Study Tour to Southern India

January, 2010
Kit and Akiko led a study tour group to Southern India (Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka), in January this year, to learn and observe the activities undertaken by local organizations designed to promote gender equality and to eliminate poverty.

Trivandrum, Kerala
The very first visit was with the Kudumbashree which works very closely with the State Government of Kerala where the voices of economically and socially weak women are heard and acted upon.  The organization has been able to guarantee wages to women who are working to clean out the grassy canal as well as working in the dry  river bed making sand hills, the sand to be used for construction of roads and buildings. Women are taught skills such as making pickles, nourishing powder for children, etc., to empower them and thus become self employed.  While they are either working or attending classes, their children are looked after at a nursery school.  Young children of these women have a neighborhood group where they learn self confidence and have a chance to develop holistically.  BUDS also is a special school run by Kudumbashree for mentally and physically challenged children.  BUDS provides for the developmental, social and emotional needs of children whose needs are ignored or neglected.

Bangalore, Karnataka
Our first visit was to the Asian Institute for Rural Development.  In the city, it offers a day school for kindergarten children living in poverty.  Here they learn words used in daily life using pictures and graphs. The children also learn to speak in front of strangers confidently.  We then went to the countryside to see where women living in poverty attend classes to learn how to make candles, pickles, tend to cows, etc., all skills that empower them to become self confident and self employed. Marketing skills were also taught.

Thrice we were honored to listen and talk to Sri M.V. Rajasekharan, founder of AIRD.  At each meeting we had something to take back to Tokyo: Do what has to be done, now; don't put it off for another time; Never have a grudge against anyone who may have offended you;  and lastly, SMILE, for it makes the others feel friendlier towards you.

Next visit was to Dream a Dream. This organization's projects are to provide space for delinquent youths, both boys and girls.  For example, professional soccer players are coaches for both boys and girls soccer teams.  Dream a Dream is the connector of youth groups needing help and getting professionals to guide them...through play, learning life skills.  Amazingly, all the planning and executing of the programs is by young people in their twenties and early thirties.

Tamil Nadu
After the Dream a Dream visit, we went out to a remote forest area in Tamil Nadu where a husband and wife doctor team provides medical care to the Tribal villagers.  At first, the Tribal villagers were afraid of the doctors and did not trust them.  But after three or so years of living with the Tribal villagers, they slowly won the confidence and trust of the villagers to form the Tribal Health Initiatives. This was achieved through the recruiting of local young women to become health  workers.  From a one primitive operating room building, now, the  Institute has almost modern hospital buildings, receiving aid from England and Japan.  In addition, the doctor has hired a professional  farmer who teaches the villagers to produce organic vegetables using home-made compost.  Meticulous records are kept for each sale of items produced/made by the villagers.  As Tribal Health Initiatives is highly regarded by the Tribal villagers, a second hospital is planned for a village 'just over the hills.'   At present, the doctor can laugh as he talks of the past; it was sheer perseverance, love of people and good humor that won the trust and love of the Tribal villagers.

We enjoyed lunch, a simple daily vegetarian lunch prepared by the cooks at Tribal Health Initiatives...the meal was so satisfying, that we all went for seconds!

Back to Karnatake Our next visit was to the REDS...here we listened what it is to be a Dalit and its origin way back some 3,500 years ago.  We were invited to visit REDS' ashram in the country side for further enlightenment regarding the Dalit and what it is living in the midst of people in another caste system.  The dindhi was explained:  Indigo color is for Dalits, and the red is for others of religious belief.  However, surprisingly, some Indians now have the red dindhi on their foreheads for 'fashion's sake.'

Our last visit was to Vimochana.  This organization provides a safe haven for victimized women.  At times, severe violence is meted out to a woman whose family cannot offer dowry/presents year after year after the marriage of the daughter.  The organization brought cases to the India Court of Women on Dowry and related forms of violence against women...and won cases.

Of course, there were a few days for sightseeing in Bangalore and  even a trip to Mysore,...silk industry and palaces.  Needless to say, we enjoyed the public open markets, too.  This trip was not only about being enlightened on the situation of the women living in poverty, but also to taste the flavor of life as a visitor in India.