Hello Friends, Good Morning/Evening.
This is the weekend update for your information. Though all the activities are not directly related to MAD group, this is just to let you know of the entire activities of the organizations that we are in touch with. Saturday morning I visited Sivakumar's (my servant maid's son) school to pay his school fees. (I have to take the photos as well. I need to go some other day for it). That evening I visited one cloth show-room to buy uniform for SDA children (sponsored by vonumu.com of Samuel garu). Sunday morning, myself and Anil (he is not our member but an ex-colleague of mine. He is the person who took Jairam and Srinivas to Anikepalli) visited Anikepalli and Narsingi. We just gathered the children there and I let them say Rhymes, Poems (Padyaalu), Tables and Stories. For the children who hesitate, I suggested to sing movie songs and Hrudayam Ekkadunnaadi is their favourite :) Few parents came and requested to note their kids' names as well. I made it clear to everyone of them that we are not going to give any new bags or books to people there. We will come regularly, spend few hours with them and see how they are studying, how they are getting marks. We will give one small gift to one student from each class who is good in all subjects. We only will give books or offer any support to children who consistently get good marks. But all the children there are invited to come for our classes. (we will just ask them to say to us what all they learnt and also will let them write). I told the children that we can play as well. Due to our bags, every kid came to us and there is lot of improvement in them compared to my first visit. They are slowly opening up to us. The bigger ones (of 8th and 9th classes) actively participated in the exercise and they showed interest to assemble the kids there. They asked me that they didn't get bags and there is no proper uniform. I told them that I can't promise them anything. But if they come regularly to our classes and if they get good marks in quarterly and if they have good attendance in school, I will try to arrange what all they request. They said 'Ok'. All the children are very determined to be in our good books. They are determined to come and prove themselves. My Observation: There seems to be one more International Christian Organization that donated books, bags and dresses to few people there. So Balamma's husband is complaining that kids are coming to both the places. He is chiding and scolding few children there. ---- I explained to the children there that we are not an international organization but we are group of friends who saves our money and are spending for them and so they should be honest and see t o that the help should go to needy people only. Most of the children are going to govt. school only and very few of them are going to private school. Even one private school waived the fees for these children. When I asked one of the students like how much she pays towards school fee, she replied that she doesn't pay anything and the school authorities do not take fees from the slum children. (When I first visited the parents told that 200 rs is the fee. Ofcourse that might be a different school. Don't know. Anyway children always speaks facts and truth.) I really feel that the children do not cheat and they are honest. They told me that I can ask anyone and if anyone say that they are getting benefits from both of the groups, they will not come to us again. I replied them that its ok and I can believe them. I gave the responsibilities of noting the details of all the needy children there . I asked them to prepare two reports classwise. One report should contain: Name, Age, Class, Parents' names and occupation, Govt. or private school Other report should contain: Name, Class, Govt. or private school, the requirement (Text books, Note books and bag/stationery). If we go there regularly, I am sure we can see a remarkable difference in them. Slowly I want to let them practise Elocution, Essay Writing etc., It would be good if a set of two from us go there regularly (once in 15 days). If 4 of us (2 at a time) can go as such, all the weekends (sundays) of the children gets engaged. Anyway I told the children that I will come only after 15 days. Thank you. with regards, Prasanthi.
