part of the trip?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>"I like the village people! They were so nice and polite. I
felt like I was in a family. They gave us everything we need and we became very
close! When we left she cried!"</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What was the hardest
part?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>"It was not hard! Maybe the part of the trekking... but then
I reached the top so it was no longer hard. We were always happy!"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>How will you use the
information you learned?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>"My idea is to use what I learnt for changing Dharavi, where
I live. The problem in Dharavi is the garbage, which is everywhere! I would
like Dharavi to be cleaned…and we also need more clean toilets! And if all
Dharavi people collaborate it would be possible!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I would like to change these two things in Dharavi!"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-19595409682477578632016-01-11T10:55:00.000+05:302016-01-11T10:56:01.449+05:30Reality Gives - Looking Forward to 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Having ended 2015 with the release of our <a href="http://realitygives.org/Annual_Report_2015.pdf" target="_blank">Annual Report</a>, looking back on a year where we extended our reach to have positively impacted the lives of over 6,000 people in the communities we serve in Dharavi, January now feels a fitting time to look ahead.<br />
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We caught up with a whole host of staff and beneficiaries and asked them all one thing - 'what are your hopes and dreams for 2016?'. Here's what they had to say...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IT Teacher and Community Centre Assistant Manager, Ravi, has already realised his own dream, <br />
he wants to help others reach there</td></tr>
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At our Ashayen Community Centre Jyoti, the Community Centre Manager, wishes <i>"to see more community centres in different parts of Dharavi full of youth and children, getting trained by us and following their dreams"</i>.<br />
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Colleague Ravi has similar hopes, <i>"I want to see more and more young people coming to us. I
want us to be known in every corner of Dharavi because we offer course and
opportunities which a professional but free. I want to share this good education
and opportunity. </i><i>For myself I have no wish. I wanted to be a teacher and now
I am a teacher and the Community Centre Assistant Manager. I have no wish but
also, I am excited to see what comes next".</i></div>
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Current Youth Empowerment Students, Abid and Javed are hoping 2016 will bring with it exciting new careers. <i>"I wish to find a job in design."</i> Abid says, <i>"I want to make a house for
my family because right now we have very little room. My mother wishes for more
and I want to make it happen"</i>. Javed has similar ambitions, "<i>I want to be a Civil Draftsman because I love buildings –
they are home and communities. I want to help build them".</i></div>
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IT Teacher Karthika, who herself is a graduate of the Youth Empowerment Program wants <i>"to study more and work more so I can help more. I want to
help people from here that are not as lucky as me"</i>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Royal City School classrooms are abuzz with young hopes, dreams and possibilities</td></tr>
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Over at Royal City School, Lakshmi our principate shared her wish to <i>"to create more leaders from the teaching team, to empower and engage the parent community, and through aid and enhance the students progress"</i>. Kindergarten teacher, Sonali told us <i>"it is my dream to support the poorly performing children. I want to see the students develop - especially the ones that find it hardest." </i>Reflecting on how she will do this she continues <i>"I will do this by personally keeping learning. Learning is never a waste. It will help myself and also others too"</i>.</div>
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Tanzil, a student at the school succinctly describes her desires for the year - <i>"I want to dance because when I do this I am happy. And I want to learn so when I grow old I can do good work"</i>.</div>
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Varying in backgrounds, age, culture, religion and gender we were touched by the common thread running through all of these hopes and dreams. To improve oneself and in doing so, to help others. A great reminder of the common humanity which pervades the differences we all too often give too much focus and importance to.</div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-82472712145992900382015-10-07T12:27:00.001+05:302015-10-07T12:27:48.444+05:30Reality Volunteers - Why I quit my job as a fashion journalist to volunteer in the slum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">When I left
Paris a few months back, I only had a vague idea of what Dharavi would look like.
I imagined a very dense area where thousands, millions of people lived in
precarious accommodation. I thought that the streets would all be dodgy alleyways
leading from one home to another. Even though I knew I was going to work in one
of the biggest slum in Asia, I had no idea how big it really was. And I didn’t
want to learn too much about it before going: I wanted my clichés to be
shattered by experience.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Francois and our Founder Krishna Pujari</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Discovering
Dharavi</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was prepared
to face overwhelming poverty. But what I found there was much more complex and
fascinating. Just like the rest of Mumbai, Dharavi worked in a chaotic harmony:
hectic traffic, overly crowded streets…to the untrained eye, it all seemed very
dysfunctional. But if you stopped for a minute and looked carefully at how the
cars, the pedestrians, and even the animals were moving up the roads, it looked
like some sort of modern ballet, where everyone had a place and a role to play.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Much more than
just a slum, Dharavi was a city in the city. And everyone seemed to be busy
doing something: while some worked in plastic recycling factories, others ran
little shops and restaurants, or worked in one of the main industries (tannery,
pottery, bakery…). There were no beggars on the streets, but children on their
way to school. There were no muggers in the alleyways, but people showering
before heading to work. Where we all expect to see desperation and people
struggling, I saw smiles and people making the most out of what they had. And
even though a lot of them really wanted to find a way out of the slum, they all
embraced life in Dharavi and what it had to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why I left
my job</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of my friends
and relatives had expressed concerns about my volunteering in India. They were
afraid that I would get depressed by what I would see, or that I would get sick
by spending too much time in a slum. But as I leave Dharavi, I’m bringing home
incredible memories, true friendships and a valuable experience working in a
completely different environment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As much as I
loved my previous job and colleagues, I often felt very frustrated: writing for
a fashion magazine, I didn’t have any opportunity to meet our readers and felt
like I was stuck in an ivory tower, completely disconnected to reality. In
Dharavi, I sat only a few meters away from the beneficiaries of Reality Gives’
programs. I was able to see the impact the NGO had on them, I was able to talk
with them and I knew why I was doing all this for. With the help of the
incredibly nice and devoted team I was working with, I was able to use my
skills in a very different way. While I used to write about fashion designers
and up-and-coming talents, I was now helping on the annual report of the NGO,
designing application forms for the students and doing the layout of English
lessons developed by our education and curriculum director. Inspired by how passionate
my colleagues were and by the impact the NGO had on people’s lives, I worked as
hard as I could, because I knew I was there for a short period of time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Day in
Dharavi</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every morning, I
would commute to the slum from the small studio apartment I was renting in
Bandra – a neighborhood of Mumbai that looked like an Indian version of Brooklyn.
Walking through the muddy streets of Dharavi in the morning was my favorite
part of the day. I would go past old-fashioned barbershops, colorful temples, large
veg stalls, and shabby restaurants. I would look at the cats gathering around
the lady who sold fish, at the chicken in cages that were about to get cooked,
and at the goats wandering around the streets. But what I loved the most was observing
people as they were getting ready for their day. A lot of them were staring
back at me: some looked amused, most of them looked intrigued. Occasionally, a
man would come and ask me where I was from and what my name was. After a small
chat, I would go on walking through the streets, breathing in the smell of
incense and soap mixed with fresh meat, sewage and pollution.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjdopsrmC9nV3UZ_6dJqJs_wvAdepxpQMaws-v_77PB3762ToiiuJnOKpoCRqQWiC85WtacKiB2H5GOsHuuf_6EaCaPBl_qzoQbc1O-XnlQ-irjhl2JMJDprz6XxIVUycsjkIOAK8lhs/s1600/DHARAVI-LEVIS+39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjdopsrmC9nV3UZ_6dJqJs_wvAdepxpQMaws-v_77PB3762ToiiuJnOKpoCRqQWiC85WtacKiB2H5GOsHuuf_6EaCaPBl_qzoQbc1O-XnlQ-irjhl2JMJDprz6XxIVUycsjkIOAK8lhs/s640/DHARAVI-LEVIS+39.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The doorway of a house on Francois' commute to work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To reach my
former office in Paris, I used to cross the Champs-Elysées walking along kiosks
and luxury boutiques. In Dharavi, I had to walk behind a Hindu temple and a
public washroom, and climb my way up the stairs to one of our community center.
From there, I would work on my laptop, while the students on our Youth
Empowerment program were studying in the next room. There were girls and boys,
Muslims and Hindus, teenagers and housewives…all in the same classroom with one
objective: learning as much as possible to get better life opportunities. And
as they walked out of their morning English class, they would always greet me
with a very sweet “Bye sir” that made me feel 10 years older.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I used to
spend 10€ on a salad for lunch in Paris, in Dharavi I would spend less than 30
cents buying delicious dosas (rice pancakes) with chutney from an Indian guy
who spoke incredibly good English. I would share this with two of my adorable colleagues,
in charge of the community center, who would bring chapattis and spicy veg from
home. Then, after some chai, we would go back to work carefully seated under the
fans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Royal City
School</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every other week
or so, I tried to make time to go the Royal City School, an institution based
in the northern part of Dharavi, that Reality Gives supported by training 16 teachers.
There, I would sit and talk with the school support program director. We would
discuss upcoming events at the school, teachers and children’s attendance, but
also her passion for Alexandre Dumas. Quite often, a small child would pop his/her
head in the office, smile at us, and run back in the corridor with a backpack twice
his/her size. All the students wore school uniforms and looked incredibly cute.
They were full of energy and actually needed to be as the school curriculum included
the study of no less than three languages (Hindi, English and Marathi). After a
last glance at the painted classrooms, I would leave the school and take a
rickshaw home. On my way back to Bandra, I couldn’t stop smiling at the view of
Mahim Bay and at the thought of what I had seen and experienced during the day.
The pollution, the traffic, the noise…nothing could ruin this moment. Dharavi
was a place of hope. And working there was truly incredible.</span></div>
</div>
Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com21Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0402084 72.85085040000001319.0101899 72.810509900000014 19.0702269 72.891190900000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-50603969221518034772015-09-07T09:23:00.000+05:302015-09-07T09:25:56.283+05:30Reality Volunteers - "I learn a lot from the kids – probably more than I teach them"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After studying
at the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, Shraddha became a teacher and has been
inspiring apprentice yogis for over 2 years now. She recently decided to share
her wisdom with young beneficiaries from Dharavi through weekly yoga classes in
one of our community centres. After one of those classes, we sat down to discuss her
job, her new students and what yoga can bring to your life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you like most about your job?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I love that it helps
people to improve their health, in some way or another. And I try to teach my
students more than just exercises. Yoga is much more than that: it’s a way of
living your life, by following principles of truth and non-violence, for
example."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UmnyPZF8FzAD8suM7HbMvyEUD6Ih9XMa17XeZHlBp1tozwZzpj3LBqG3Che-mYQmvWt9Q5eUvvf7758c-yJgyFNg6q9tBXWluDHcYkziEZv3qDqnM6W__C1oZteVYpmwIIQYkV3DUhg/s1600/DSC_5794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UmnyPZF8FzAD8suM7HbMvyEUD6Ih9XMa17XeZHlBp1tozwZzpj3LBqG3Che-mYQmvWt9Q5eUvvf7758c-yJgyFNg6q9tBXWluDHcYkziEZv3qDqnM6W__C1oZteVYpmwIIQYkV3DUhg/s640/DSC_5794.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shraddha putting her aspiring yogis through their paces</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How did you discover yoga?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I have a genetic
health problem: my bones are very weak. And according to doctors, I cannot or
at least should not do any exercise. So I decided to study the philosophy of
yoga and I also learned how to teach it. It helped me a lot, so now I’m helping
people."</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is that why you decided to come teach yoga as a
volunteer in Dharavi?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Yes! I really
wanted to do something for people who don’t have any opportunity to do yoga,
and who are not keen on doing it, at first. I’m sure the kids are bored to
death when I tell them “Say the truth”. But they do come back! (laughs) I
really want to influence people’s lives in terms of health. When I was young, I
never went to something like this, where I could build my personality. In
India, you are not taught model values. And as you grow older, no one teaches
you how to behave. But yoga can help! And volunteering here is great: I learn a
lot from the kids – probably more than I teach them."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any future yogi in the class?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Yeah, I think
so, definitely! My goal for them is to see the students practicing yoga not
only here in class, but in their everyday life. I want them to try and follow
the principles of yoga, and to believe that it can really help them a lot."</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com2Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0402084 72.85085040000001319.0101899 72.810509900000014 19.0702269 72.891190900000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-86898297687758092982015-08-02T16:18:00.000+05:302015-08-02T16:18:00.538+05:30Reality Volunteers - "India is Going to Exceed Your Expectations!"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last month, Reality had a small party to say 'farewell' to Eloïse, a
volunteer from France, who has travelled around India and Asia extensively and spent several months with us here in Dharavi.
After indulging in a delicious chocolate cake, some of which we managed to get on her face (an Indian tradition, not an accident!), we had a chat about her volunteering experience with us in Mumbai.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fqGUKWKLHizPnsPXa84nGFUaWUWStLWQhN4D1VtTjny2ogH7arh3AvG4EejN3wCa6qz0o8gUF-l2Ge4Mk2N1e6MV_YhDgvrnZX248DVYJ0yDVqUFMBYxoM3F2O4udRyBeBsvmqkS378/s1600/Eloise+Reality+Gives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fqGUKWKLHizPnsPXa84nGFUaWUWStLWQhN4D1VtTjny2ogH7arh3AvG4EejN3wCa6qz0o8gUF-l2Ge4Mk2N1e6MV_YhDgvrnZX248DVYJ0yDVqUFMBYxoM3F2O4udRyBeBsvmqkS378/s640/Eloise+Reality+Gives.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not a true occasion unless you have cake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">When did you first
travel to India?</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"When I was 15, I went on a special trip to Kolkata with my
class for ten days. It was an 'initiation to humanitarian action'. I really
liked it, so I went back to India in 2012 for a year-long exchange program in
Pune, for my bachelor’s degree. I was a little disappointed by university and
the education system, but I wanted to spend more time in India. So I decided to
come back and work with a social organization this time."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was your
impression when you visited Dharavi?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I had heard a lot about Dharavi before and my friends had told
me about the tour, so I knew what to expect. But I was still very impressed by
the industrial and commercial areas. That’s something you cannot imagine, even
when someone tells you about it."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What were your
missions at Reality Gives?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I was supporting the Executive Director and also
helping Joe with the marketing and fundraising. I was
mostly doing office and admin work but I also had the chance to get more involved in the
activities at the Community Centers, which was really great."</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was the most
difficult thing you had to face in Mumbai?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"The most difficult thing was probably the heat, and finding
an apartment in Bandra. Flat hunting is really not an easy task in Mumbai. But
in the end, I shared a really nice apartment with a great roommate."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is your best
memory from your volunteer experience?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"There are so many! I loved working at the community centers,
where you can see it all happening. The best memories are probably all
those events during which the beneficiaries of the Reality Gives programs gave
speeches, thanking all the members of the organization. The graduation ceremony
for the YEP students, for example, or the award ceremony for the end of the
sports season. Blessy, one of the football girls, told us that she really liked
football but that she liked bonding with her teammates even more. It was all
very touching."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any tips for upcoming
volunteers?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I have a tip that can apply to anyone who comes to India:
just keep an open-mind, relax, and be positive. India can get very tiring with
the heat, the noise, the traffic… Especially Dharavi because it is very dense.
But you shouldn’t worry too much, because India is going to exceed your
expectations anyway."<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-79533473842164282792015-07-13T12:33:00.000+05:302015-07-13T12:36:58.134+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - Meet Viji<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Vijaya Kumari, 33, is a recent graduate of our
Youth Empowerment Program (YEP). As a mother of three and having only had the
opportunity to study until 8<sup>th</sup> Standard, we sat down with ‘Viji’ to
understand some of the story which led her to enroll.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Viji’s journey with Reality began when her
daughter saw a pamphlet (distributed by Reality staff amongst the communities
we serve in Dharavi). Her daughter convinced her to enroll, telling her it would
help children with their homework (all attend schools where the curricula are
taught in English) and give her confidence in communicating with all kinds of
people. She tells us, </span><i style="line-height: 16pt;">“education is the most important. My children
want to be educated; they have dreams. For them to complete their dreams, that's
why I work hard for them”.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Over the 15 weeks Viji
flourished. Picking up new concepts and ideas quickly, </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><i>“</i></span></b><span lang="EN-US"><i>I liked the teachers
who were very friendly” she shares, “they made me feel as a family with the
other students. It is a new life, I made new friends, and I got a new chance
here”</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><i>“YEP has been helpful in both my personal and
professional life” </i>Viji continues,<i> “I want to be a fashion designer. [Since
graduating] I got the chance to study in a college that specialises in
tailoring and fashion designing. The YEP was helpful in that I was more
confident and English was useful to get admission”</i>.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Confidently looking ahead to the future, Viji
informs us that <i>“after one year in college, my ambition will be completed -
I’ll be a fashion designer”</i>.</span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-54117803774996296452015-06-19T11:03:00.000+05:302015-06-19T11:03:17.024+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - A New School Year <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last Monday schools across the country opened their doors and welcomed back students from their summer holidays. Over at Royal City School, it
was no different.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">students paying revent attention to writing names on the front of their text books </td></tr>
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With four new teachers joining the staff (more on them later), there was a
wonderful sense of expectation and excitement in the air at the school. We were struck by the (what must be universal) nostalgia about the
promise of a new, unblemished textbook, a brand new pencil case filled with
brand new stationary, and a rucksack bigger than the child wearing it. A great reminder of the common humanity we all share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small child. A huge rucksack. A universal symbol of childhood nostalgia.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sitting down with the new Standard I students, we asked them
how they felt about coming back to school. “GOOD!” a chorus of tiny voices
replied. “There is lots of fun in learning and writing and being with my
friends” 6 year old Sujana</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">confidently
announced (who then could not stop laughing, giggling and wiggling in her seat
as she posed for a photo).</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be back!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The smiles, laughing, giggling and wiggling didn’t stop
there. Kemal, Ayesha, Sana and Damodar our new teachers share this sense of excitement and positivity surrounding the new
school year. Damodar (our first male teacher) told us, “the quality is so high
and the experience being here is exciting. The other teachers are very
supporting and I am excited to share and learn with the children. We can learn
together”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parents eagerly waiting for their children at the school gates</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Similarly to our other teachers, Kemal, Ayesha, Sana and
Damodar grew up dreaming of being a teacher. “I remember my first teacher, Ms.
Bharti”, Kemal tells us “she had such beautiful writing. From that moment I
knew I wanted to be a teacher”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With this great influx of enthusiasm, the school’s head,
Lakshmi said “I feel very positive about the coming year. In the previous
academic year we learnt a lot. We have implemented lots of new things and we
really can’t wait to see the fruits of our labour and ultimately, benefits the
students”.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com3Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0402084 72.85085040000001319.0101899 72.810509900000014 19.0702269 72.891190900000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-60388791488661870152015-05-08T12:26:00.000+05:302015-06-19T10:38:02.816+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - "We are all together with friendship"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whilst the core of Reality Gives’ work focuses on core educational programs, we augment these with a number of other activities run through our community centre to give local children the opportunity to explore their creative side, to develop a skill or hobby, and, essentially, to have a childhood. One of these activities is cricket.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgkJnSlhRCs608DTUprH-0nzWenhSnDnT_APSj0jx6y3ij26DYsEXScT7oe1JD038AlcXoGqseXWWWx4-VKbsg08l6C-6VCcwyi2tJpMwyII9mVmvEE23Gl2FO6lDDsbB0B2u7vPAr2c/s1600/P1120264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgkJnSlhRCs608DTUprH-0nzWenhSnDnT_APSj0jx6y3ij26DYsEXScT7oe1JD038AlcXoGqseXWWWx4-VKbsg08l6C-6VCcwyi2tJpMwyII9mVmvEE23Gl2FO6lDDsbB0B2u7vPAr2c/s640/P1120264.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cup has now become the annual end of season event for PFF </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Project Front Foot, fuelled by the enthusiasm and spirit of Vic Mills and executed by the dedication and professionalism of coaches, Harshad and Bhavna, began in October 2009, and has been growing ever since. The PFF season now ends with the Annual Friendship Cup (now in its second year). The tournament sees the PFF boys come together with Salaam Bombay, Cricket India Academy and Indian Gymkhana to do what they love best, play cricket. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlTYfwomeBA0NIMgKa_gzA18aGM70NYjiVdkhpLtnzNtB5vfIWf0t_HAXzZbG7RvGUcsn_Z5JLUocFSJYwz8ervTZjxVcXnDC5GOxSFt1NyHCuVOy18bNGUZ7S6pLBQlhxAnik6F0T9I/s1600/P1120369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlTYfwomeBA0NIMgKa_gzA18aGM70NYjiVdkhpLtnzNtB5vfIWf0t_HAXzZbG7RvGUcsn_Z5JLUocFSJYwz8ervTZjxVcXnDC5GOxSFt1NyHCuVOy18bNGUZ7S6pLBQlhxAnik6F0T9I/s640/P1120369.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We are all together"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A great day of cricket resulted in Salaam Bombay taking home the trophy for the second year running, but more importantly, lots of tired, happy boys going home in their whites, which would more accurately be described as ‘browns’ owing to the amount of dust they’d accumulated from a day of strenuous effort on the pitch (chasing a ball down in the outfield is no mean feat given the soaring temperatures and the unforgiving midday sun).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo59ZUM3fTC9mN4MrUYtQ3jt_drPqbLCZNtmQRtxVJlq-OQZW3IL9DyGRGFwwGO4aTuZ9e5IV_CwRBdxEJtVb0ZH5ZFIkLKAxy91hkwO9zEhnI-ut8YYxdq3XgRdUlbal-PH9BWafbnlE/s1600/P1120440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo59ZUM3fTC9mN4MrUYtQ3jt_drPqbLCZNtmQRtxVJlq-OQZW3IL9DyGRGFwwGO4aTuZ9e5IV_CwRBdxEJtVb0ZH5ZFIkLKAxy91hkwO9zEhnI-ut8YYxdq3XgRdUlbal-PH9BWafbnlE/s640/P1120440.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone's a winner!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sitting in the limited shade of Shivaji Park we asked a few of the players what the game meant to them. <i>“When we are there we are all together, we are all best friends”</i> Ritesh shared. It suddenly clicks, <i>“That is why it is the friendship cup, because we are all together with friendship”</i>. And ultimately, that’s exactly what this day is about. Its not about who takes home the trophy. It’s about boys of different ages, castes and religions putting on their whites and being totally united by their passion for sport. It’s about a level playing field.</span><br />
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-54810010804262573032015-04-02T14:11:00.000+05:302015-04-02T14:21:34.624+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - “Of course we will win. I'm the player of the month!”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their interest in cricket piqued by the recent World cup, newly arrived volunteers Lydia and Eloise paid a visit to Indian Gymkhana, Matunga - home of Project Front Foot. Here's what they found...<br /><br />'</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On our arrival at the Indian Gymkhana ground we received a warm welcome from the boys (aged between 12 and 14) who were really excited to start the practice and show their skills in front of our camera, especially as the Cricket World Cup was currently running (and at that point in time their Indian heroes were still in with a chance). As we got to know from the children, the practice is held three times a week, from 9 to 11, and matches are arranged on the weekends. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFYHxcJjGZtAUsxA6QVzfRjldNSgyagfDnzxQgByGWfoIndn53Y1_mJ9p4Dx3q2Ebn5nHab0lmkN8zRsOVOnwsBHqlET3JcZ_Dkk5UeCBy2h36113j2hU2pHfmzGWyIaL0gwxQgntTo8/s1600/10250089_916524918408071_5890389511243855752_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFYHxcJjGZtAUsxA6QVzfRjldNSgyagfDnzxQgByGWfoIndn53Y1_mJ9p4Dx3q2Ebn5nHab0lmkN8zRsOVOnwsBHqlET3JcZ_Dkk5UeCBy2h36113j2hU2pHfmzGWyIaL0gwxQgntTo8/s1600/10250089_916524918408071_5890389511243855752_n.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practising the 'forward defensive', an important part of any batsman's arsenal - as Eloise <br />
and Lydia learned during their time over at PFF</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Although we missed the
usual 15 laps of jogging (phew!), we saw their warm-up program which included body, leg, back and arms stretching. Workout over and the boys were
finally ready to put on their pads, helmets and take up their bats. As the
coaches explained to us, some kids were practising playing off front and back
foot while others worked on batting and bowling. They also gave us the chance
to catch some balls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Although we did not
really know the rules of cricket it was a lovely morning and it was great to
meet all the boys and coaches who are participating in this great project. We
experienced a lot of smiles, enthusiasm and motivated boys. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catching practise</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks a lot to
everyone, who made this morning so interesting. A special thanks to
the coaches, who had a lot of patience with us and our non-existent knowledge
of the game. We learned a lot!'.</span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-77016252674174093062015-03-04T09:12:00.000+05:302015-03-04T09:17:03.324+05:30Reality Volunteers - "There are so many things that I will remember!"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday Reality said goodbye to Shneeka Centre, a volunteer from the US who has been with us for 4 months. Before she hopped on a plane to Northern Island we sat down with Shneeka for a quick chai to reflect on her time volunteering in India...</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Can you give us an overview of your role at Reality?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I was a coach with the Girls’ Football program".</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What were your first impressions?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"My
first impressions of Mumbai were great. I immediately loved how friendly
everyone at Reality Gives was and how kind the Dharavi community were. Right from
the start, the football girls have been awesome to work with. They are always
so happy for practice and for matches. They are incredibly excited for the
opportunity to play football and to be a part of a team".</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shneeka was rarely out of her Reality Gives' 'COACH' jersey during her time with us</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What have you been most proud of in your time here?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I
am definitely most proud of the moms’ football sessions we have started. Peter
and I started holding Saturday afternoon fitness sessions for moms from the
Dharavi community. The moms have been fantastic to work with. Many of them have
not been given the chance to participate in sport since they were younger so it
is really great to see them laughing and enjoying themselves while getting
exercise. We have had a nice turnout so
far and I hope it can continue to grow".<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What will you remember most?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"There
are so many things that I will remember! I will remember all of the people that
I have met and worked with. I will remember how excited the football girls are
for practice and how excited they are to have the opportunity to play. I am
hoping I remember the Hindi that I picked up too!".<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"In
my short time here, I have definitely learned a lot. Probably the greatest thing
I have learned is how wonderful Dharavi actually is. Yes, of course there are
negatives, but there are so many encouraging and inspiring aspects. People in
the community are so helpful and caring. Even though their situation is less
than ideal, everyone is always helping one another and so generous with the
little they have"</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So often behind the camera or off running around the sports field, Shneeka has been something of an unsung hero these past few months. All of us at Reality would like to thank her for the wonderful energy and positivity she brought to the team; for what she did and the way that she did it.<br /><br />All the best with your next adventure Shneeka. See you back here soon!</span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-23154880986260051382015-02-19T14:27:00.002+05:302015-04-02T14:13:38.771+05:30Reality Gives at Royal City School - “Thursday was the first day I have ever felt like I was important, and that my families’ happiness and learning mattered”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week Reality Gives staff, volunteers and supporters joined forces with an incredible team of India First employees, and 8ft ‘Doreamon’ and ‘Chota Bheem’ mascots (popular children’s cartoon characters), to deliver Royal City School’s first ever annual sports day.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Our children got an annual sports day as any child should deserve to have"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With races for children from Kindergarten to Standard II and even the mums and dads competing, it proved to be an incredible experience for all involved. Reflecting on the day Letizia De Martino, Reality Gives Executive Director shared, “<i>In our vision we say that we want to build a world where underprivileged communities have equal access to opportunities and resources. I think today we did it! Our children got an Annual Sports Day as any child should deserve to have</i>”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over at the school, the children are still grinning from ear to ear - “<i>I like it because I can run</i>” Standard II student Vikram told us “<i>I have never seen so much space</i>”. Fellow Standard II student Sanjana told us, “<i>The ground was very big and nice. I loved it. It was too huge. I loved passing the pipe</i> (the relay) <i>and the medals and the running</i>” whilst her classmate Vivek told us “<i>I didn’t win a medal. My mother did. My mother won a gold medal for running. I feel happy</i>”.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The races weren't just for the kids!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<i>It was such a good experience</i>” Sujatha, one of our senior teachers told us, “<i>The best day. The organisation. The parents’ preparation Everything. The mothers ran so fast. ‘How do you run in a sari’ I asked one. ‘Just watch. It is no problem’ she said!</i>”.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNXWe-X8PGmkOgOCVTzOjOsPZDpfeeugUw-l3U5VfkAUKzvf59CjkmoegnJmOgLRzl5l1vOUiwa-MY-x43xAailzGAub6iVc-i_0sFG1cKUgapYet36GtxW7oWh0dWb8fcuCU2G0CXRw/s1600/Foto-6087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNXWe-X8PGmkOgOCVTzOjOsPZDpfeeugUw-l3U5VfkAUKzvf59CjkmoegnJmOgLRzl5l1vOUiwa-MY-x43xAailzGAub6iVc-i_0sFG1cKUgapYet36GtxW7oWh0dWb8fcuCU2G0CXRw/s1600/Foto-6087.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The day was a great example as to what can be achieved when great organisations come together. <span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thanks so much to India First for funding and facilitating the event!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The parents too are still abuzz with the thrill and excitement of the day. One father shared with our Quality Improvement Director, Annabelle “<i>Thursday was the first day I have ever felt like I was important, and that my families’ happiness and learning mattered. Thank you, it is a day we will never forget</i>”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks so much to the team of staff, volunteers and other dedicated individuals who made this day so memorable for so many. Special thanks to India First Life Insurance, without their funding, organising and boundless energy this dream event would never have come true!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">To help us continue to give these children the opportunities and </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">experiences they deserve, <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/get_involved_donate.php?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=RCS&utm_campaign=February" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-20072254225518569342015-01-09T16:36:00.000+05:302015-01-09T17:09:01.353+05:30Reality Gives - Hopes for 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beginning of a New Year is often a time for reflection, for taking stock, and for looking to the future, which is exactly what we are doing here in Dharavi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We asked some of our staff, beneficiaries and minor celebrities (Pubalan) what their hopes, dreams and resolutions were for 2015. Here's what they had to say...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over at Royal City School, </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Educational Programs Director, Lakshmi</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> shared that </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"in 2015 I look forward to becoming computer savvy and all teachers speaking nothing but English from the moment the first bell rings in the morning to the end of the school day"</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Standard I Teacher, Krishna</b> told us <i>"</i></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>My wish for the New Year is
to return to the school after giving birth to a healthy baby, and to keep up
with current affairs"</i>. <i>"I want the New Year to be good for everyone" </i>added her <b>student, Afsanjaha</b>.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afsanjaha, Standard I Student, Royal City School</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Elsewhere in the organisation <b>Computer Teacher, Ravi</b> said "</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I wish to learn advance computers – like tally, software, DTP and to improve my English fluency. I wish to teach all my students in English only. For my students – I wish that they learn computers and English and continue their studies</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">" and his colleague, <b>Banu</b> wants "</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">to visit my native place </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(the village she is from in Tamil Nadu)</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> with my whole family and meet my younger brother who is away from us for four years</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Karthika, from the Girl's Football Program</b> shared her wish to "</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">write a letter to Peter</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (our former Sport Programs Director who is moving to the US) </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and to learn Dance as well. I do not want to fight with her brother in the year as it causes lot of nuisance to my parents and I want to do a job and help poor and needy people</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"My wish listen is to be number 1 on trip adviser"</i> <b>Reality Founder, Krishna</b> told us, <i>"it will help us to get more funds through our tours for our projects. I also wish to do some programs in the recycling area of Dharavi"</i>, whilst <b>Reality Gives Executive Director, Lethy</b> said <i>"in 2015 I wish Reality Gives will touch more and more lives. Helping young people in Dharavi to flourish to their full potential"</i>.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumbs up to 2015 from Reality Give's beneficiary, Pubalan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Finally, the last word, as it so often does, goes to</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> Pubalan</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">, who wishes </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">"to learn good things and make good friends. I want to grow trees to save the earth"</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">. It seems 2015 is going to be quite a year!</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.realitygives.org/get_involved_donate.php?utm_source=Blog&utm_medium=New%20Year&utm_campaign=New%20Year">Click here</a> to support Reality Gives in helping some of these hopes and dreams come true.</b></i></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-87573956414907402212014-11-22T12:14:00.000+05:302015-01-09T17:02:10.906+05:30Moustache Wallahs - The Significance of the Indian 'Mo'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">As most of you will know by now, ‘Moustache Wallahs’ is in full force over here in the Reality </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">Gives’ office with plenty of our boys sporting a mo. We've now begun some awareness session, talking 'scrotums, the prostate, impotence and depression' and are planning more sessions and clinics in the next few weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">Our moustaches have sparked many locals and tourists to share the history of moustaches in India, along with many interesting facts. We thought you might be interested in our findings…</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7rSTVC_f1ofx_UJ07-vJHoaNuzS4VQj17UDRipYmCnhjuwSuQORHDjg92ocXDN1kka3lP7Nxrr2VFJUTIQjeHahVdysFVynq57dtRnrk67DOYSlzmpON9V8xA73vXNXZF5yFkwykVGY/s1600/DSCN4906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7rSTVC_f1ofx_UJ07-vJHoaNuzS4VQj17UDRipYmCnhjuwSuQORHDjg92ocXDN1kka3lP7Nxrr2VFJUTIQjeHahVdysFVynq57dtRnrk67DOYSlzmpON9V8xA73vXNXZF5yFkwykVGY/s1600/DSCN4906.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jitu, Jonny and Asim sporting some spectacular mo's</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">For generations of Indian men, a moustache has been a must. Throughout history, it was thought that the more fabulous your facial hair was, the more masculine you were. Before the eighteenth century only high caste men were allowed to keep moustaches. So, moustaches were seen as a symbol of power. However, it is now becoming ‘the thing’, especially in northern India, for men to be clean shaven. This could be due to the heavier Western influence in the north, the fact that few famous cricketers and Bollywood stars have moustaches or according to a recent AC Nielsen Survey, women prefer to hang-out, date and kiss a clean-shaven man, so potentially vanity is playing a part. We haven’t been given one definite answer. However, we are without doubt that the choice to have, or not to have a moustache is not taken lightly out here.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">These facts only confirmed this feeling for us:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- An Indian will swear on his moustache to demonstrate his sincerity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- To say someone’s “moustache is drooping” is to say he is sad.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- The world’s longest moustache measures 14 feet and belongs to an Indian </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">man called Ram Singh Chauman. It is enough of an attraction to earn him a living. He charges modelling fees, he starred in Bollywood films and even had a cameo in the Bond film Otopussy,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- It is often a mandatory requirement for doormen in five star hotels to have moustaches.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- In some families, it is necessary for a man to wear a moustache until his father passes away. He will then have freedom to shave his moustache.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- Traditionally moustaches were seen as a sign of virility.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">- Believe it or not but police in the northern Madhya Pradesh state get paid an allowance for growing a moustache. Police chief Mayank Jain came about the idea during a seminar when he noticed that the police officers who had moustaches were getting looks of respect from others in the room. So it made logical sense to benefit from this additional respect. Any police officer who grows a moustache will be paid an additional 30 rupees a month for their efforts. The only catch to the allowance is that the police chief has to inspect the moustaches himself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">Through sporting our mo's we're proud to become a part of this rich history and also raise awareness about men's health. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">To show your support and help fund awareness sessions for the men of Dharavi, <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VKWXEPDTDDCAQ" target="_blank">'mo'nate now</a>.</span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-20110038071661493782014-10-16T09:53:00.000+05:302014-10-16T10:05:41.790+05:30Reality Volunteers - Meet Annabelle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago we introduced you to Annabelle, a volunteer from England, who has joined the Reality Gives team here in Mumbai for the next few months. She is here to help develop the <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/yep_project.php" target="_blank">Youth Empowerment Program</a>, focusing mainly on the Soft Skills aspect of it and will also be working at the <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/lssp_project.php" target="_blank">Royal City School</a>, running sessions to help empower and develop the teachers. Annabelle took a few minutes out of her hectic schedule to have a quick chat with us and tell us a little more about herself... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hi Annabelle, welcome to Mumbai! How are you finding It so far?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Hi! All good so far. A little hot, but great!</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annabelle poses for the obligatory 'first day facebook post' photo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Haha. So, what were you doing before you came here?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I have been working in education in the UK for the past few years. I initially started by working in a specialist autism school, where I realised my passion for teaching. I then went on to work in a school in a favela (slum) in Rio de Janeiro; this opened my eyes to global education issues. After that I taught in a government school in London where I was working alongside some particularly inspiring practioners, so I learnt a lot fast.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Amazing, so what made you want to come to India?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I visited India last year during one of my school holidays and I fell in love with the country. Not only did I love the food, but I was also struck by the welcoming and vibrant atmosphere. On top of this, I came to Dharavi and visited the Community Centre and was inspired by all the brilliant projects that you are doing here and was instantly eager to join in on the fun and hard work. I am so excited that I am now here and able to make these programs even more successful.</i></span></div>
Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-78836767937236813942014-10-03T15:10:00.002+05:302014-10-03T16:32:49.041+05:30Reality Volunteers - "I have enjoyed every minute"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From late August to early October, Lydia Wummel, a Business Management student from Germany volunteered with us. Just before she boarded a flight we caught up with her and made one more request (she was gracious enough never to say 'no' to whatever we asked, one of the many qualities we loved her for), to tell us about her time here...<br /><br /><i>"It is hard to believe that my
six weeks of volunteering with Reality Gives have come to an end. The time has
gone by so fast and I have enjoyed every minute of it. </i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But let’s start at the beginning…</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This was not my first time here in India. Coming to Mumbai as
a student in 2011 I immediately fell in love with the country and it's amazing
people. That time it was clear - I will come back to Mumbai again! As I wanted
to see other parts of the city I applied to be a volunteer with RGi and luckily
I got the chance to work here for a period of six weeks.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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</w:wrap></i></span></v:imagedata></v:shape><v:shape id="Grafik_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1028" style="height: 91.3pt; left: 0; margin-left: -65.25pt; margin-top: 195pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-horizontal: absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical: absolute; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 0; mso-wrap-distance-left: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 0; mso-wrap-style: square; position: absolute; text-align: left; visibility: visible; width: 137.2pt; z-index: 251661312;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></v:shape><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>My first day started with the
Dharavi slum tour. Having seen Slumdog Millionaire and being asked question
from Mumbaikars like “why would you go there?” I was really excited to see this
part of the city. This tour broke my stereotypical depiction of a slum. I was
surprised by all the self-sustainable factories, safety and hospitality of
the people there. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLperC0x0zCVMrNdNbbutFsRgB30J2uk6V5_Vj4kQuEiekQA8CELXnreS6gt1xyOq6l-XW5_v6abeEeTS0UnfKtxt_IvdjugUe6hjvHkaJKFGvRr8P8eFOMtCwlsE6gQT2xMNlT-AtjM/s1600/IMG-20140912-WA0001+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLperC0x0zCVMrNdNbbutFsRgB30J2uk6V5_Vj4kQuEiekQA8CELXnreS6gt1xyOq6l-XW5_v6abeEeTS0UnfKtxt_IvdjugUe6hjvHkaJKFGvRr8P8eFOMtCwlsE6gQT2xMNlT-AtjM/s1600/IMG-20140912-WA0001+(1).jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maggie and Lydia work on the volunteer program (l-r)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>So, I was ready to start my
volunteering experience in Dharavi. On my first day I met the entire team of
RGi and Reality Tours & Travel and welcomed with a nice lunch
at an Indian restaurant nearby. After introductions and visits to our different
projects and partners I was ready to start my project work with Maggie, another
lovely volunteer from Italy who joined in my second week. <br /><br />Maggie and I were
responsible for shaping the <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/get_involved_volunteer.php" target="_blank">volunteer</a> and ambassador programs of Reality Gives and
we really enjoyed our work. Besides this we got hands on practical
experience while giving English classes to staff members, preparing a
presentation about our country to teachers and assisting the girl’s football
program, a unique program in Dharavi. Throughout the English conversation classes
Banu, Sangeeta and Ravi taught us a lot about Indian traditions and festival.
We were lucky to be here during the Ganpati Festival and got all information
about it from our students. India has amazing and unique festivals!<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Youths from Dharavi perform their dances for the teachers at Royal City School - a highligh of Lydia's time here</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>One of our highlights was the organisation of a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/realitygives/photos/pb.116238131729905.-2207520000.1412328921./811385965548448/?type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-xap1%2Ft31.0-8%2F10484067_811385965548448_8775293256986262204_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-xap1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F10660175_811385965548448_8775293256986262204_n.jpg%3Foh%3D4e2f15f7330b56d5bbb5df237c17e89f%26oe%3D54BB4B99%26__gda__%3D1422841669_0e93f164fce9d567a6376b7205340a79&size=2048%2C1363&fbid=811385965548448" target="_blank">dance performance</a> with
students from our <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/yep_project.php" target="_blank">Young Empowerment program</a>. We were amazed by their dance
skills and the performances they prepared for teachers day at the <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/lssp_project.php" target="_blank">Royal City School</a>. On Teacher’s day we got the chance to be judges for several things the
teachers had prepared themselves. We tasted yummy food, saw amazing posters and
draws, got Mehndi and saw beautiful Rangolis. A really eventful and memorable
day!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Besides volunteering, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mumbai never gets boring! Every time we thought we understood the city
we would find something new and start all over again! Chai walas, colours,
festivals, food, smells, smiling people. This will not be my last time in India!</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />I also want to take the chance hereby to thank all the fantastic
colleagues from RGi, RT&T, Royal City School, the Community Center and all the
lovely people from Dharavi who made this stay unforgettable. You guys are
amazing. Keep it up! Looking forward to seeing you back in Mumbai soon!"</i></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com34Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0402084 72.85085040000001319.0101889 72.810509900000014 19.070227900000003 72.891190900000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-73210687687542661332014-08-28T18:40:00.000+05:302014-08-28T19:05:31.853+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - "football has made me strong and confident"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #222222;">Recently </span><a href="http://goal-click.com/" style="color: #222222;" target="_blank">Goal Click</a><span style="color: #222222;"> asked us to help them identify a girl in Dharavi to take an analog camera with 27 shots on it and capture insights into their experience of football in Dharavi as part of their world wide mission to <i>'provide a person in every country with one analogue camera and one roll of film to take photos that symbolise football in their country'</i>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">To determine which of the girl's would be charged with this challenge we asked them to write an essay entitled 'Why should I be the Goal Click representative'. In this blog article, we capture a little more information about our winner, Blessy, and find out what football means to her...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>“Football has made me strong and confident”</i> says 14yr old</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Blessy </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sippora.
Blessy is in her 10<sup>th</sup> grade doing her schooling from Our Lady of
Good Counsel High School, Sion, Mumbai. She lives in Dharavi, where her family
has been residing for 40 years now.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN-US">She is the
eldest among her siblings. Her younger sister is in the 9<sup>th</sup> grade and is also a member of the Girls Football team.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Blessy </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">has
been playing football for two years now and thinks that playing the sport has
brought a lot of changes in her life. <i>“I have not only become fit but have also
learned life skills like team work, discipline, communication to name a few.
Even though I am in</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>
the </i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>10<sup>th</sup> grade, my mother encourages me to play
because I have learned to manage time for studies and practice sessions. A lot
of people know me now and I get chance to make new friends and visit new
places. My parents are proud of me and that makes me happy!”</i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blessy in action against the Oberoi School Girls' Football Team earlier this year</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In her free time she enjoys reading, watching TV and of course playing
football. Her dream is to play professional football and encourage girls from
Dharavi to take up the sport</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and follow her footsteps</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She says, <i>“I am really
happy that I got the opportunity to showcase how football is played in my
locality - that even girls can play football! I am not a</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i> </i></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>photographer
but I'll try to take good pictures. I have the best team and the bestest coach
who are always there to help and support me. I know there are only 27
shots. So, I will try not to make mistakes and capture the best moments.”</i><br /><br />When she's through all 27 shots, Blessy will send her camera back to the UK where the pictures will be used in an exhibition compiled of participants photos from across the globe. Can't wait to see the results!!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-87142971591474939142014-08-08T14:50:00.000+05:302014-09-04T11:52:07.989+05:30Reality Runs - Mumbai Marathon 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year Reality Gives are strapping on our trainers, hitting the tarmac and gearing up for the Mumbai Marathon 2015, and <b>we want you to join us</b>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Established in 2004 the Mumbai Marathon is the largest
marathon in Asia and amongst the top 10 in the world (it’s also the largest
mass participation event in Asia) with 40,000 participating in the event last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Mumbai Marathon 2015 will take place on Sunday 18th January 2015 and features three main events; the Full Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km) and Dream Run (6km). </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing CST Station, Haji Ali and running over the Sea Link, the <br />
event offers a unique way to see Mumbai</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As well as being an incredible sporting occasion, the event also represents a great way to raise funds with last year seeing Rs.179,000,000
raised for 232 NGOs. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As an officially recognised NGO participating in the event we are able to support schools, corporates and individuals in entering the race and raising funds for us. <b>Reality Gives wants YOU.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Individuals</b> - For the first time ever <b>we have 12 places up for grabs </b>for you to take part in either the marathon, half marathon or dream run! The cost of a charity bib is Rs.8,000 and includes a t-shirt to run in, a 'Short Tour of Dharavi', a team-building 'Bicycle Tour' with your fellow runners, a bespoke fundraising plan designed in conversation with our Fundraising and Marketing Director and a HUGE number of fundraising incentives to help spur you on to your fundraising targets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Schools</b> - This year the 'Student Challenge' has been introduced, with space <b><o:p></o:p></b></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for
20 educational institutes to register teams of 5 students to raise Rs.50,000
and compete in the ‘Dream Run’ category of the Marathon.
Teams are able to add up to 15 members for every Rs.10,000 additional funds
they raise above the (Rs.50,000) and can be made up of students of 12yrs or
above and can also include teachers, staff, donors and alumni (though a minimum
of 5 students must be included).</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Corporates - </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The corporate challenge event has historically always been very popular as it is both an incredible way of raising money for charities and also provides corporate runners with an incredible experience (with access to a the pre race executive tent, regular pre-race communication and newsletters, team acknowledgement on the website and charity docket and a trophy for the member of the team raising the most funds). Teams of up to 15 or 25 can compete at a cost of Rs.275,000 and Rs.400,000 respectively.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Goddard ran the Marathon in 2013, raising £863 for Reality Gives</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're really excited about being a part of this. But don't just take our word for it. Reflecting on his own experience Mumbai Marathon man and Reality
Gives fundraiser, Steve Goddard says:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><i>“it
was an incredible experience, running for such a great cause that I really
believe was very humbling. The people of Mumbai were their usual amazing selves
and really supported the runners, kids running alongside and random people
giving us biscuits and drinks etc., truly, truly great. It is a real buzz along
the route, especially towards the last few km's where the number of people grow
and there are events taking place. It was a rare chance to experience Mumbai in
peace due to the really early start and </i></i></span></div>
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<i>almost run as the city awoke”.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a great chance to undertake an immense personal
challenge, see a different side of Mumbai and raise vital funds to support the
education of 381 students at <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/lssp_project.php" target="_blank">Royal City School</a>, Dharavi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’d like more information</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">please don’t hesitate to contact us on Joseph@realitygives.org, we'd love to hear from you!</span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-87497694591967945112014-06-18T11:18:00.000+05:302014-06-18T11:47:49.263+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - Back to School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">This week children across India don their satchels (often larger than they themselves are), polish their shoes until they can see their faces in them and begin the new school year with a sense of nerves, anticipation and, hopefully, excitement. What many of these children won’t realise is that their teachers are feeling much the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 15 teachers Reality Gives supports at Royal City School (RCS), Dharavi, are no different. Trained in the muktangan method (a <span style="color: #222222;">model of education which provides quality, child-centred and inclusive English-medium schooling)</span> these women cover junior and senior kindergarten, standard one and for the first time this year standard two. <span style="color: #222222;">We sat down with Krishna Vaishy, 27, a first standard teacher at RCS, who got married in the summer holidays to discuss her feelings on </span><span style="color: #222222;">returning to RCS for her second year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Krishna’s story is an interesting one. Having previously lived close by to the school in Sion, she has now moved to be with her husband and his extended family, which she approximates numbers around 26 people. What’s more, the family are located in Dombivli, way up on the north eastern outskirts of Mumbai, a five hour daily commute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Waking at 4am daily, Krishna prepares breakfast and lunch for her new family members and doing other housework. She leaves for school at 7am and does not arrive home again until 8:30 in the evening. In spite of this long day, she sees herself as lucky, <i>“m</i></span><i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">y family are contemporary… they help with the housework because they care about my career. They know my job is important”.</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Krishna shared with us that <i>“</i></span><i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">I get tired but it has become a habit so I manage. I only want to work at RCS because I am learning so much from Laxmi and my English is improving. I work here because I like it – we learn so many thing – how to handle the children how to be with them. It’s good for my development and the children enjoy it. I like this method. I like this method because we understand the value of behaviour as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeKvDkSNU3ONMBi3m4RhsbpH1SJL2W6zNloRNzDRZ80NL1s6KHAPXP692V8qmFW26CZ-4CN72ynZkSlZE-HvSDKa3TWv0vDxYHdVkJoBGAHsJoCeCQtUQ4uUhKjYpvGs53iiNhJamsrc/s1600/IMG_20140613_142711328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeKvDkSNU3ONMBi3m4RhsbpH1SJL2W6zNloRNzDRZ80NL1s6KHAPXP692V8qmFW26CZ-4CN72ynZkSlZE-HvSDKa3TWv0vDxYHdVkJoBGAHsJoCeCQtUQ4uUhKjYpvGs53iiNhJamsrc/s1600/IMG_20140613_142711328.jpg" height="640" width="496" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Krishna Vaishy, 27</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">“I like working with the children” </span></i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Krishna continues <i>“and to give new information and quality education. It is very important because so many poor children do not get it. Our children are learning through experience. When they learn rote they remember nothing. In other schools there is rote learning. Our children are exploring. We want them to be able to remember and to teach to others”.</i></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">“I am really excited about the children coming back. I want to teach them so many things. Language, maths, all the subjects and behaviour. I love circle time. We discuss all the childrens’ issues and current affairs in the community. We talk about how react to these things and behave and then we play so many games that teach discipline”.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Reflecting on her life, Krishna shared “<i>I would like to continue my career in education. My dream was to become a teacher. Now it is completed. It is a reality. I am proud to have the opportunity to teach the children. I don’t have a high level of education but I got this training and opportunity. When I was a child I never got this method of learning. I am proud to give it to children so they can learn nicely and remember forever”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">With teachers like this, the children returning to Royal City School certainly have cause to look forward to a great year ahead. </span></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-28770504560344196332014-05-30T15:45:00.000+05:302014-06-03T14:17:59.614+05:30Reality Gives' Press - "it is the people of Dharavi that have touched me the most"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago Jayne Gorman, a UK based travel blogger contacted us to inform us she wanted to blog about Reality. Having visited us during the last four and a half years, which she has spent travelling the globe from Goa to the Vatican, San Francisco to Mumbai, Jayne explained that in that time her tour of Dharavi and exposure to the work Reality Gives had remained a very vivid, unique and important experience and she wanted to spread the word about us. So, without further ado, over to the professionals. Here's her article, 'A Charity Close to my Heart - Reality Gives in the Slums of Mumbai';</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>When I visited Dharavi, India’s largest slum, in Mumbai back in November 2010 I was struck most not by the disarray of the surroundings but the generosity of the people. Amongst swampy streets and littered wasteland children played with smiles on their faces. Workers toiled proudly in unsafe conditions; women kept the floor of their simple homes spotlessly clean. It was Duvali and celebration cake was being dished out to excitable children. They clutched it in their grubby hands and ran barefoot through piles of human and industrial waste to find a quiet place to enjoy it. Not before they had offered their guests the first taste though, they were exceedingly well mannered about it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I was visiting this part of the city largely because of the light that had been shed on it by Danny Boyle’s movie Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. Thankfully, though, I had chosen to visit the slum with a company that would both educate me and benefit the residents far more than the film had.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Reality Tours take tourists into Dharavi with the objective of breaking down the negative attitudes that many people have towards people from less developed communities like the slums. The common stereotype – often reinforced by media and popular culture – of idle, passive and often criminal slum-dwellers is something they strive to change. Instead they work closely with these communities and ask the guests who take the tours to leave their cameras behind - a mark of respect for the residents which meant we could meet and speak with them without the intrusion of a lens.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Reality Tours & Travel is a social business, with a model that allows tourists to contribute responsibly to the communities they visit. Since I last visited, Reality Tours has begun offering multi-day tours in Rajasthan and Kerala, and just recently launched city tours in Delhi. The social commitment of the company still stands, as it has from the beginning— 80% of the profits from each and every tour are used to fund projects, run or supported by Reality Gives, that improve the relevant communities. Communities benefit, and visitors get to see how they’ve made an impact. This is a simple and scaleable model, and as travellers, we should hold all of the tourism organisations we support to such high standards.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Reality Gives runs a community centre in Dharavi. We visited it as part of our tour and I got to speak to the young boys who were chuffed about being able to use the centre’s computers to complete their schoolwork. The charity also runs a Youth Empowerment Program in the Dharavi area and provides English language support at a local government school.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>No one can explain better what these projects mean to the residents of Dharavi than the people themselves. <b>Nusrah (aged 22)</b> shares what joining the Youth Empowerment Programme means to her:</i></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I want to impress my father after finishing this course and talk to him in English. I want to work in a hospital – for four or five years I was always going there. I understand the feelings of the people and want to do something for them. I want to encourage them. I have come out of cancer. I want to give them hope”.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>You can read more about the projects Reality Gives run as well as those they support by clicking here. A particular focus for the charity at the moment is a project they are working on with their partner, <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/CORP_disabilities_project.php">CORP</a>, raising funds for hearing aids for hearing disabled children.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Of all my travels it is the people of Dharavi and the work of Reality Group that have touched me the most. I mention them again now because I would like to ask for your help, to join me in supporting this worthy cause and consider visiting the projects and people they have helped at some point in the future. I’m going to add a button on the site that directly links to the donation page for Reality Gives as this is a cause I feel very passionately about and I hope from this article you can understand why. </i></span></div>
Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-58625781320707494822014-04-22T14:48:00.001+05:302014-04-25T14:10:13.976+05:30Reality Gives' Programs - "Go Kiss the World"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In February we sat down to <a href="http://www.realitygives.blogspot.in/2014/02/IWillBeTheBestThing.html">interview several students</a> who had just begun our Youth Empowerment Program to understand their motivations for joining the program and discuss hopes and aspirations for where it might lead. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, two months later we caught up with Hajira (who is currently two months into the program) and Shabana (a recent graduate) to take time out to reflect on how the program had changed them and the ways in which they were developing and learning. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since its inception in November 2009, 292 students have graduated from the program</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hajira Shaikh (22) </b>joined the program with a high level of English but a desire to develop this further and to improve her conversational English. It was her hope that this would enable her to better compete with privately educated students when applying for jobs. Hajira writes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This class has encouraged us not only to learn English but
to improve our other skills. The Youth Empowerment Programme also includes
computer education and soft skills, which helps us develop basic etiquette and
our personality.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I enjoyed because there is no particular age limit. People
have joined also with different backgrounds, religions, castes, etc. Some
people are married, unmarried; students, workers, etc. Everyone has different
ideas and experience to share. We share thoughts and beliefs and family
situation. All are one and everyone shares their problems and help each other.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The main challenging task was managing the time. It is not
so hard but sometimes we face little time problem but thanks to the faculty and
management we find it very flexible to attend. The faculties members are like
friends, teachers and parents. We never do hesitation to share or ask any
difficulties and they are always ready to help.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>They changed my life, my thoughts. They encourage me and it
also boosts my confidence. Now I don’t have stage fright. It encourages me to
think much broader and innovatively. I wish I could also be a part of Reality
Gives as it is an NGO I would love to work in.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Reality Gives means a lot to me. In this class only we come
to know how people come from different countries to see Dharavi, where everyone
wants to help each other out. I noticed one thing that they don’t go to other
places but to visit Dharavi. It means they are very interested to see such
places rather than go just for holidays.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hajira and her classmates marked International Women's Day by writing and performing a play</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Shabana Ansami (21) </b>is a recent graduate of the program. She is now training to be a teacher, and has just passed her penultimate exam. Shobana writes:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I have learned personality development, hence how to present
our self, how to communicate with foreigner as well as Indian personality.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I enjoyed more game with friendly atmosphere. I not only
enjoyed game but also learned more things such as leadership quality, quick
decision making etc.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Trees can’t stand without timber, just like that ‘YEP’ was a
big challenge for me. I had to face lot of challenges to be like a competitive
pupil, not a comparative pupil. I always encountered my hurdle smoothly and
happily. I have changed in my professional life. Just like bird flies in the
sky singing a song, twittering – same as it is also for me.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Go and kiss the world"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>My aspiration is like ‘well begun is half done’ – I would
like to do innovative work for Reality Gives always. Reality Gives means to me
to achieve real knowledge with the help of a creative mind. According to me
Reality Gives an ‘Ocean of Knowledge’ and we are a drop! The beginnings of all things
are small. I always follow ‘KISS’ – Keep It Short and Simple.</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com1Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0442194 72.855978819.014199899999998 72.8156383 19.0742389 72.8963193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-32713457721811740982014-03-27T13:55:00.000+05:302014-03-28T12:38:13.849+05:30Reality Gives Programs - New Computer Lab opens in Chamda Bazaar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;">While an overwhelming
amount of respondents to Nieck’s interview questions (see <a href="http://realitygives.blogspot.in/2013/11/reality-tours-travel-newsniecks.html">here</a> for a quick reminder)
were positive, we also received some feedback about areas in which we need to
improve. The people of Chamda Bazaar, Dharavi (a poorer area of Dharavi
inhabited mainly by Muslims who work in the leather industry, <span class="textexposedshow">skinning, shaving, equalising, dyeing, embossing and
texturing the animal hides)</span> told Nieck th<span class="textexposedshow">at they
didn’t feel they benefitted from the effects of our Reality Gives programs as
much as others.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;">“The company should develop this area and they
should help the children get a better education. I think that since the last
time that [they] came here, they stopped with all of these development
projects.”</span></i></div>
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<span class="textexposedshow">In response to this, in February we opened a new
community Computer Lab in this area where local children are now learning IT
and English skills. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Computer classes run daily from 8:30-9:30am and the same students are
also given a further hours English conversation class on Monday and Tuesday
from our UK volunteers, Matt and Joe (that’s right, those guys again!). Classes
are taken by Youth Empowerment Program graduate, Ravi, who is in training to be the sole Computer Teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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coming in for class. The change that ensued thereafter was striking – as soon as the
computers were turned on and they were presented with their worksheets they were
engaged, focused and had a twinkle in their eye (the fact that this was almost
perfectly synchronised with the all too familiar windows start-up sound
signature made it all the more remarkable). The boys are clearly really
enjoying themselves. </span></span></span><br />
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Sitting with the boys we we’re proudly told by Sayed (12) <i>“I was the first in
my class to know what www was at school…before we were sleeping ‘til 10am, now
we’re getting up to come here…I am top of the class in computers at school. I
always finish quick”,</i> whilst Asif (14) comments <i>“At school I attend class but it
is not good. The teachers do not teach. Now the students ask me ‘how do you do
that?’. Everyone is shocked”</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s great to see the vast improvements these boys have made. Mayur (who is currently supporting Ravi with the class as part of the latters training) tells us <i>“when we started they could not handle a mouse. Now look at them! What
they are doing!”</i> With time, having established trust and a dialogue with the
local community we hope to increase the number of classes being offered, and to
start to work with girls in the area too, who typically have less free time to
attend such programs. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #333333; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, with the number of computers we have now standing at 38, we'd like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the people at CORP, CapGemini, Rachel Teo, Gavin King, Idar Meling and Patrick Zickler for the generous donation you made, without which, starting this centre would not have been possible. We're truly grateful.</span></span></span><br />
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com2Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0442194 72.855978819.014199899999998 72.8156383 19.0742389 72.8963193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-24897375618413742602014-03-14T12:27:00.001+05:302014-03-27T14:00:36.841+05:30Reality Gives Events - “a woman has so many things in her heart, but does she ever get to share it?”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This previous Saturday people across the world came together
to mark International Women’s Day and here in Dharavi it was no different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the Community Centre our <a href="http://www.realitygives.org/yep_project.php">Youth Empowerment Program</a>
students presented speeches, posters and plays about influential women (ranging
from hockey players to astronauts and politicians), on the football field the
<a href="http://www.realitygives.org/yuwa_project.php">Dharavi Girls Football Program</a> got together to send a message out to the world and
the Reception Centre hosted an exhibition of photographs taken by five women
from Dharavi, whom were unequivocally, the stars of the day.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you work out what the Girls Football Team is spelling out? Keep in mind the acronym of the day and kindly forgive Marketing and Fundraising Director, Joe, for not climbing a higher wall to get the picture!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These five women, Amrita, Anuradha, Kaveri, Nirmala and
Shobha, are graduates of ‘Ladies Only – Stories For All’, a five week
photography workshop by </span><a href="http://www.realitygives.org/bombay_underground_project.php" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dharavi Art Room</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> which is a collaboration between
Reality Gives and </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BombayUnderground" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bombay Underground</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. This workshop was conceived when on a
field trip one of the young students told Bombay Underground social worker, Aqui
Thami </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“my mummy never leaves the home”</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. From this offhand statement, through
in-depth interviews with women in the community an idea percolated and a program was born with the aim of showing Dharavi through a woman’s perspective. 'Ladies Only - Stories For All' was charged with ‘celebrating womanhood and claiming a space not just for surviving but for
being’. With Dharavi so often shown through an outsider’s or a
male’s point of view, this program aimed to show an altogether different side by giving the
women the skills and the forum through which to tell their own stories.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jyoti (left) our Community Centre Manager introduces the women to the audience</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reflecting on the program, Kaveri says <i>“I come to the art room
to learn photography and it’s also an escape from all the work at home”</i> whilst
we’re also told <i>“when I see my friends here and when I hold my camera I forget
all the pain, all the bondage, feels like I am young again”</i>. The affect on the
women has been palpable.They stand tall, shoulders back, head up. They're confident
and engaging, enthusiastic and hopeful about the future. This newly realised
sense of purpose is also affecting their families as they tell us, <i>“I could not
go to school but why should that stop me from sending my daughter to school.
She will learn. As long as I am here she will go”</i> and that <i>“If worse comes to
worse I will sell off all my jewellery but will not stop sending my kids to
school”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, as they stood with in front of 40 members of the community
(including many of our YEP students), people listened. Comfortable in front of
this crowd of community members they spoke passionately about their experiences
and how the program had empowered them. They told us how they are now pursuing
other opportunities to develop their skill sets and learn. With determination
and focus they asked us, <i>“when can we do more!?”</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-65901691058810335862014-02-27T10:33:00.001+05:302014-02-28T10:53:54.418+05:30Reality Gives Programs..."You believe in me and I will be the best thing"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On 6<sup>th</sup> February, 2014, 31 new students became the
25<sup>th</sup> and 26<sup>th</sup> groups to participate in the Youth
Empowerment Program held at the Reality Gives Community Centre in Dharavi. This
program spans 15 weeks, with students studying English, Computers and Soft
Skills. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One week into the program, some of the students sat down
with us to share what had motivated them to join the course and where they hope
it can lead them in the future. As many of their stories are deeply personal,
some of the YEP students interviewed have had their names changed to protect
their identity.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the Youth Empower Program Students post for a group photo with Adina<br />after their 'Speech Day' on Saturday 22nd February</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Attending the morning class are Afia and Kiran. Kiran is an
aspiring DJ and Afia, a housewife.<i> “My
mother died in my birth and father re-married. My stepmother doesn’t care for
me so I have to work in the morning to earn money and work in the evening too”</i>
explains Kiran. <i>“I have all to do the
household work also. She does not take care myself”. </i>When asked why he was
so motivated to attend this program when he was already so busy he replied <i>“I look up to my uncle. He struggled. He has
inspired me. I want a family and I want a better life for them than myself. I
will struggle to do better and this will help me achieve something. I want to
become a good person who can speak with any person. To be confident to speak
with him or her”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Afia, 23 is also from a complex family background, having
had a ‘love’ marriage into a family that does not like her, something she says
has been exacerbated by her not having had a child within the first four years of
marriage. <i>“I want to improve how they see
me and impress, earn their respect. I think this </i>(Youth Empowerment
Program) <i>will help me get some work and
be important to the family. I too want to improve my English so I can teach my
son and daughter”.</i> Afia is currently living with her mother and will join
her husband’s family in a few months. <i>“My
husband would not allow me to come here – but I am not telling him” </i>Afia confides
<i>“After 3 months I will show him how I can
speak English. I want him to be proud of me”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nusrah and Isa attend the afternoon class. Through the
translation of Jyoti, the Community Centre Manager, Nusrah (22) shared how she has
battled to recover from cancer in recent years and revealed that as she does
not have a brother she wants to make her parents happy; to be independent and
to <i>“stand on her feet like a man”</i>. <i>“My parents didn’t want me to come here for
my health. I wanted. I feel like I have an opportunity. After a long time I am
studying again. This is the best decision for myself” </i>an emotional Nusrah
said, “<i>I want to impress my father after
finishing this course and talk to him in English. I want to work in a hospital
– for four or five years I was always going there. I understand the feelings of
the people and want to do something for them. I want to encourage them. I have
come out of cancer. I want to give them hope”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isa (23) has a good level of English but feels that it is not
good enough to compete with well educated, privately schooled students, <i>“Being in the slum area, I don’t get good
companies and good chances”. </i>Isa shared that she really had to fight to
attend the classes, “<i>being a muslim girl
nobody allows you to study further but my mum has been supportive. Inside I
have a lot of pain. My mum is uneducated and has suffered at her in-laws house.
She wants me to stand independently. I have two brothers but she treats me as
an equal. She trusts me a lot but I want to show her that I can meet her expectations.
I want to show her - you believe in me and I will be the best thing” </i>her
hope is <i>“My mother will be proud. We
should not think like we are poor we cannot do anything. Go and try your luck.
I am searching for a good job. Good English will help me get a good job in
customs and HR”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As well as learning the syllabus, the students are also
already beginning to form an important support network with one another. One
student explained <i>“Everyone has a
different problem. No one is here from a good background. We are low level and
struggling and it encourages us to study and learn and we will do anything. Now
I feel like we all have different problem and we have to tackle jointly.
Different stories from different people. Everyone has a problem but it helps us
be happy to share them. We can support”. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Reality Gives blog will revisit Isa, Nusrah, Afia, Kiran
and some of the other YEP students as they progress through the program to see
how they are developing and what their prospects are for the future.</span></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com3Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0442194 72.855978819.014199899999998 72.8156383 19.0742389 72.8963193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-67748583695626239302014-02-17T11:51:00.000+05:302014-02-17T12:03:56.399+05:30Reality Gives Projects..American School of Bombay come to Dharavi!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neil takes the group through some warm up exercises</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">On the last Sunday of
January in the late afternoon, students from Reality Gives programs sit hushed
in a room watching intently as their peers strut their stuff upon the stage that is the Reality
Tours and Travel Reception Centre, their expressive faces lit by a sole beam of
light. The room is packed with onlookers; the students themselves, teems of children drawn in from the street eager to witness this spectacle and
Reality Tours and Travel guides, there to see more of the social work that the tours
they run help to fund. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The onlookers are
watching these young adults seize this opportunity to express themselves, to
make their peers laugh and to explore worlds of their own imagining. To
understand how they got to this moment you need to go back to that very same
morning as two teachers and three students from the American School of Bombay arrive
in Dharavi carrying a large, somewhat out of place stage light through the
streets. Here’s their run down of how the day unfolded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">On Sunday 2<sup>nd</sup> February we
(Fenella, Neil, Ben, Parth and Madhav) conducted drama workshops and devised
original theatre with a group of 38 young people in Dharavi, in collaboration
with Reality Gives. From the outset there was a buzz of excitement in the air
and everyone was willing to mix, take risks, try out new ideas and listen
attentively to all the instructors. During the skills based workshops (that
included posture, projection, tableaux, expression, sequencing and blocking)
the students were focused and asked relevant questions. Being flexible and open
to new experiences they were eager to present their work and give helpful
feedback to others. By the time we broke for lunch everyone was comfortable
working with all the leaders and with each other.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVypg8LqKvbTj2e71tgII899Zlf6kZJo37tuFs39zMOUUGnALR-jL336-BxOXaHrKJsLJ-8FS9qtIqHxz3pjGhLL1P4fbpbiTxz9wyFoltZ5lVwe2QghyphenhyphensfM1gMHeYbcNlmGBk8S-U_74/s1600/pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVypg8LqKvbTj2e71tgII899Zlf6kZJo37tuFs39zMOUUGnALR-jL336-BxOXaHrKJsLJ-8FS9qtIqHxz3pjGhLL1P4fbpbiTxz9wyFoltZ5lVwe2QghyphenhyphensfM1gMHeYbcNlmGBk8S-U_74/s1600/pic2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(From left to right; Ben, Madhav, Parth, Neil and Fenella)</td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The afternoon sessions were even
more rewarding. The morning sessions had been in English but during the
devising process, creating their own theatre, participants spoke in Hindi. This
allowed for a more creative buzz, and more freedom of expression in their work.
Given the stimuli of pictures of life in India, including rituals, people at
work, traffic accidents, domestic life and scenes from childhood, small groups
of 5-6 students set about using these images to create their own short plays,
while applying the skills they had learnt from the morning. The two workshop
leaders commented to me on how quickly the groups worked together, and how
creative they were with their ideas. The community spirit and sense of support
enabled each group to produce a piece that was meaningful for them and relevant
to the lives of the audience.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">In performance each group was
motivated, focused and disciplined, with the audience being excited, attentive
and supportive. The final presentations covered such themes as disloyalty in
relationships, equality for women, corruption in politics, arranged marriages,
harassment in the work place, and other issues that were clearly close to the
participants’ hearts. Although the short plays nearly all addressed topics that
were serious and relevant, the atmosphere was not weighed down by the intensity
of the issues, as there was a good balance of drama, comedy and discussion. One
group asked questions directly to the audience about justice, and this sparked
a lively discussion, again reflecting every participants’ willingness to be
involved. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">We ended the day by handing out
participation certificates and congratulated everyone on their hard work.
Everyone left on a high, and I am sure many of the participants would like to
repeat the experience, as do we also hope to one day. Matt and Joe were
wonderfully supportive throughout, and we are so glad that we got to meet them
and to know them during this eventful and rewarding day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Joseph@RealityGives.orghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06543546592595068847noreply@blogger.com1Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0442194 72.855978819.014199899999998 72.8156383 19.0742389 72.8963193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1632994488658392107.post-86016285550368138022014-02-07T17:10:00.000+05:302014-02-07T17:10:36.078+05:30Reality Gives Volunteers...Matt and Joe get some drama in! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TJD0S3bE8_M/UvTD55EYSpI/AAAAAAAACk0/h7wxQaR0rQ8/s1600/IMG_4443.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TJD0S3bE8_M/UvTD55EYSpI/AAAAAAAACk0/h7wxQaR0rQ8/s1600/IMG_4443.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matt (left) and Joe (right) with our Girls Football Team</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week we would like to introduce you to our current volunteers Matt and Joe who joined our team in January for five months to work on some activities for our communities. But we thought they can explain what they do and how they enjoy working for Reality Gives much better: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>We’re Joe Callanan and Matt Aldridge, we’ve just recently moved to Mumbai and joined the Reality
Gives team as volunteers. We’re mainly focussed on teaching English and Drama but since arriving
we’ve enjoyed getting involved with other projects such as girls’ and boys’ football and chess. We’re
both ‘gap year’ students from Newcastle, UK.
</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Joe
</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Being my first visit, India was an initial shock, but I was soon overcome by the community spirit of
India and its people. Being involved with the local Bombay Gymkhana football team really helps
you to feel local; after teaching a small drama workshop at school in Newcastle I really look forward
to trying to inspire the next Bollywood actor and hope they have some fun along the way! After my
‘gap year’ I am going to study a Business degree at York st John University and I hope to return to
India soon afterwards.
</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Matt
</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I’m very much enjoying living in Mumbai and sampling all of the local food, my favourite of which
is ‘pani puri’. In my spare time I play rugby for Bombay Gymkhana and research the other places
I’m traveling to before starting a Biochem degree at University College London. I’ve always loved
acting and, although I’d taught some short English projects in Dharavi whilst at school, I’m really
looking forward to working with our drama students over a longer period.
</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>We’ve both found the Reality Gives team a very friendly and positive environment and are really
enjoying working here. We are both passionate about the potential for acting and theatre to be a
really positive impact on people’s lives, and an important educational tool. The students we’ve been
teaching so far are really keen to learn and full of energy and the next four months is sure to be a
fantastic experience. </i></span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0Dharavi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India19.0442194 72.855978819.014199899999998 72.8156383 19.0742389 72.8963193