By Aparna V. Singh

“How come you never see a child with a disability in a park?” That question, casually asked by one parent, set Kavitha Krishnamoorthy thinking and led to the formation of Kilikili, a Bangalore-based trust that works to make public spaces (especially playgrounds) more inclusive for children. Herself the parent of a child with autism, Kavitha with her husband Ganesh Anantharaman and another couple, Rani and Alfred Benedict started working in this sphere in 2006.

5 years on, Kilikili’s achievements are many: 3 inclusive public parks, many partnerships with parents’ other organizations to transfer the knowledge gained, ‘inclusion events’ for children with disabilities to meet and interact with others and a ‘Buddies’ programme specifically for children with autism and developmental delays.

Taking time off from the multiple hats she juggles, Kavitha chatted with Women’s Web on making life a little more inclusive and fun for all children.

Aparna V. Singh (AVS): Why the focus on making public spaces more inclusive?

Kavitha Krishnamoorthy (KK): Our children are anyways in special schools. We felt that they need to be integrated – to do things that other children of their age do. We were always very clear that we didn’t want to make this a private park or space.

Before we started with Coles Park (a large and beautiful park in Bangalore), we brought in children with various impairments – mobility, visual, hearing and asked them what they found easy/difficult at the park. We gave them materials and let them design their dream park!

We also had discussions with special educators, teachers and parents. Finally, we translated the wishlist into something doable, which included almost 70% of it. Then we took it to the BBMP (the city corporation).

AVS: Did you receive a positive response from government officials?

KK: The response at the senior levels was very good, although it took some time for junior officials and those on ground to move. The Corporation agreed to finance all the civil work and we raised money for the other costs through donations. Ultimately, the Commissioner decided to extend it to other zones as well and also finance those projects completely.

We have to look at partners in local communities because we can’t be everywhere; one citizens group from Mangalore that recently approached us was spearheaded by a 71-year old woman!

AVS: How did you take the work forward, after Coles Park?

KK: Since then, we have helped make two other parks inclusive – the M N Krishna Rao park at Basavanagudi and the Gayatri Devi park at Rajaji Nagar. We also partner with others who want to set up inclusive spaces and transfer our learning to them, in terms of what children like, what materials work and what don’t etc. We have to look at partners in local communities because we can’t be everywhere; one citizens group from Mangalore that recently approached us was spearheaded by a 71-year old woman!

AVS: What kind of things help to make public spaces more inclusive?

KK: Currently most modifications are aimed at helping children with physical impairments. It starts with allowing any child to come in – for example, having a ramp for wheelchair access or having well laid out pathways. Another example is having signages in Braille for the visually impaired, although we haven’t been able to do this very well, or modified play equipment that allows children with disabilities also to use them.

Inclusion need not refer only to physical modifications though; for example, a child in a wheelchair cannot enter a park if there is no ramp, but a child with autism doesn’t know how to play!

Inclusion need not refer only to physical modifications though; for example, a child in a wheelchair cannot enter a park if there is no ramp, but a child with autism doesn’t know how to play!

AVS: What are the biggest challenges you face?

KK: When it comes to the parks, maintenance is a big thorn. We keep bringing it to the corporation’s notice, but only about 10% of what is needed is done. Change in general, is very slow. With the first park, we were very lucky – things moved fast because of the Commissioner’s interest, but newer parks are taking a lot of time. Volunteers also get demotivated when things move so slowly.

Another challenge is to institutionalize the process. Even while working with us, BBMP continues to develop new parks without taking inclusion into account. To help on this front, we are working along with the Corporation on a policy guideline and a manual for how to make public spaces inclusive, with detailed implementation help.

AVS: Beyond inclusive parks, what else does your work involve?

KK: Inclusion in its highest sense is that all children can play together as a community. We have been conducting ‘inclusion events’ once every quarter, where children from different schools in the neighbourhood get to know each other. 2-3 times a week, children from special schools in the vicinity come to play in the parks and also interact with each other. Although we started with a few families initially, many activities are now run by a committed core team and volunteers.

We also realized that a year after we had begun such programs, while children with physical impairments had greatly benefited and went on to more interactive play with each other, the children with autism had not, because of their own issues with socialization. We therefore started a ‘Buddies’ program specifically for children with developmental delays and socialization issues. 5 families and 7 children meet every week in a quieter environment since the park is too distracting for such activity. In the little more than a year that we have been doing this, there is slow positive movement. For example, they now know how to ask each for other for something and their anxiety around others has reduced.

So, while the parks are made more inclusive for physical impairments, in the case of children with autism, it is about preparing them for inclusive play.

Talking to Kavitha, one cannot but sense the enormity of the challenge Kilikili has taken on, in a country like ours where awareness and resources are both low. We request you to learn more about their work and support them on the journey!

By Anne John

Anne John (AJ): Looking back today, how well would you say that Tulika has progressed with respect to your initial goals and ideas? How far have you achieved what you set out to do at the beginning?

Sandhya Rao (SR): I think we have been walking fairly steadily on the path we envisioned and that was: to reach books in as many languages as possible to as many children as possible. Except that it has taken time… We were naive enough to believe that all we had to do was produce great books, and they would fly off the shelves! Well, now we know it doesn’t work like that. All those wheels within wheels, especially the one called ‘distribution network’.

From all accounts, I’d say Tulika has become a trendsetter in children’s publishing in India, for the ‘complete’ book, where form and content come together. Having said that, I think we learn from every single experience, every single book, and there’s always something new coming at us, something that shapes and changes us.

AJ: On the economics of book-selling in the Indian children’s book market; Indian parents are usually notorious for favouring “general knowledge” sort of books over fiction. Could you share your experience in this area?

SR: When we started out we were not entirely aware of the extent of this mindset. Now we are fully conscious of it. Especially since, for about six years, we ran a children’s bookstore and activity centre called Goodbooks (apart from doing our publishing).

While parents still want ‘useful’ meaning ‘information’ books, younger parents are now slowly opening up to the idea that children must also read other stuff, stories, imaginative stuff.  

While parents still want ‘useful’ meaning ‘information’ books, younger parents are now slowly opening up to the idea that children must also read other stuff, stories, imaginative stuff. Also, it is important that we create relevant and stimulating information books as well. Most often, these general knowledge books are from the West.

AJ: The reactions of some schools when you introduced the concept of bi-lingual books are described here. But what has been the response of parents and children to your bilingual books?

SR: Getting children/parents interested in their own languages is a huge challenge. While schools have begun to understand the value of bilingual books, I’m afraid parents really haven’t. The exceptions are parents bringing up children outside India. Among them, there is growing interest. But I cannot, in all honesty, say that children from English medium schools are getting interested in reading in their own languages or in Indian languages. That’s a HUGE challenge. But among those who already read in Indian languages, there is great excitement because there are more and more interesting books available for them now.

AJ: Interesting! Could you give us a brief idea about what Tulika looks for in potential stories?

SR: It could be different things. It could be an idea, a well developed plot, something with terrific visual potential. But it cannot be something that promotes stereotypes of any kind. We do look for details, because generalizations don’t work for us.

Anybody is welcome to send it their manuscripts. Some of the best books have come to us from the blue. And we do go to our tried and tested if there are specific projects we have in mind.

AJ: I notice that there are more female than male writers in your team. Do you think that women are emotionally better positioned than men to write children’s stories? Do you notice a difference in their respective approach or style?

SR: It’s true, somehow more women than men seem to ‘do’ children’s books, and I suspect this is true all over the world. I don’t think this is because women are emotionally better positioned for this, maybe it’s because they seem to have more patience for it? I don’t know.

We are pleased when a man writes for us, because we want women and men to engage with children’s books. I don’t think there’s a difference between men and women writing, but each one, man or woman, has his or her own perspective, approach, and so on.

We are pleased when a man writes for us, because we want women and men to engage with children’s books. 

AJ: What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a publisher of children’s books in India?

SR: Knowing that a small child somewhere far away, perhaps in a little village, has the opportunity to read and enjoy a book that has been created with love and care for her/his reading pleasure. And knowing that continuously reading books will eventually lead to empowering that child. Knowing that often, the children struggle against great odds, and derive sustenance and grace through these books. It’s a humbling and uplifting thought.

AJ: Have you any plans of translating stories published by Tulika into other media? For example, like cartoons or short films or even story-telling over the radio?

SR: We wouldn’t attempt it ourselves; it would be spreading ourselves thin. Besides, people with the right kind of expertise and experience need to do this. But we are always aware that there are some books that would lend themselves to becoming great films or animation serials. And if someone wants to do this, we are happy. There is some interest in some books, but nothing concrete has as yet materialized.

AJ: Lastly, what do you find more fulfilling and fun – being an Editor or a Writer?

SR: I enjoy being an editor. I love working with writers, illustrators and translators, helping them through the process to whatever extent necessary or possible. I am very much a production person, so the process of creating a book excites me.

But I also enjoy writing… it drives me nuts, and is often painful. Not just the process of writing, but the rejection that often comes at the end of it. Still, it’s a cathartic process. It’s personal of course, but if at the end I am able to share some of the experience of writing with readers, it’s like bonding!

Thank you Sandhya, and we hope Tulika books reach, delight and empower many more children in the years to come!

By Anne John

Nira Radia: A name which has been doing the rounds on every TV channel and newspaper, for quite some time now. The 2G spectrum scam has become synonymous with this professional lobbyist. The leaked ‘Radia tapes’ of her phone conversations stirred up a hornet’s nest and greatly embarrassed many prominent politicians and businessmen including the former Telecom and IT Minister A.Raja, Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, Chairman of the Tata group Ratan Tata and even prompted the Supreme Court to term them “mind-boggling”.

Saina Nehwal: 2010 has been a fantastic one for India’s star badminton player. She was awarded the highest national sporting award given to players, the Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri this year and has gone on to be ranked world number 2 by the Badminton World Federation. Saina has a string of high-profile successes to her credit, winning in the Singapore Open followed by the Indonesian Open, the Commonwealth Games and most recently the Hong Kong Super Series. At this rate, we sure can look forward to an action-packed 2011!

Monica: One might not remember the name so much as the issue here. Monica, due to some bizarre coincidence, happens to be the names of 2 individuals, one in rural Haryana and the other in the Nation’s capital Delhi, who were murdered brutally earlier this year, in separate cases of ‘honour killings’. Though the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, Haryana government and six other states to take action against the killing of young couples, similar killings are being reported continually in the media, leading to widespread outrage and condemnation.

Sonia Gandhi: While her nationality is still contested by some, the one good thing that has happened for women in this UPA coalition government led by the Indian National Congress, is that the 33 per cent reservation for women bill was finally passed in the Rajya Sabha, after more than 10 years of its initial introduction. And for this we thank the President of the INC, who has also been ranked as the 9th most powerful person in the world by Forbes magazine.

Rakhi Sawant: How can we not mention this controversial talk show host (among other things) in our most-talked about women list! Reality shows have become a rage in India, with people doing every conceivable thing that can possibly be done on national TV- and then some more. Following closely on the heels of Rakhi Ka Swayamwar came Rakhi Ka Insaaf where she tries to solve the problems of the common man. But Rakhi found herself neck-deep in problems when a participant committed suicide allegedly due to being humiliated on the show. This resulted in Rakhi ka Insaaf being banned from prime time. Bold and brash Rakhi is hard to ignore!

Nita Ambani: Her new abode, Antilla has been the cynosure of all eyes. It is said to be the world’s most expensive house and is on its way to becoming an eye-catching (and controversial) landmark in Mumbai. Nita Ambani wears many hats with aplomb, being the chairperson of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School as well as leading the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation. Being the co-owner of the Mumbai Indians, she acquired many top players for her team and was often spotted cheering them on during the IPL matches this year.

Arundhati Roy: When she almost got herself arrested on charges of sedition because of her speech on Kashmir, the incident sparked off questions on the extent to which freedom of speech exists in India. “Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds”, has been her famous response. Thankfully the hoopla died down before getting converted into a full-blown controversy.

Anusha Rizvi: A former journalist, this debutant director’s movie, Peepli Live is India’s official entry for the Oscars under the Best Foreign Film category. The satirical movie has got rave reviews and is based on the topic of farmer suicides in rural India. It has already been screened at several prestigious film festivals like the Sundance Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival and the Durban International Film Festival. All the best, Peepli Live at the 83rd Academy Awards!

Madhuri Gupta: Earlier in the year, this Indian diplomat was accused of misusing her position to act as a spy passing on sensitive information to Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. She is currently in prison with all her bail applications being rejected, and is awaiting trial.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: With 4 high profile releases this year, this lady has managed to stay ahead of most of her contemporaries. Mani Rathnam’s bilingual Raavan got her mixed reviews while Vipul Shah’s Action Replayy with Akshay Kumar showcased her in retro-chic; Though Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish with Hrithik Roshan bombed at the box-office, she came across as an elegant and classic beauty while Shankar’s Endhiran with Rajinikanth turned out to be a blockbuster. She also graced international festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival with her regal presence and still looks every bit as ravishing at 37!

That’s my list; which Indian woman is a must-have on your list and who would you drop from this one?

By Aparna V. Singh

The ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’ campaign originated in 1991 as an initiative of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University. Today, many organizations around the world participate in this campaign against gender-related violence, particularly impacting women.

The Prajnya Trust, a Chennai-based non-profit centre for research, public education and networking on issues relating to peace, justice and security is organizing one such 16 Day campaign, from 25th November to 10th December. Prajnya’s first such campaign was conducted in 2008.

We spoke to Swarna Rajagopalan, the founder and Managing Trustee of The Prajnya Trust on the campaign and on violence against women in India. Swarna is a political scientist by training with several books and articles to her credit.

Aparna V. Singh (AVS): First, the basics; could tell us the specific objectives of Prajnya’s 16 days Campaign against gender violence? 

Swarna Rajagopalan (SR): The Prajnya 16 Days Campaign against Gender Violence is primarily an awareness campaign. We are continually dismayed by how blind people are to the pervasive, persistent nature of this problem. Women and girls especially but also men, boys, transgendered persons and sexual minorities experience gender-based violence across class, community and age, but it does not seem to register as a reality.

If one in three women are said to experience violence, then surely awareness should be much greater! This denial-for it can’t be ignorance-is the main obstacle to making the world safer, and this is what we seek to tackle.

AVS: We know that people often wrongly believe that violence against women is restricted to the lower income groups in society. Any other such myths that you have come across?

SR: Constantly. The corollary of that myth is that education and economic betterment will remove the problem. The innumerable cases the media has crusaded against in the last year-of which the Ruchika case is one-seem to have made no difference to that myth.

Education and economic betterment do take away some justifications offered but they are hardly a panacea. Being able to afford dowry is not the problem; the practice of giving and taking dowry, which essentially says, “my daughter is not good enough so I am adding gold, cash and consumer durables to her side of the wedding scale”, is actually the problem.

Being able to afford dowry is not the problem; the practice of giving and taking dowry, which essentially says, “my daughter is not good enough so I am adding gold, cash and consumer durables to her side of the wedding scale”, is actually the problem.

AVS: What are the key programs/activities for this year’s campaign?

SR: Every year, we try and come up with different ways in which we can talk about a difficult issue like this.  This year we are repeating some elements that worked well from last year’s campaign. We have a concert on November 26, that features two choral groups and a Carnatic musician. We have a poetry reading on November 27, featuring Kutti Revathi, Salma and Sharanya Manivannan along with K. Srilata. We have a two-day workshop on workplace sexual harassment for HR professionals. And a theatre workshop for students of Chennai’s first women’s college, Queen Mary’s.

We also have several online initiatives planned, which will enable us to reach out beyond our geographical location. These include the wiki we set up last year, which we will promote again.

Because Prajnya is primarily a research centre, we lay a great deal of emphasis on information initiatives. The second edition of our Gender Violence Report will be ready before the campaign. We are launching a YouTube channel that compiles video and audio resources on gender violence. In addition, we have several other training workshops and roundtables lined up.

AVS: While wiolence against women is a global problem, are there challenges unique to India?

SR: Denial. But perhaps this is true everywhere.

There is a data gap that Prajnya has been writing about for the last two years. We really only have the numbers compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau but those only reflect reported cases and how they are categorised depends on the understanding at a given moment of the recording policeman.

Reflect, see if you recognize patterns of violence and abuse around you. Calling it violence or abuse is the first and most important step in this process.

AVS: Can you tell our readers about the different ways in which they can support this campaign? 

SR: If you are in Chennai, show up at our public programmes-show support! Do share copies of our Helpline listing widely. If you are outside Chennai, you can participate in our online initiatives-visit our blog and find out about them.

As World Environment Day (June 5th) approaches, let’s learn from these extraordinary women fighting for the Earth and its people. 

 

By Chicu Lokgariwar

 

Visualise a parched land, with the soil showing the giraffe-skin cracking of far too much thirst. A pitiless sun shines directly overhead, bleaching the bones of the beings that have not survived the summer. In the middle of this nightmarish landscape, a woman trudges for water balancing multiple pots on her head, accompanied by her little daughter. 

 

Poignant image, isn’t it? 

 

This is reality in rural Africa and Asia. Environmental degradation and lack of drinking water causes terrible misery. Household chores being synonymous with women’s work, they are the ones who are expected to keep their family alive, no matter the odds. But this is an image that has been abused globally.  

This portrayal of women as victims needing benevolent outside succour hides the fact that they are primarily fighters. This is not to say that the role of women in environmental conservation or activism is entirely neglected. But when women activists are spoken of, it is often in terms of primal defence. The villager fighting for water to feed her family, the sparrow protecting her young from a hawk – primal, blind, intuitive protests. This vision of women as natural stewards of the earth does them a disservice by portraying them as primitive as opposed to technologically evolved (PDF). 

This image is wrong, of course.  Women are astute enough to observe their environment, to calculate the effects of ‘business as usual’, to strategize how best to combat the resulting degradation and to safeguard their interests.  Today some of the most influential environmentalists in the world, and certainly the most iconic, are women. 

 

The Pioneers 

 

Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring (1962) was one of the earliest to focus attention on the effects of pollution and on our world, waking us up to the reality of environmental degradation. It catalysed the birth of several grassroots movements and through them, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. 

 

Later, Elinor Ostrom pointed out to us that depriving communities of the access to natural goods is not the most efficient way of managing our global inheritance. In her book Governing the Commons (1990) she gave the world a map to a more humane, just and sustainable way of managing this world of ours. She might have won a Nobel for this work, but in India, the robbing of tribals and forest dwellers of access to their livelihood, the forcible taking of land from agriculturalists for ‘the greater good’ continues. 

 

The Narmada Andolan is the one that comes instantly to mind. The story began in 1979 when the Narmada Valley Development Project was sanctioned. At that time, a young woman was studying for a life of academia in far-off Mumbai. In 1985, when she was studying for her Ph.D, Medha heard disquieting rumours of a people that were being removed from their homes. She went there with one superpower that nobody else had at that time – the ability and willingness to listen to the tribals and speak with the government. This ability, and the quiet conviction that great wrong was being done, led her to organise a month-long march through the Narmada valley to the dam site. That peaceful march met with violence from the state. The bruises received then proved to be a blessing in disguise as the struggle gained global notice. Today this woman is Medha Patkar, recipient of several prestigious awards, and the instantly recognizable face of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. 

 

Many people call Ms.Patkar a troublemaker and an attention-seeker, the default term for people who join a cause without the privilege of being born into it. It is true that Medha is recognizable because she is inextricably linked to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. But the point is that she is inextricably linked to the Andolan.  For the last twenty-five years, her life has been the Narmada. 

 

And today if she is the face of the Andolan, it is because it needs a face. The half-million people who are being displaced by the dam are both nameless and faceless. They are absent from government records. A young friend of mine who had gone to the valley as part of a survey team returned in tears. ‘Those people are there.” Malavika wept, “How can the government deny that they exist?” That team returned with hundreds of photographs of the invisible people, with their names and addresses. If not for Medha and others like her, tribals would always be invisible, uncounted, and non-existent.

Citizens for Conservation 

However, not all workers choose to use their voice to change the world. Some have greatness thrust upon them. Today everyone in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand recognizes a certain chirpy little septuagenarian wearing a crisp saree and a scarf knotted around her head. It is an acknowledged fact that Radha Behen is the primary driving force behind the Uttarakhand Save the Rivers movement. Acknowledged, that is, by everyone except Radha Behen herself. Because Radha Behen would like nothing more than to live in her beautiful village overlooking the Greater Himalayas, supervise the education of the girls at the Laxmi Ashram and encourage social afforestation in the mountain villages. 

 

A few years ago however, the Kosi River of Uttarakhand began to dry up. The Government decreed that water should be supplied for drinking rather than for irrigation and broke the guhls- the little water canals- and posted guards to block people’s access to water. While the government’s priorities seem to be fair at first glance, a deeper analysis proves it wrong. The water for ‘drinking’ was being supplied to the town of Almora, which had no incentive to manage water wisely. And so, the precious water was being used for flushing, washing cars, keeping restaurant driveways cool, and otherwise squandered away in the thoughtless manner common to urban areas. 

 

The ‘farmers’ in this case are not the water guzzling, combine-harvester wielding commercial producers of Punjab. These are subsistence farmers growing a little paddy and rajma to feed their families. In most cases, these villagers have a food deficit and can only grow enough to feed themselves for 4-6 months a year. And now even this was being denied them. People were also being denied access to their water due to the construction of several hundred dams in Uttarakhand. Their land was being taken away from them, and blasting for the dams was toppling their houses. Who could these people turn to other than the woman who had taught them to resurrect their forests?

 

 

In 2007, Radha Behen, other activists and villagers embarked on a padayatra to the source of the Kosi. It was during this walk that they became aware of the scale of the threat to Uttarakhand’s rivers. Since then, the Uttarakhand Nadi Bachao Andolan has continued its bitter fight against a government that seems to think a nation is its GDP and not its people. Radha Behen has not only been at the forefront of every rally, walk and meeting, but she is also the one who guides its strategy and plans. 

 

It is a stressful life she leads, with activism and her work promoting Gandhian ideals. While I have seen her tired, I have yet to see her lose either her temper or her sense of humour. And the more I reflect on the Nadi Bachao Andolan, the more I realise that she is right. Radha Behen and the other leaders of the Andolan provide the strategy and the impetus. But the real driving force is elsewhere. 

 

It is in the hundreds of men and women who put their lives on hold and sit on dam sites daring the contractors to bulldoze them away. It is in the group of teenage girls who say, “ek doosre ki madad karani chahiye, na?” and travel long distances to lend support to a flagging struggle. And it is in an unlettered folk singer who modifies her songs to protest against the loss of her forests. 

 

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By Aparna V. Singh

Project Why describes itself as ‘a New Delhi (India) based non-profit organisation engaged in education support and life skill enhancement of slum children and their families.’ Founded in 1998 by Anouradha Bakshi, their activities today span education, special education and healthcare initiatives. (This interview was originally conducted in October 2009).

Before we get to your work with Project Why, please tell us a little about yourself, in particular your life when younger. Did you ever see yourself working in the social sector or did that come much later?

I was born in Prague and grew up in Beijing, Paris, Rabat, Saigon, Algiers and Ankara, my father being a diplomat. I did all my schooling in French. My father retired and we returned to India where I did my BA (Hons) in Philosophy from LSR Delhi and my Masters in French from JNU. An only child of very doting parents, I was spoilt silly but at the same time taught the right values. I bless my parents for having sent me to local schools in the countries we were posted in. That way, I grew up in a real world.

I don’t think there was a conscious desire to work for the social sector but I remember two incidents that marked me. The first was when I was a little girl spending holidays with my maternal grandparents in Meerut. My Nani had a bear show organized for me. When the bear owner was given his money, he asked for a coat, as it was very cold. He was sent away but I burst into tears and did not stop wailing till a servant was sent to find the man and give him the coat.

Many years later in Saigon, we were taken one week to an orphanage by our school. There each of us was made responsible for a child. Mine was a little girl called An. For the next two years all pocket money was spent to fulfil little An’s needs. And till today I have never forgotten her little face.

Maybe these were the genesis of what was to come.

When and how did Project Why begin? What were your feelings when you started? Did you hold other jobs before starting Project Why?

Let me start with the later part of your question. I held many jobs before starting Project Why. My life as a working woman began when I was doing my MA. I used to work part time at the French Unit of All India Radio as a Translator/Announcer. After my MA, I worked for a few years at the Belgium Embassy. I then joined JNU as an Assistant Professor in French. I left JNU in 1981 to work as Advisor Protocol for the IX Asian games and then went on to work for International Conferences as an Interpreter and Conference Manager.

Project Why began in my head in 1985 when I visited the village from which my ancestors had migrated to Mauritius as indentured labour in 1881. It was when I saw the plight of the women in this village that I realised how a simple accident of history had made me an Ambassador’s daughter when I should have been an illiterate village woman. It was at that moment that I realized that I had a huge debt to pay and that I would do it one day.

But Project Why actually began in 1998 after the death of my parents. My children had grown and I realised that time had come to pay the debt back. It would take two years of groping and looking before Project Why as it is now came to be.

The task never seemed daunting as I told myself that if I changed even one life for the better, I would have succeeded.

What are the core areas that Project Why works in? How do you organize your funding?

The first deafening why that needed an answer was Manu. I used to go to the street where he lived to meet a healer. Manu was a mentally and physically challenged young man who had been pushed to the streets after his mother’s death. He was ill treated and abused in every way possible. I initially wanted to find him a place in a home but found to my horror that there were no homes for males above 14! It was then that I made myself a silent promise: to one day ensure that Manu slept in a proper bed and ate at a table with friends and well wishers. It took nine years to get there but today he is part of our tiny residential programme.

To help Manu we had to be accepted by the community he lived in. We started spoken English classes for children, as that was what the community asked us to do. We began with 40 kids in two shifts. A few months later we realized that there was little or no study in municipal and government schools and that children were dropping out at alarming rates. We began our after school support programme and today reach out to 700 kids. That is also when we realised that the smaller children were often left to roam the streets, as the 0 to 6 years were not part of the free education programme. That is when we started our early education programme. We also run a day care for mentally and physically challenged children and young adults.

Funding has been the greatest challenge, as we do not have government or institutional funding. In the beginning, I put in part of my inheritance and that kept us going for the initial years. Slowly we built a network of friends and well wishers who helped us. Today we have friends who have set up organisations in France, Germany and Belgium that help Project Why.

Tell us a little about the major milestones and achievements.

Over the past years we have had many achievements big and small. Since we began, no child has dropped out and all our children have passed their examinations. Many of our ex students are now in college or working in good jobs.

Our initial decision to employ only people from within the community, and hence create almost fifty jobs, has been validated. Project Why is run by a vibrant team of empowered women and men.

What are the main challenges that you face in your work with children? Any setbacks you have faced?

Working with children is joyful, humbling and overwhelming. We have never had any problems with them. They motivate us and keep us going. We have had a few setbacks particularly in the initial days when local politicos tried to push us away and even threatened us. But we stayed put and simply wore them away. We have had some financial problems but these too have been temporary. Actually such small impediments keep us on our toes and ensure that we do not take things for granted.

Do these challenges ever make you feel frustrated or like giving up?

Never. There is no question of giving up. There maybe some frustration but it is temporary. The best way to cope is to think of the larger picture, of the children, of the dreams and hopes that are in our custody and then problems become manageable.

We noticed that you have also started a centre for women. Tell us how you are progressing in this area.

The women’s centre emerged as an answer to a very specific need. A few years ago a little child named Utpal came my way. He accidentally fell in a boiling karhai and sustained severe third degree burns. Everyone had given up on him; even the hospital sent him home to die. We decided to nurse him back to health and he lived. Today he is in boarding school and doing very well.

With Utpal came his mom. We soon discovered she was an alcoholic and later found out that she was also bipolar. Her plight made us aware of the condition of slum women who drink or have severe psychological problems. They are ill treated and abused in every conceivable way. Utpal’s mom was gang raped by the local cops. This is when we decided to have a women’s centre where we would offer short, medium or long-term refuge to women in distress. Not having our own premises, we at present can only accommodate a maximum of 4 women, but we hope to have our own building one-day. We faced a lot of difficulties finding rented space for this centre, as no one was willing to give their premises on rent for such women.

Our women’s centre also imparts vocational skills to over 60 women. We have tailoring and beauty classes. We also have awareness programmes with these women on issues like nutrition, gender equality, HIV Aids, immunisation, legal rights etc.

What are your future plans for Project Why?

At present we have a very fragile funding model and it is imperative that we become sustainable. We have opted for a plan based on a successful model running in Cusco Peru, the Ninos hotel. The idea is to dovetail hospitality and development. We intend to build a guest house and a children and women’s centre. The proceeds of the guesthouse will fund our activities. This project is called Planet Why. We have purchased the land and are now raising funds for the building. Planet Why will be a green building with solar and geothermal energy. It will also be a centre for vocational training for Project Why students who have finished their schooling.

For those who are starting work in the social sector, what advice do you have?

One must realise that the social sector is extremely challenging and very rewarding. To succeed in this sector one must have the ability to look with one’s heart. One must not feel daunted by the task but take it one step at a time, one day at a time.

Running an organization like Project Why must be an emotionally and physically draining task. How do you prepare and maintain yourself?

Quite the contrary! When you deal with other people’s problems you forget your own. For me it has been 24/7 for almost ten years now and for the past ten years I have forgotten all the ailments that once plagued me. I wake up very early and lead a disciplined life. I do yoga thrice a week and exercise thrice a week. Every morning as I work, I listen to the Chandi Path. This helps me remain grounded and at peace with myself.

You use social media such as blogging. What is your objective in using such media?

It began quite perchance. I used to send individual emails to all my mailing list when a friend suggested that I blog instead. That was in 2005. Since then, I blog regularly and have got a lot of support from people I have never met but who read my blog. I never looked back and will soon be posting my 1000th blogpost!

If you had to do it all again, would you do it any differently?

I have been blessed and I am very aware of this. If I were to do it again I would do it in the exactly the same way.