I felt very good walking into the new building of CD donated by Infosys. I actually put on my INSPECTOR HAT… to inspect every thing (TQM) style.
In spite of my critical eye, I have to give them A+ for cleanliness and Hygiene. Every thing was spotless …even the outside looked clean, with a sprouting garden.
I inspected the kitchen and was very impressed to see it sparkling and spotless.All the utensils and knives were shining…a real change from the dismal kitchen of CHH..They even have bunk beds (TQM Style)… I can relate to Vikrams vision…. I wish all our projects can reach this level
Then met with all the kids… they are so beautiful! I met the 2 ids that I have been personally following
SHIVANI …she was the mentally challenged kid , who was abandoned in Chamundi hills. I have watched her progress every year.. I am very impressed to see the POSITIVE improvement.
CHETAN… is getting smarter by the day. He talks so confidently and still has dreams to join the army !
I still cant forget his face ..in yr 2001..when I was haunted by his VACANT eyes. Today those same eyes have a gleam in them…full of HOPE for a BRIGHT FUTURE
LOLIT..the academic star has joined Engineering college in Blore
Over all I was very impressed by what I saw.
Iasked Srinivasan…..how do you manage ?
He told me that infosys just gave them the building funds. Now they do not get funds from Infosys.They raise upto $15K/monththro 200-300 donors, who regularly donate….from Rs 100- Rs 1000.
They are struggling…but they can manage.
Shilpi had mentioned ….there was some one who had Rs in India . Pls tell them to donate.. I have the bank information, also Isaac should have it. They could do with some help
Srinivasan…. Is another amazing soul ! …so dedicated, committed and sincere. I got to spend some time with him and gingerely broached the subject of the “Swami Picture”
In my own non threatening, B-9 style , I innocently asked him…why do you have Swamis picture with a garland? Is he dead?my understanding is that garlands are only put on a God or the photograph of a dead person
He then explained to me about the REALATIONSHIP of this Ashram with Swami….Be prepared…..
The story goes as follows……The swami prays to the God Saturn (CHANNI) and every Wednesday and Saturday he meditates for hours and then goes into a trance ..that lasts 10 hours. In that meditative /trance state..he will answer questions and predict peoples future. People stand outside the temple for hours in long lines to meet him. One such person was Srinivasan,who was childless at age 52yrs. The Swami blessed him and told him to start Chaya Devi and adopt the first child.He predicted that CD would blossom and prosper .
Srinivasans 14yr old son…is the FIRST ORPHAN of CD. Since then, Srinivasan has dedicated his heart/body/soul to CD. That Swami is like a God/Guru and they all have FAITH in his blessings !
I know all this might sound like “hog wash” and “FoooFeee” to us, but if we see it from their perspective/ angle it is DEEPLY PROFOUND !
I suggest we respect their belief and leave this topic for now( my 2 cents )
About HEMANT… I agree with Vikram…he is a JEWEL, . his services are being underutilized. He now has become the FCRA GURU. I was so impressed by his knowledge. He knows every detail about FCRA. He gave me a copy of the FCRA status , which he will mail to Alok…who will personally deliver it to Mr Sahi ..with Saleem Shervanis /HOh name on top of the envelope…Lets hope it moves FAST
Nilima Sabharwal
MY TRIP TO CHENNAI, CHH
SAD AND PATHETIC
These were the words that came to my mind when I entered the home. To begin with….there was very little play ground because the Govt has taken the front portion of the home. The wall was made of pathetic tin with a miserable gate.
Inside I found every thing SAD! The stagnant water that Chris had seen had dried up and they had sprinkled bleach to prevent mosquitos. In addition there were areas where there were puddles of stagnant sewage. I was told that there are SCAVENGERS …who dive into the septic tanks and remove the blockage…UGH! UGH! …What a pathetic job! These poor people have to be DRUNK...To dive inside that GOOP...UGH! UGH!
The blockage is caused by hair, sanitary napkins etc etc. When I heard this…I insisted that the girls be taught NOT to plug the sewage system. They told me that they have counseled the girls…but I personally feel that this is NOT ENOUGH. They have to have some system..some reward …SOME THING ..Like creating HEAD GIRLS and empowering them with a reward system. If Karaikal can do it, UG can do it, Why not CHH??
STRICT HYGEINE COUNSELING is VERY IMPORTANT here!
I then inspected the kitchen and found it..DISMAL !
I know I am sounding like Vikram…may be he is rubbing off on me.
I even checked the knives..they are all OLD and RUSTY !. I pointed this out to Mrs Newton, who is in charge of the kitchen, She said that she will replace it .
Every room looked so run down, there are pot holes on the floor.
In short…CHH looks like a MISERABLE, RUN DOWN PLACE !
I know it is unlike me to be so NEGATIVE, but that is the TRUTH!
But being the POSITIVE that I am…I feel some thing GOOD will come out of this. I now feel very MOTIVATED to help rebuild CHH. I really feel that CHH is like an old, neglected parent. This Parent CHH gave birth to HOH...And we CANNOT ABANDON IT! We HAVE TO UPLIFT/ REBUILD CHH.
Now on the POSITIVE SIDE
Surprisingly… all the kids look healthy. There has been NO SICK CHILD.
Also CHH is one place where the orphans come back and GIVE BACK to the home. Example Shashima..who is a kindergarden teacher , and Mukta , who is teaching English
MY MEETING WITH THE CHH BOARD
It went off very very well. We all are on the same page. They totally understood Vikrams TQM. They are all very eager to comply with all our wishes and requirements.
I was also impressed that they are actively trying to do Fund Raising. They have lined up some companies who will donate funds..Once the Project STARTS. One company has even promised upto 25 laks
They need to GET STARTED
Here HOH can help…by giving them a JUMP START! I suggest..lets give them large sum of $100K and START the Project. Once the Project is in motion…. I sincerely fel…between the 2 Boards.. Th funds can be raised. Vikrams idea which worked in UG…DOLLAR FOR BRICK….will e very appealing for our donors. I really feel we can RAISE THE FUNDS! For that we need to gET STARTED …to show some thing to our donors..again my 2 cents !
There was sadness inside me when I left the place. Some where I felt…CHH..got LEFT BEHIND ! All our other projects have progressed.
There is still not a computer inside the orphanage and they are still trying to find an English teacher!
We really need to get these kids out of this SLUMP and raise the quality with TQM….. I hope HP listens to our prayers!
My meeting with Indrani... President of CHH
I met Indrani in Bangalore . She wooed me off my feet…. I was so over whelmed. She picked me up from the hotel and took me out for dinner to Oberoi...to a very fancy Thai Place . Then she gifted me with gifts…for myself, my kids and Vidya. She gushed and gushed…how THANK FUL she is to HOH. She BLESSED all o us…. Wow! I was quite taken aback… totally unprepared.
She shares the same sentiments…and feels very BAD for CHH. She will comply with all our needs and work with Vikram Dutt at every level. She totally understands TQM… and that also is her dream!
I felt good…. We all are ON THE SAME PAGE...Our cumulative energy is the SAME… all this looks very positive
1 comment:
Hi Nilima,
Very nice to see your note on CD's ashrama. We visit there atleast 3-4 times a year though we haven't become members there. I was there just last week to celebrate our father's birthday...he used to tell them stories and used to eat with them. We used to go there during our birthdays and he used to serve food and eat with them. I felt really good to see the change due to the funding from Infosys. I want to go there again and again and spend time with those kids.
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