On my last day the women at work had a surprise for me. Red henna!
My colleague used gift wrapping paper as painting tool (organic henna).
30 minutes later...
The finished product...
On my last day I went to a Learning Center in one of the slum areas. These children show weakness in reading and math. Based on statistics, these children are likely to drop out of school and go back to work. With tutoring and support, the aim is to empower and motivate them to stay in school.
The boy next to me on the left (blue t-shirt) is a former child worker. Like most kids, he would run after trucks and trains and steal fruits and vegetables that he'd sell in the market. He would give the money to his family. He is determined to stay in school because he never liked his job. He comes to the center in the mornings to improve his reading skills. He couldn't take his eyes off me. Every time I looked at the class he would stand out because he would straighten his back and keep his eyes fixed on me. Whenever our eyes met he would smile. Through his energy I could
feel how powerful my visit was to him. Every time our eyes met, I could read his face.
I am an achiever despite my environment. And my corresponding smile would say:
I believe you.
When I got back to work, an electrician was busy fixing the power connection. He successfully managed to restore it. Finally we could enjoy the AC and Internet again... Electricians in India are as brave as fire fighters. They risk their lives when they work to restore power - they could get
electrocuted by the cables connected illegally to a main
circuit that provide residents with (unpaid) supply of power.
People at the office thought I was such a dork for taking pictures of an electrician.
It's an insult to India to show you my pictures. India is multidimensional and fascinating and can ONLY be perceived live in person. I wasn't brave enough to be a successful photographer. Everyone stared at me when I took pictures. Pictures can't capture the heat, the sounds, the chaos, the smells...
When I was sick, these women surprised me by showing up at my hotel room with food enough to feed a small country. They didn't mind the tight space around my living room table and we enjoyed a nice lunch together with lots of laughter. They were the best medicine!
On my last day, I didn't expect such a big crowd. They all gathered around me and I spontaneously held a goodbye speech. The CEO handed me a silk scarf as goodbye present from everyone. I treated everyone with Indian sweets. Later, the core group of women I had spent most time with said, "Emma, do you think we've celebrated everyone like this? We want you to know that no one from your company has connected with us like you have. Everyone here knows you. Did you see that everyone showed up to say goodbye? This has not happened before with other volunteers from Sweden. We will miss you."
Subaida was eager to spoon feed me home-made dessert made from rice, milk and nuts.
Mmmmmmmmmm................
The team!
On my last day the women at work had a surprise for me. Red henna! 
My colleague used gift wrapping paper as painting tool (organic henna).
30 minutes later...
The finished product...
On my last day I went to a Learning Center in one of the slum areas. These children show weakness in reading and math. Based on statistics, these children are likely to drop out of school and go back to work. With tutoring and support, the aim is to empower and motivate them to stay in school. 
The boy next to me on the left (blue t-shirt) is a former child worker. Like most kids, he would run after trucks and trains and steal fruits and vegetables that he'd sell in the market. He would give the money to his family. He is determined to stay in school because he never liked his job. He comes to the center in the mornings to improve his reading skills. He couldn't take his eyes off me. Every time I looked at the class he would stand out because he would straighten his back and keep his eyes fixed on me. Whenever our eyes met he would smile. Through his energy I could feel how powerful my visit was to him. Every time our eyes met, I could read his face. I am an achiever despite my environment. And my corresponding smile would say: I believe you.
When I got back to work, an electrician was busy fixing the power connection. He successfully managed to restore it. Finally we could enjoy the AC and Internet again... Electricians in India are as brave as fire fighters. They risk their lives when they work to restore power - they could get electrocuted by the cables connected illegally to a main circuit that provide residents with (unpaid) supply of power. 
People at the office thought I was such a dork for taking pictures of an electrician. 
It's an insult to India to show you my pictures. India is multidimensional and fascinating and can ONLY be perceived live in person. I wasn't brave enough to be a successful photographer. Everyone stared at me when I took pictures. Pictures can't capture the heat, the sounds, the chaos, the smells...
When I was sick, these women surprised me by showing up at my hotel room with food enough to feed a small country. They didn't mind the tight space around my living room table and we enjoyed a nice lunch together with lots of laughter. They were the best medicine!
On my last day, I didn't expect such a big crowd. They all gathered around me and I spontaneously held a goodbye speech. The CEO handed me a silk scarf as goodbye present from everyone. I treated everyone with Indian sweets. Later, the core group of women I had spent most time with said, "Emma, do you think we've celebrated everyone like this? We want you to know that no one from your company has connected with us like you have. Everyone here knows you. Did you see that everyone showed up to say goodbye? This has not happened before with other volunteers from Sweden. We will miss you."
Subaida was eager to spoon feed me home-made dessert made from rice, milk and nuts. 
Mmmmmmmmmm................
The team!
Posts
Wow! What a finale!
ReplyDeletea truly happy ending to a beautiful story.
What a beautiful ending!! Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
ReplyDeleteI truly hope you will continue this blog:o)