A day with Suparna

Posted on May 18, 2012 by fflv

Suparna is the person in charge of the FFLV orphanage and she is the one whom all the kids call “Mom”.

She has been there for the past 5 years, dedicating her life to her very extended family, where she looks happy to be able to be a mom for the children and someone that not only takes care of them, but accompanies them through the journey of life in the best way she can. There are currently 23 children under her care, varying from the ages 5 to 16.

It isn’t easy, yet she always has a smile on her face and looks happy. Every day Suparna wakes up at 5am, gets ready, then helps the other kids to get ready for school. Even during holidays, they go to the extracurricular activities at SMS. The rest of the day, she’s attending and looking after the babies and also welcoming the visitors or volunteers that come by.

In the afternoon, the bigger kids that go to school, come back home and spend their time doing homework, playing or helping out Suparna or Mina, who has been assisting Suparna for the past 7 months. The other children also help with the household chores, helping the smaller kids with homework, as well as with the babies, changing diapers, feeding them, etc. The days go by in a mode of peacefulness and tranquility,  yet they are full of love, energy, dedication and the hard work in which it consists.

In the past month or two, 5 new members have arrived to the family. They all are baby girls whose families have rejected them, because they are female, for the next couple of moths they will be under the care of Suparna. Kamala, Muskhan, Gaurangi, Subhangi and Krishnangi, are not only very adorable babies, but very lucky too.  They’ve all found foster families that will take care of them and give them the opportunity to have a bright future. In about 2 months, they all will be taken to their respective families.

The children under her care and everyone at FFLV are very grateful to Suparna for all her love and devotion.

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Ineke, from Dubai to Vrindavan!

Posted on May 16, 2012 by fflv

This week BBC has posted an article about Ineke Zondag, a great friend of FFLV. Highly recognized as a world wide photographer, Ineke also has a more humanitarian side, this is, her bond with the kids at SMS and her trips to Vrindavan, where she participates with the children, sharing, taking pictures of them and most important getting to know them.

“Ineke has found peace of heart in Vrindavan. Here, she is quite happy to see about 1500 kids engaged in studying and playing.” Says the article and it is definitely true, Ineke herself explains she takes the photographs of the kids to show their condition to the world. Thus, supporting FFLV’s project and helping inform in a larger scale, as she’s done on her website, where she points out we are a project close to her heart.

To read the article on BBC in English, please click here

To read the article on BBC in Hindi, please click here

To see Ineke’s pictures of the SMS children, please click here

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Volunteer at SMS received award!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by fflv

Dianne Amendola volunteered during the summer of 2010 at the Sandipani Muni School to teach English, where the project “Read to Feed, with a Penny per Page”, developed.

Dianne with some of her students at SMSTwo years later, Dianne has been awarded with the second place by the University of Florida International Center at the International K-12 Teacher of the Year Award, which acknowledge international efforts done by teachers, stimulating and also promoting them to engage in further scholar activities around the globe. This gives the students the opportunity, not only to help them engage further more into their studies, but also become interested in the community’s, nation’s and the world’s issues.

The “Read to Feed, with a Penny per Page” project not only encourages students to read more, but it also creates funds to donate money to SMS.

To read more about the International K-12 Teacher of the Year Award, please go to:

http://news.ufl.edu/2012/05/11/international-awards/

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Empowering through skills

Posted on May 11, 2012 by fflv

While on one hand where the heat is raging here in Vrindavan, slowing down everything, Food for Life’s Social Development team is defeating the summers with their firm determination to make a difference!

On May 1st, 2012, Food for Life Vrindavan started a new training course for about 50 adolescent girls in basic sewing skills. 25 of the girls are from Sandipani Muni School and other 25 are from different parts of Vrindavan. The training takes place from 9 am to 11 am every working day (Monday-Saturday) and will go on for the coming 3 months. After the successful completion of this training, these girls will be given a certificate from the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Tattva Darshini, the supervisor of the training and embroidery centre at Food for Life Vrindavan, seemed very excited about this new project. She mentioned that there is no other centre in the whole of Mathura-Vrindavan where women are trained in sewing and embroidery as this profession is mainly male dominated. She also said that they would be starting with the embroidery camp soon too.

When asked about the scope of learning this, Tattva said, “Whoever wants to learn, we will teach you, this will help you in the future, you can go anywhere in the world after learning and the skill will go with you. “

Tattva Darshini has been working for Food for Life Vrindavan for the past 11 years in this field. She also goes weekly to the surrounding villages to encourage people in the area to become a part of the self-help groups. Currently she is running about 7 self-help groups.

Tattva Darshini(Right) at the summer training
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Sandipani Muni School Results 2012

Posted on May 2, 2012 by fflv

(From the left) Mr Rajendra, Anusuiya(11th grade), and Mr Sunil

On the 28th of April 2012, after much suspense, the results for annual examinations were announced.  The children were nervous yet excited. This year the children of Sandipani Muni beat the past years’ scores and the result was 92%!!

Along with the academic awards, the students were also awarded on the basis of their attendance and behavior. The best student awards from the Primary school was given to Arpita(1st c) and Jyoti(3b). Both of them scored 100% marks. in their academics. From the secondary school, Pinkey(7th a) and Anusuyia (11th ) were awarded as the best students. Anusuyia was also awarded 100% attendance award.

When we spoke with Mr Rajendra Singh, the principal of the school about the result, this is what he had to say, “This year the result is much better than the previous year, the only children who couldn’t clear the exams were mostly the ones who did not take the exams.”

Mr Seemanth Sharma, the principal of the primary school added, “The results have been constantly improving each year, it shows the increasing inclination of the children to study”

This year the most remarkable thing was that the results very close and a spirit of competition was seen amongst the kids. A lot of children were awarded 100% attendance award and all of them were girls.

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