Food for Life Vrindavan: Official site

Every year we are faced with the dilemma of how to keep our children actively learning during the oppressive heat of the Indian summer. Our solution is to run a special ‘holiday program’ where the kids participate in special interest activities of their choice and have a light program of academics.

On the first day of May, children were asked to choose from a range of activities including drawing, henna design, dance, karate, acrobatics and drama. Around 40 kids chose drama and got to work straight away in auditioning and rehearsing two English Dramas called  “The Enormous nose”, and “The monkey and the king”. Six teachers and Mrs Jennifer worked really hard to manifest this.

The date for the performance was set as 11^th May, and the students and teachers worked hard to get the students ready before the deadline. On the morning of the 11^th of May, there was an air of expectation and excitement as the remaining children of SMS sat down in their class lines in front of the stage. The drama students burst onto the stage with a rendition of “Hello Hello” by the Beatles, followed by ten classic nursery rhymes and two drama performances.

Play acting is ancient tradition in India, mentioned in many scriptures. However, for these children, who come from impoverished and mostly illiterate families, there would have been little hope of being involved in play acting or the other arts, if it were not for the facility here at SMS. 

The English language related activities at SMS are funded by anonymous sponsorship, arranged by Dr Urmilla Edith Best.

Pictured here is a feast of watermelon sponsored for the cows. They certainly appreciate this in this summer weather especially.

We spoke with the Malaysian born volunteer Kesi Nisudhana Krishna
dasa, who is the Manager and Worker and cow boy for 5 years about the project. He said he is stressed as there a financial crisis here presently. The direct running costs have increased by 37.5 percent, in the last 4 months. This is only the cost of feeding the cows, paying the salaries of the very hardworking cowherd boys, and medicine for the cows.

He said a 40kg bundle of dry grass used to cost Rs 130 in December, but now costs Rs220,00  this is a 59% increase. We asked why, he said this is because of the fuel price increase. And the government banned a vintage type of farm delivery vehicle, so more expensive transport is needed.  He said in December and average of Rs2.5 lac was needed as running costs, but now Rs4 lac.

People keep cows and buffalo to sell the milk for an income. Due to obvious economics, non- milking cows and calf bulls are not needed as they cannot generate income for the owners. So these are usually the most abandoned cows in India. Therefore we have only 18 milking cows, 48% are bulls, of the total of 185 cattle.

The cows provide around 15 liters of milk per day, 
which is  given to the children attending the Kindergarten at Sandipani Muni School. Eighteen bulls are used to pull nine carts which transport  students between their villages and the school.  Cow dung is used for organic farming. There are also plans to use it to generate bio gas in the future.

Drew Pearson, a 26 year old Mormon Christian from Los Angeles, California first came to Sandipanimuni School in 2012 for 6 weeks. He was so deeply affected by the children and his service to them that he came back for 2 more months in February 2013.

Drew said he usually struggles with anxiety, and takes medication for this. But his anxiety is at an all- time low when he is with the children. He said, “Outsiders looking in, like our parents etc, may think that we are doing a great service by coming and volunteering…” Drew continued by saying,  “when we are serving others, oftentimes those serving are the real benefactors of that service.”  “After leaving in 2012 I was disturbed by thoughts about never being involved with the children again. These thoughts led to sleepless nights thinking about the children and how I could further help their cause.”

After speaking with Rupa Ragunath, FFL Vrindavan President about the marketing needs of the organization, he felt it necessary for him to come back with a team to make promotional videos which focus on the potential of the kids. Now at the end of his second visit, he has the same separation anxiety and wonders when he will come back again.