All stays within the family

Feverish days

4:30 am. Today we must get up early. As a matter of a fact, I had a sleepless night. The after-effects of the typhoid fever have battled against my vaccination and worsen my discomfort, even so the filming of the Sigra suburbs continues. The streets are filled with silence, they seem different. It is still dark and street dogs await as if guarding their territory with defiant looks. Their high-pitched barking is enough to gain respect.

At Godowlia, the central point of urban chaos where the silence of the night can also be heard rickshaws start to pass by, considerate of our whereabouts.

We arrived in Sigra just before sunrise. The slum lights turned on as quickly as mosquitoes bit my ankles. As soon as we were noticed, the colony arose.

We are once again filming, this time something very private, allowing you to enter their house, to see them wake up, work, cook, look after their children, listen to their conversations, be part of their daily lives, away from everything. We are eager to share it all with you.

From meeting to meeting

Filming continues, and so do the meetings. Each month, we meet the mothers of the children who attend school. This time, we had the help of two volunteers from Alicante, Victoria y Marina, a physiotherapist and a nurse. It seems very surprising to have to stress the need for hygiene habits normally used on a daily basis. Marina and Victoria participated in a talk where the emphasis was on essential hygiene habits for children as much as for their mothers: habits such as washing your hands before and after eating and how to adopt an adequate posture for long working hours.

Mothers listened attentively, correcting their posture, and making comments to each other in a disconcerted yet interested way. Even Soma, the coordinator, was surprised to discover some tricks like washing one’s hair with vinegar to fight lice.

A meeting also took place in Sigra. The new school was the central point where families from all the colonies congregated. It was a day we had all been waiting for, a session where the critical questions of worried inhabitants of the area would be answered. After the fast and unexpected increase in the number of pupils, it was vital to give them the full details about the program. They were impatient, to the point of coming to the school a few days early to find out what it had to offer. We were remarkably impressed as we entered and saw them sitting down in an orderly way, expectantly following us with their eyes. The room was filled with colours and whispered comments. The men were sitting on high stools, observing everything; women were holding their babies and were nervous. As well as the coordinator Soma, a mother of two joined us in our educational program. Elegant, with a pink shaded sari and golden sandals, she enjoyed the treatment of a special guest. Her testimony helped to start a circle of trust among the colonies, which still had doubts about our prompt and selfless help. The colonies knew her, and she explained the benefits and improvements of her children who attend school splendidly and proudly. She responded to the families’ questions, many of which had been prepared in secret to get rid of their doubts. Their looks of approval and the fact that they put their hands together in front of their chest was a clear sign of their consent and respect. Namaste.

These last two weeks have been delirious. One can no longer distinguish reality from imagination. Filming in the suburbs creates an inner discourse that leads to sleepless nights and the unavoidable search for an immediate yet impossible solution. After spending time together, you become so involved that your conscience is worryingly affected.

Watching them through a lens offers a vision that the human eye cannot see. The colony opened up, they all wanted to be a protagonist of something that they did not even understand. They united as a big family, where everything is everyone’s business. They all want to know, ask questions and have hope that we will free them from their situation. Nothing remains a secret. Jealousy also took place when capturing the attention of the camera. The little ones were eager to see themselves portrayed in the viewfinder, whilst parents gossiped and ordered the chaos. Perhaps, this will open a door that will allow us to glimpse at their deficiencies and give voice to their needs.

We are all looking for a way out, an improvement, when we face difficulties. I could feel this need on my skin when my body was burning with fever. With a thermometer under your arm, your perception is never quite the same, but in this case, my perception was similar to what was really going on in my room. I woke up on bed sheets wet from cold sweats, imagining the worst, when a man with an assistant and a briefcase showed up. It was the doctor. I had had a high fever for 48 hours; therefore, in spite of not being able to understand what they were saying, I was glad they were there. Then a third one came. He had a big elastic band that he strongly tightened to my arm in order to take a blood test that would help diagnose which bacteria was swimming in my veins. Never before had I had a blood test carried out at home. They spoke continuously and did not give me the opportunity to ask any questions in order to save time in their search for the best remedy. After some days hiding away to make a full recovery, I took to the streets with a smile on my face, but I still felt weak. I was glad to be able to greet the neighbours again, who were worried about me: a big family who asked about me, who got involved and looked after me. This affection is mutual; we will go on taking care of one another.

Author: Vanessa Escuer

Sitting on the school bench for the first time

No shoes

Rushing until the last minute, Toffee, a 10 year old girl, searches for her orange dress among a disorderly pile of clothes, the one she uses for special occasions. With her dark skin, she looks radiant wearing this dress and her smile is as pure as her excitement to learn new things. She is surrounded by plastic bags, insects and the scent of oil. There is half an hour left: enough time to rinse her face with the water from a bucket, untangle her hair in front of a broken piece of mirror and adorn her wrists with colourful metallic bangles. She is almost ready, but she wears no shoes. Her mother, wraps herself in a yellow shaded sari that matches her daughter’s outfit, suddenly she realises her daughter’s shoeless feet and starts a search for flip-flops, with the support of the whole colony.

Everyone radiated with excitement. It was an important day. The school awaited them for a meeting which would confirm their start in the educational program. The children were nervous and their mothers were restless as we shared with them this mixture of perplexity and enthusiasm. Holes in their clothes were hidden with safety pins and they wore over-decorated necklaces. Some of them walked barefoot in the mud. Overall, they were all excited and determined.

The time came when, in the company of 15 children and their respective mothers, we had to make our way to the school we had previously selected for the new students in Sigra. Stress vanished as the pace of the meetings sped up. From now on, the classroom will be their daily companion. To start off, a daily hour of preparation before the school year begins in April.

As the days pass, I notice how gradually I am losing my ability to marvel. Each day offers something unexpected; it is like an unbounded and unusual surprise. Varanasi constantly puzzles me through unexpected events that sometimes border with eccentricity. At the Sigra colony, this surprising effect let us with feelings of gratitude. We could sense that new families would want to be included in the program, but never imagined that in a matter of a day, there would not be enough desks in the classroom. After one day of incorporation of new students to the new school, the number of interested children more than doubled, jumping from a class of 15 to nearly 50 students. An unexpected yet welcomed increase.

As we walk through Sigra, we have become the centre of attention, we are followed by whispers, curiosity, questions... as we stroll along the colonies, people approach us: they also want their children to go to school. There is not enough time for us to interview all the families, we can feel their impatience. These days bring us a lot of work; they are filled with momentum, yet controlled by chaos. There is no way we can stop. From the first temple bells that resound in the early morning to the howling of the street dogs at night, now more than ever, we must work to plant seeds.

“Mam, Sarnath!!”

Weeks in India are of 6 working days, from Monday to Saturday. Children also follow this itinerary in their school calendar. On Sundays, they are missed. Last week was one of the most intense weeks so far. Children are the protagonists of this story, this project and this country. After carefully planning an excursion to a nearby location, we decided to pick Sarnath, 10km from Varanasi and the cradle of the first Buddhist community.

More punctual than a watch, all the children were waiting at Seed for Change’s premises at 8 am on the dot, eager to learn something new. It is a challenge to take a group of 22 children out in the narrow alleys and keep them lined up. The journey was as beautiful as it was chaotic; there was a contrast of children’s naughty behaviour and the tiring honks of bikes. They moved forward linked like a chain, grabbing one another by the shoulders and looking up, watching all that was happening.

After an unforgettable journey in a van, we reached our destination. I do not believe that I even felt such intense and enthusiastic feelings during my own school outings when I was a little girl. I do not remember feeling such eagerness and such restlessness to make the most of a trip, the determination to observe every detail and to use up as much energy as possible. The children had never had such fun, running along a wide green plain and playing in a funfair that most of them had never seen before. We took them to the archaeological museum, where they were amazed by the big Buddha statue and the historical paintings that rest on the museum walls. They were excited at the zoo, as they discovered new animals and unknowingly demonstrated progress in English as they were able to make themselves understood through the use of this language.

At the end we were all exhausted. On the way back, all of them gradually fell asleep. It was such a satisfaction to see them close their eyes in such an innocent way, their slanting heads and their T-shirts powered with dust from the slide they had played on.

The following day they came with renewed energy. Whilst having a coffee with Maria, Sameer amazed us as he made his way to his private tutoring. On the bar’s wall, there was a painting of Buddha. Exhilarated, he pointed at the painting, then looked at us and exclaimed: “Mam, Sarnath!!”. His use of this courtesy reference (Mam is a short word for Madam, a mark of respect) and his recognition left us speechless. We will definitely use this reference ourselves.

We keep on discovering more of Varanasi. The waters of the Ganges are slowly descending, gradually allowing people to walk along the steps that flow into its banks. The mud persists, but like thick honey, it slowly dilutes.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of an important date. Tomorrow, 17th of October is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It is not necessary to remind you of the existence of poverty in the world, but the need to act to stop it is. At Seed for Change, we are committed to a decent future for the most unprivileged children in Varanasi. In order to free them from this circle of misery and in most cases, of child exploitation, we offer them the best education possible so that they can opt for a future with more opportunities.

We are all responsible. We can all change a life.

When will I get my schoolbag?

Arrival and first impressions...
Two weeks have passed since I arrived in Delhi airport and I met Maria, who had come to welcome me. Two weeks. Let me introduce myself. I am Vanessa, the volunteer who, for 4 months, will be honoured to share with you everything that Seed for Change does in Varanasi, this city of contrasts.

I arrived in Delhi with the tiredness of fourteen hours of journey and a few sleepless nights. As soon as I set my foot on this land, everything sped up. Time seemed to move faster, a minute would encompass so many things that there was always something that slip past me.

After a long journey by train, I entered Varanasi with the feeling that I had gone back in time, in history. Thousand-year-old temples washed by the growing Ganges waters, narrow alleys ruled by holy cows, children and men immersing their sins in waters conquered by the ashes, the smell of smoke, the smell of extintion, bright colours, grey looks, sounds, a thousand sounds... I felt captivated. I longed to catch it all.

New students for new sponsors
Once I found my way on the streets, I gradually got to know the people. As we were recording for the Spanish TVE program Acción Directa, we made our way towards the suburbs of Sigra, where the families welcomed us at their colonies with a smile and offering us the little they have. For a second, I could imagine myself living under those canvasses, piling up the rags that many of the children are compelled to pick up from the streets to support their families. I could imagine myself walking barefoot on the mud brought about by the frequent monsoon rains, taking care of my siblings, burning plastic bags in order to cook some rice in an old clay oven and living under the oblivion and empty looks of many people around me.

And it was there, surrounded by rubble, when I realised how hard it will be to fight for the future of these children. Seed for Change opts for the key to their development: education.


These weeks we moved around Sigra, in search of the best school for the suburb children, who will start in our educational program from October. The inhabitants of the colonies are known as the 'untouchables', a word that I find hard to digest in reference to any human being. Nobody wants them near, they prefer to ignore them. It is most shocking to find such a degree of discrimination among casts, that made us search for a school that is not too closeby to their homes, in order to avoid any mockery or offence by their future classmates.

They were long days of travelling by rickshaw, dodging puddles, cows and touring paths full of potholes. At the end each and every one of our muscles were exhausted from being alert to a likely fall.

Having found the suburb, we interviewed every family. We took cover from the sudden rain under their leaking roofs as they told us their stories. Some showed more interest and motivation to educate their children, whilst others only approached us out of curiosity. We talked to families whose incomes seldom reach 100 euros per month and have 7 to 9 mouths to feed. Many of them with a household head that, after 12 hours of hard work cycling to transport 150 Kg, would spend on alcohol most of his earnings. Each of the stories are different, but all within the limit of poverty.

After finishing all the interviews and wandering around the area, we found the school that best matched the policy of our program: quality education. Once an agreement was signed, interviews of the families in the school were to take place.

This encounter is still pending for next week. These have been days full of tension for the inhabitants of the colonies. In Varanasi there was a feeling of fear, due to the verdict about a holy place that has been unresolved for over 50 years, leading to struggles among muslims and hindus. At the suburbs of Sigra, where families are of muslim origin and there is a high level of illiteracy, the conflict heightened, causing the temporary departure of children and women to their home villages in West Bengal. They will be back in a few days. Until then, the interviews are postponed.

First meeting with the mothers
The moment had been awaited for days, every detail thought of so that each of the mothers would enjoy the encounter... and finally the date came. They gradually arrived, punctual, in their best dresses, some in the company of their children, also smart looking with their hair combed and oiled. Firstly they timidly smiled, hiding behind gestures of uncertainty, sitting down trying to cause a good impression. As the premises of Seed for Change were filled up with the mothers and their complicit looks, the silence was broken.

Maria welcomed all with a short speech in Hindi which put a smile on the faces of the audience. The talk was carried on by the school director and the coordinator, who for three hours kept the attention of the mothers, by now more and more aware of the importance of the meeting.
After covering subjects of vital importance for the health and school progress of their little ones, the encounter became an open space for dialogue, where the mothers' satisfaction and confidence were apparent. Thankfulness could be felt in their gestures and in their eyes. And this was shared with a nice dinner with their delight and our complacency.
Now another such filled-with-complicity moment is awaited . From now on, it will happen on a regular basis.

The medical visits start
It is half endearing and half scaring to see a girl of 3, with the looks of a 1 and 1/2 year old, with such a swollen belly that does not let her see her own feet. Mamta had us worried. Always with a lost look, an attitude of an adult, a sobbing that so touched us.
We walked for almost half and hour, with their mothers holding the weight of the little ones on their backs, until we reached one of the dispensaries that the French NGO with which Seed for Change has an agreement. The children were examined by a doctor who detected mostly cases of worms and some infections, for which medicines prescribed turned out to be most effective.

It is now indescribable to see that girl laughing, walking forward with clumsy steps when going to play, speaking broken words in English in an attempt to imitate her older brothers studying their lessons or eat a good plate of rice whilst talking to herself. Even so, her full recovery will be in the long term. To help her progress,medical check-ups will be carried from this month onwards.

For the families' convenience and to avoid the long way which can only be covered on foot, Seed for Change agreed with Dr Yogesh Tripathi to have the medical check-ups once a month at the organisation premises, which are located nearer to the families' homes. This way, an exhaustive control over each child will be possible and soon the vaccination treatment will also take place.

These have been two intense weeks of hard but worthwhile work. The humid heat that is felt in the city is an add-on, not an obstacle.

To put an end to the first post, I would like to share with you good news. We have new sponsors! We will inform you shortly about the lucky children, some of them already impatient to start the lessons. A picture stayed on my mind about one child from the Sigra suburbs who was asking us where her schoolbag was, showing her eagerness to start school. It won't take long.