Monthly Archives: April 2011

Apr26

Profile – Shankar Moni

Posted on 26/04/2011 by Aravind

Hello, I am Shanker Moni

I always believed in the saying…… “Nothing is impossible in world try to do something deferent all the time ”- Nepolian Bonaparte.

I am glad to introduce myself as a new staff member in FSL-India. Born and brought up in Hospet, near Hampi. Which is a World Heritage Site. I joined FSL-India as a Chief Coordinator for Home Based Projects like, Sea Turtle conservation, Eco Club, Environmental Education, and Eco-tourism at Kundapur office.

I have completed my Masters in Psychology with specialization in Clinical Psychology from University of Mysore in the year 2006. I also completed my ‘Fellowship program of Social Entrepreneurship’ at ‘Deshpande Foundation’ in Hubli, Karnataka, where I learnt about skills related to social development sector. I have been involved in development sector from past three years and I worked as counsellor in different government hospitals.

I hope that those skills will help gain experience and expand my knowledge, while contributing creative solutions to the advancement of the organization.

Apr22

Ltv Gtg – April

Posted on 22/04/2011 by Aravind

Ltv Gtg – April

Date: 14th to 15th April Place: Turtle Bay Beach Resort, Trasi

‘Summer get-together’ organized at ‘Turtle bay’ beach resort with 14 volunteers and 5 staffs..

What was there? again group activities, evaluation, fun, 1-1 talks and beach volleyball and other games.

Apr15

April Arrivals

Posted on 15/04/2011 by Aravind

April Arrivals

In April, 10 volunteers from 4 different countries has joined FSL-India projects. There were 2 different orientation trainings took place on 4th to 10th and 11th to 13th April.

#	Country	Name	Project/Placed
1	Denmark	Ann Sofie Østerby Anderson	Paraspara Trust, Bangalore
2	Denmark	Nanna Klarborg Sand	Seon Ashram, Belthangady
3	Denmark	Anne Sofie Tommerby Laursen	Paraspara Trust, Bangalore
4	Denmark	Mads Friborg Retoft	Orbit, Humnabad
5	Italy	Anna Ciancio	Infant Jesus, Bangalore
6	Italy	Andrea	Infant Jesus, Bangalore
7	Austria	Benedikt Promintzer	Tent School, Kundapur
8	Austria	Michael Ezsoel	Tent School, Kundapur
9	Italy	Giusseppe Tomarchio	Paraspara Trust, Bangalore
10	Germany	Nils Muenekhoff	Orbit, Humnabad

Apr12

Model Village Project – Chennai

Posted on 12/04/2011 by rohan

Model Village Project – Chennai

Formation of VDC (Village Development Committee)

Out of the 8 villages in the Model Village Project (MVP), Irungatukottai village will be the first where the development activities will be initiated. A big step in this direction is the formation of a Village Development Committee (VDC) in each village by FSL-India. Each VDC consists of a core committee comprised of Panchayath members, Ward members, School headmaster, Youth association, Village administrative officer, Village Health Nurse, SHG (self Help Group) members, FSL-India staff and Hyundai Motors. The VDC will meet once every month to hold discussions related to the selection of beneficiaries for various activities, collection of contributions, monitoring activities for quality, timely completion and review of the progress of the MVP. By forming the VDC, we hope to ensure participation of villagers, quality of activities, social acceptance and sustainability.

On 5^th April, FSL-India held the first VDC meeting in Irungatukottai village, which was attended by 23 members. The VDC held a discussion and passed resolutions on the following topics:

1- Objectives of the VDC and the Roles and Responsibilties of the VDC members.

2- Objectives of the different core areas of MVP – Education, Health, Water and Sanitation, Village infrastructure, Women and children development etc.

3- Initiation of “Income Generation Programs” and identification of beneficiaries.

4- Solid Waste Management system to be implemented in the village.

Apr11

Final Impression

Posted on 11/04/2011 by Aravind

Final Impression

Looking back to your expectations and goals, would you like to comment on your overall experience here?

My biggest fear was others expectations on me. When I slowly by slowly realized that everything was up to my self I could relax more. And after some time that feeling disappeared.

I really didn’t have to high goals or expectations on the stay here. Maybe more about the people, the landscape, the culture…. the food etc. just thoughts and imaginations… I was more scared about that I wouldn’t be able to handle the hole thing… and as I wrote, others thoughts about me and the job I do. But… when I realized how it is here, and took one step at the time, getting to know the people, the project, the family and the other volunteers, when I found my role I just started to love it all.. It does take some time before you get the hang of everything, and get used to Indian lifestyle but when you do you don’t feel like leaving….

-Anna Sofia Piringer, Sweden, Tent School Kundapur

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It s better than my expectations because :

The place of Kundapura is very nice, I travelled, I improved my English, I exchanged with others volunteers from others countries, There were no French volunteer with me, I didn’t want to feel myself like Mother Theresa but just doing something useful, I worked with children, I was welcomed in a host family

I am fond of Indian food now!

-Quere Katell, French, Environment Education, Kundapur

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Did not had much expectations before I came to India. Only that I wanted to do my volunteer work very well. I was really exited if I could handle the children and if I have all the tools to teach them English. Looking back I had a wonderful time during the orientation week with all the volunteers and the people from FSL, my stay in my host family and with all the children in my project. What a great experience!

–Lucy Tjiong, The Netherlands, Nisarga child labour School, HD Kote.

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My goals changed pretty quickly when I came here . I saw that what these children’s really need is not new fancy toyes and such things they have a lot of practical things what they need is someone who hugs them when their sad, play with them and love them and show it . I hope I have succeeded

–Sofia Noren, Sweden, Little flower school, Karkala.

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The experience has been very positive, my studies and, even if is not always simple, it was beautiful to meet the children and build with them a good relationship.

-Brandolese Gaia, Italy, Baptist Welfare Society, Gangavathi.

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My experience was different than I expected but I think I had a positive impact on my project and the Indian people and definitely a great overall experience here.

-Johanna Hoefler, Germany, Arunodaya Poirada, Hospete

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Apr11

New FSL-India Staff member – Rajshekhar

Posted on 11/04/2011 by Aravind

New FSL-India Staff member – Rajshekhar

We have a new staff member at the FSL-India head office in Bangalore. Here he is with a brief self introduction.

Hi,

It’s a pleasure to introduce myself as a new staff member of FSL-India. My name is Rajashekhar Naik J. and i’m from Chitradurga district which is famous for its Historical Rock Fort, hot summers and warm people. I’ve joined FSL-India as a Coordinator for Workcamps and LTV. I’ve completed my Masters in Social Work with specialization in Human Resource Management at Kuvempu University in Davanagere. I’ve also completed the Fellowship program of Social Entrepreneurship at Deshpande Foundation in Hubli, Karnataka, where I learnt about Program management, Effective Communication, Leadership, Innovation, Information Technology. I hope to successfully put these skills in practice during my time with FSL-India. I don’t have any organizational working experience but I have field work experience in different organizations which work for social development programs. During my studies I served as a National Service Volunteer (NSV) for a year at Neharu Yuva Kendra Sanghtan Chitradurga.

I believe in the quote “Doing nothing is better than doing wrong things” and “Be Fast or Get Lost”. I joined FSL-India because it is an organization that works towards a good cause – there are many opportunities to learn new things and I hope it will help in my personal and professional growth.

Apr4

Gaia – Baptist Welfare Society

Posted on 04/04/2011 by Aravind

Gaia – Baptist Welfare Society

Hi, my name is Gaia, I`m from Italy, and i did two months as volunteer for FSL India. My project was the Baptist Welfare Society in Gangavathi, a small town in North Karnataka. I was teaching in a school for slum children. At the beginning the situation was not simple, all is new: family and a new house to stay, a project to follow and sometimes some cultural differences… But after the first week, the host family begin your family and you can start to see some development in your project. There are always difficulties to be faced, but the smiles of children and the gratitude and enthusiasm of local people, made me forget fatigue and especially diversity.

During the project I established a good relationship with the host family and with the children too, so that in the school they used to call me “akka teacher”. During the week I was teaching english in the school in collaboration with the regular teachers, trying especially through games and songs to teach how to stay together and collaborate, helping the other with your own possibilities, using the imagination instead of the simple memory. And during the weekends I could have some free time to visit some places as a tourist: Hampi, Gokarna, Mysore…

It is an experience I will never forget , and I’m taking home with me all smiles and new friends, hoping to return one day in my new small Indian town and meet the people who helped me during these two months .

Apr2

FSL- Work Camps in February 2011

Posted on 02/04/2011 by Rakesh

FSL- Work Camps in February 2011

In the month of February, FSL hosted 6 work camps in different parts of India. Five of the work camps were in South India: – Yercaud, Pondicherry, Kundapur, Kannur and Mysore. One was in Kolkota in North Eastern. India. Sixty-four volunteers from seventeen different countries took part in these work camps.

In Yercaud, 3 volunteers worked for 2 weeks in a school. They did some educational paintings, taught the children games and introduced them to their culture. The volunteers also visited nearby places of cultural interest.

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In Pondicherry, 9 volunteers helped an orphanage construct an additional storey to their building. They also did gardening, painting and teaching. They also visited local places of interest like a temple, a beach and a market. They volunteers also learnt about each other’s culture and cooking.

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In the coastal town of Kundapur, 9 volunteers from 3 different countries worked for two weeks in the protection of the endangered sea turtle. The volunteers built a hatchery for the sea turtle eggs, and built a sea turtle information center. The volunteers also did some
paintings in a school, learnt about each other’s culture and visited local places of interest.

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Kolkata was another place where FSL conducted a work camp to help a school. Eight volunteers did educational drawings, worked on the school’s vegetable garden and had various activities with the school students. The volunteers also visited a nearby church and temple and interacted with the locals.

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In Kannur, 18 volunteers spent 3 weeks learning yoga, ayurveda, and volunteering in a school. Volunteers taught children English and played games with them. The volunteers had many cultural activities like visiting temples, learning about traditional martial arts,
interacting with the locals, etc.

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In Mysore, FSL held a work camp exclusively for volunteers from one of our South Korean partner organizations. It was one week camp during which the volunteers helped paint and clean a government school. They also planted plants, taught English and educated the children about hygiene. The volunteers did an extensive tour of historical locations to learn about Indian history and culture.
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