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| Anuradha Bhopale leads us through one of the migrant camps in Kolhapur |
AVANI
http://www.gophilanthropic.org/avani-and-women--child-rights-campaign--india.html
As I type this
Day 3 posting, Mat is downstairs interviewing what can only be described as
India's superwoman. Her name is Anuradha and our group had the pleasure of
spending the day with her visiting two migrant worker camps and a children's
residential facility. This is just one small part of her life's mission-- but I
am getting ahead of myself here.
Last night our
bus adventure ended with our arrival in Kolhapur around 10pm.
Kolhapur is south of Mumbai. After our bus ride, which Mat has now colorfully
described sitting in the back of the bus as "going to sleep inside a
punching bag." We slept hard after that. By the way,
Mat says I'm not allowed to "steal" anymore of his lines, but I
tell him I'm just documenting them -- and I'm citing him as the originator.
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| The migrant brick worker's shelters made from broken bricks |
We began today
by visiting a brick making camp just a few miles away from our hotel. As we
stepped off of the tour bus, our group was met by the children of
this migrant camp. The girls and boys ranged from just about four
years old to middle school age. Most had recently been granted uniforms
through a donation to the school--clothing so new that one could still see the
folded creases in them.
These twenty-two
little pairs of bare feet stood at attention in lines and greeted us with
a song. Our host mentioned that it would be nice if we sang something for
them too. With no hesitation, all twenty of us sang “Twinkle Twinkle Little
Star.” Anuradha briefed our group regarding the conditions in the many
brickyards scattered across India and how she has facilitated working
with many of the brickyard owners to set up educational facilities for the
children while the parents are working. Would you believe that many of
the owners were there today to greet her when she was once, just a couple of
years ago, being threatened by them?
Anuradha works
tirelessly to enforce child labor laws here in India. She organizes these
onsite migrant schools, of course, but also enforces the law with
non-violent protests. For instance, she brought 1,200 children by truck
into the Indian labor office and conducted school right there at the government
building. This act was organized to make her point to the Indian
government; they need to enforce the labor laws, which
had been ignored for so long.
Shortly after
touring the school (which was simply a converted truck topper with a tarp and a
mat for the floor) we walked through the makeshift living spaces of the migrant
workers. Some of the workers, the lucky ones, utilize broken brick pieces to
craft a 4-foot by 4-foot hut adjacent to where they mold the bricks. I was
invited by one of the mothers to crouch down and peek into her dwelling.
There is no electricity and just a dirt floor. She tended a small fire for
cooking just outside. Inside there was really nothing more than a laundry
basket and something to heat water. Anuradha later explained that these
workers make bricks for others to build, but will never have the luxury of
having a house of their own. Though they are perhaps resigned to this in life,
there is nothing but warmth from them. Many of them wanted to take our
picture and the smallest of children would blow kisses to you--which we did so
many times before we needed to move on to the sugar migrant camp.
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| A migrant sugarcane worker and his prized cow |
It was not too
far from the brickyard that we met the next migrant site. Again, the children,
much like the last group, met us with song; this time they sang "Row Row
Row Your Boat" and we chose to respond in the same, but sang to them in a
round. I think the children may have mistaken our "round" for
not knowing how to sing as one unit. This camp was quite different. Instead of
broken bricks, this camp uses the dried sugar stalks almost like teepees for
shelter. Cows are everywhere; their horns are brightly painted to
identify to whom they belong (these are not friendly animals). As Mat
filmed this group, there was one man who was particularly proud of his
cow. In fact, he insisted that Mat stop filming and simply take
his photograph. He stood next to his animal with his hard, chiseled face
in a stoic way. That strange and fascinating moment was just one of
many that clearly stood out to Mat.
There were other
stops along the way. We toured the construction site for a new residential
facility that was designed and built by a Texan engineer that now lives in
Kolhapur and lends his talents to Anuradha and the AVANI organization. His
story is interesting and heartfelt and unforgettable, but I'll save it for
another time. We toured the sugar mill and went through the motions of a
traditional tea service with the sugar owners who use their business for
political power in the area. But most of our time was spent at the residential
facility that AVANI supports for migrant children. These little people had to
be removed from poor conditions which could include family or abuse or other
considerations.
As we arrived,
each of us were anointed and blessed. Children called for each of us by
name and personally walked hand in hand with us down to a vibrantly colorful
tent where we were treated to a program full of singing and dancing. There were
awards presented to those who tirelessly worked for the organization, and
since Arun Gandhi and his son were present, they were the obvious special
guests of this affair. Actually our tour group was recognized here too --
each of us was given a handkerchief with our full names hand-stitched into
them, as well as a bright travel pouch with pockets made onsite by some of the
older girls.
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| Our pint-sized tour guide of the AVANI residential home |
After the
program, one of the younger girls asked my name and took me for a tour of where
she lives. Twenty girls share a room, and separately twenty boys
share a space nearby. Anuradha explained that the boys are brothers
or cousins of the rescued girls at this residential home. She is adamant that
AVANI's main focus is on facilitating education and providing safety for women
first and foremost. Soon I was sitting with my pint-sized tour guide along with
about eight other girls. They played with my watch and my long blonde hair. I
showed pictures of our children and our dog. I discovered that they like to
dance, so we all stood up and from my phone I played music and showed them some
simple and fun movements that would make sense to them. We danced and searched
for songs that we all knew. When my playlist became too limited, one of the older
girls played some upbeat Bollywood tunes and we jumped around laughing and
copying each other's creative interpretation. And so dehydrated and spent,
we departed AVANI for our hotel.
The day closed
with a short lecture by Mr. Gandhi where he imparted his concepts for
nonviolent living and then, as it is now New Year's Eve, we celebrated with an
early buffet dinner as a group. There are fireworks exploding all over Kolhapur
now; however Mat and I retired to our room hours ago to recharge our
batteries --(our energy as well as his camera batteries). Our hotel room is conveniently above the dance club so
we are being rhythically vibrated to sleep by the heavy beats and sounds of
celebration.
I'm not sure if either one of us could pick our highlight of
today's events. Mat spent over an hour interviewing a very passionate and
sometimes tearful Anuradha, and it was quite obvious she took
quite a liking to him. She sat with us at dinner and asked him directly what
had shocked him, what he thought of today. Perhaps that connection with her is
his highlight. Or maybe it was how the children's interest in using his headphones
and taking pictures with his camera forced him to stop filming and do what he
says was more important -- interacting with these inquisitive,
energetic orphans. I might say mine was dancing with the girls.
Dancing has a shared language all of its own. Or it might be having
the opportunity to have a meal with Anuradha this evening and share with
her my ideas about changing the focus of our educational goals in
America. Regardless, today was a gift and it is truly a happy new year. My
heart is full.
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