| EQ-network Europe www.eqee.org | |||
2.6: "India dec 2003" - Page 7-8   |
|||
Sixt report from 12-13 dec 2003 Chirala "In a gentle way you can shake the world." Ghandi Dear EQ-friends, This is the last report from Chirala. It's the 13th of december. Yesterday we visited a middle man in sari production. He told us he was doing a good job by empowering poor family's. He himself came from the backward-cast and had himself lifted up to middle-class being the owner of this enterprise. He showed us everything: the family's in the huts in the little villages, doing this handcrafts. The first image was that this was a good exemplar of "The silent social revolution of Gandhi". After a critical discussion the truth gives a total other picture... Yes, the people are helped with a job, but they will do the same hard, dirty & boring job for the rest of their lives without any empowerment towards own business or getting out these low type jobs (which gives hardly enough payment for a living, so a lot of childlabour is here). By the way, all the left-overs of this little industry (specially the chemical color-fluids) are just led into the river water... In Bangalore or Hyderabad you pay RS 1200 (cotton) - 2500 (silk) for one of this beautiful handcraft-made sari's by family-production. The middle mans prise is RS 400-700, the family earn only 7 % of RS 400-700. This is no empowerment, this is slavery! The evils of the social insecurity and poisoned relationship between the classes remains still intact. 
 In the afternoon we visit a student action of the Students Federation India (SFI) against the Governmental plans to get rid of of the governmental high-schools and let it completely over to the private marked. We now these Private Colleges are too expensive for poor, low-class students. The students ask Dhyan to tell the historical story for free and democratic education in the Netherlands. They are interested and inspired and ask questions. 
 Today we have a free day. First breakfast and rest sitting on the balcony of the Viveka Humanist school we enjoy the beautiful panorama. The children are always there asking questions and doing plays. From the 150 students of Viveka Humanist school there are a third boarders, 12 children stay permanent in the campus. Many of this students come from backward backgrounds and are unable to pay the school fees. Still, the school is developing well. Miracle exposure classes are organized to help the young minds develop faculty on critical intelligence. Most importantly, children are encouraged to develop a sense of self-worth, to enjoy learning and to find fulfillment in what they can achieve rather than frantically join the rat race and meet society's demands and expectations. In the afternoon we went to the sea. Swimming with the children is a joy full experience. The sea shore is a 45 minutes walk from the school. The children go to the see for swimming ones a week. Tonight we are heading for Hyderabad by train. That's for now. Greetings from India, India2-team  European Network on Emotional Quality © 2002-2008 |