Reality Gives - Looking Forward to 2016

Having ended 2015 with the release of our Annual Report, 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.

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...

IT Teacher and Community Centre Assistant Manager, Ravi, has already realised his own dream,
he wants to help others reach there

At our Ashayen Community Centre Jyoti, the Community Centre Manager, wishes "to see more community centres in different parts of Dharavi full of youth and children, getting trained by us and following their dreams".

Colleague Ravi has similar hopes, "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. 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".

Current Youth Empowerment Students, Abid and Javed are hoping 2016 will bring with it exciting new careers. "I wish to find a job in design." Abid says, "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". Javed has similar ambitions, "I want to be a Civil Draftsman because I love buildings – they are home and communities. I want to help build them".

IT Teacher Karthika, who herself is a graduate of the Youth Empowerment Program wants "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".

Royal City School classrooms are abuzz with young hopes, dreams and possibilities

Over at Royal City School, Lakshmi our principate shared her wish to "to create more leaders from the teaching team, to empower and engage the parent community, and through aid and enhance the students progress". Kindergarten teacher, Sonali told us "it is my dream to support the poorly performing children. I want to see the students develop - especially the ones that find it hardest." Reflecting on how she will do this she continues "I will do this by personally keeping learning. Learning is never a waste. It will help myself and also others too".

Tanzil, a student at the school succinctly describes her desires for the year - "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".

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.

Reality Volunteers - Why I quit my job as a fashion journalist to volunteer in the slum

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.

Francois and our Founder Krishna Pujari

Discovering Dharavi

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.

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.

Why I left my job

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.

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.

A Day in Dharavi

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.

The doorway of a house on Francois' commute to work

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.

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.

Royal City School

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.

Reality Gives' Programs - A New School Year

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.

students paying revent attention to writing names on the front of their text books 

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.

A small child. A huge rucksack. A universal symbol of childhood nostalgia.

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  confidently announced (who then could not stop laughing, giggling and wiggling in her seat as she posed for a photo).

Happy to be back!

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”.

Parents eagerly waiting for their children at the school gates

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”.

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”.

Reality 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”

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.

"Our children got an annual sports day as any child should deserve to have"

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, “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”.

Over at the school, the children are still grinning from ear to ear - “I like it because I can run” Standard II student Vikram told us “I have never seen so much space”. Fellow Standard II student Sanjana told us, “The ground was very big and nice. I loved it. It was too huge. I loved passing the pipe (the relay) and the medals and the running” whilst her classmate Vivek told us “I didn’t win a medal. My mother did. My mother won a gold medal for running. I feel happy”.

The races weren't just for the kids!

“It was such a good experience” Sujatha, one of our senior teachers told us, “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!”.

The day was a great example as to what can be achieved when great organisations come together. Thanks so much to India First for funding and facilitating the event!

The parents too are still abuzz with the thrill and excitement of the day. One father shared with our Quality Improvement Director, Annabelle “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”.

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!

To help us continue to give these children the opportunities and 

experiences they deserve, click here.

Reality Gives - Hopes for 2015

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.

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...

Over at Royal City School, Educational Programs Director, Lakshmi shared that "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".

Standard I Teacher, Krishna told us "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 want the New Year to be good for everyone" added her student, Afsanjaha.

Afsanjaha, Standard I Student, Royal City School

Elsewhere in the organisation Computer Teacher, Ravi said "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" and his colleague, Banu wants "to visit my native place (the village she is from in Tamil Nadu) with my whole family and meet my younger brother who is away from us for four years".

Karthika, from the Girl's Football Program shared her wish to "write a letter to Peter (our former Sport Programs Director who is moving to the US) 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". 

"My wish listen is to be number 1 on trip adviser" Reality Founder, Krishna told us, "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", whilst Reality Gives Executive Director, Lethy said "in 2015 I wish Reality Gives will touch more and more lives. Helping young people in Dharavi to flourish to their full potential".

Thumbs up to 2015 from Reality Give's beneficiary,  Pubalan

Finally, the last word, as it so often does, goes to Pubalan, who wishes "to learn good things and make good friends. I want to grow trees to save the earth". It seems 2015 is going to be quite a year!

Click here to support Reality Gives in helping some of these hopes and dreams come true.

Moustache Wallahs - The Significance of the Indian 'Mo'

As most of you will know by now, ‘Moustache Wallahs’ is in full force over here in the Reality 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.

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…

Jitu, Jonny and Asim sporting some spectacular mo's

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.

These facts only confirmed this feeling for us:

- An Indian will swear on his moustache to demonstrate his sincerity.

- To say someone’s “moustache is drooping” is to say he is sad.

- The world’s longest moustache measures 14 feet and belongs to an Indian 
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,

- It is often a mandatory requirement for doormen in five star hotels to have moustaches.

- 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.

- Traditionally moustaches were seen as a sign of virility.

- 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.

Through sporting our mo's we're proud to become a part of this rich history and also raise awareness about men's health.

To show your support and help fund awareness sessions for the men of Dharavi, 'mo'nate now.

Reality Gives Events - “a woman has so many things in her heart, but does she ever get to share it?”

This previous Saturday people across the world came together to mark International Women’s Day and here in Dharavi it was no different.

At the Community Centre our Youth Empowerment Program students presented speeches, posters and plays about influential women (ranging from hockey players to astronauts and politicians), on the football field the Dharavi Girls Football Program 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.

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!

These five women, Amrita, Anuradha, Kaveri, Nirmala and Shobha, are graduates of ‘Ladies Only – Stories For All’, a five week photography workshop by Dharavi Art Room which is a collaboration between Reality Gives and Bombay Underground. This workshop was conceived when on a field trip one of the young students told Bombay Underground social worker, Aqui Thami “my mummy never leaves the home”. 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.

Jyoti (left) our Community Centre Manager introduces the women to the audience

Reflecting on the program, Kaveri says “I come to the art room to learn photography and it’s also an escape from all the work at home” whilst we’re also told “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”. 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 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” and that “If worse comes to worse I will sell off all my jewellery but will not stop sending my kids to school”.

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, “when can we do more!?”.