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 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.