FSL India Blog

Mr. C. Doreswamy, the Joint Director of FSL India and Miss Manjula the coordinator of Home Based Project participated in a two-day workshop on Sea Turtle conservation in Chennai on 12th and 13th November 2011. The workshop was hosted by Turtle Action Group (TAG), a national level network organisation. It was an annual event where many organisations working for Sea Turtle conservation participated. Delegates from about 80 organisations across the country, representatives of different states and wild life and forest department officials participated and deliberated on issues pertaining to Sea Turtle conservation. The TAG workshop was organised with a view to building a strong network and enhance communication between different organisations and address issues and problems collectively that are encountered in Sea Turtle conservation.

One of the prime objectives of the workshop was to get to know each other and share experiences and best practices of Sea Turtle conservation. On behalf of the organisation, Mr. C. Doreswamy and Miss Manjula shared with the participants the approaches and strategies of FSL India in Sea Turtle conservation. It was appreciated by other organisation. Dr. Kartik Shanker, Mr. Naveen and Miss. Arati took sessions on data collection system and proposal writing. Mrs. Banumati who is an expert in puppetry facilitated a session on how puppet show can be used as an effective strategy to create awareness on the importance of Sea Turtle conservation. The session on puppet show was very interesting as the participants got to know more about puppet show which will help create awareness among children and the local community. The participants also visited Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (MCBT). The strategies used by MCBT also can be replicated for Sea Turtle conservation.

It is a fact that increasing commercial fishing, loss of nesting habitat and climate change has become the cause of concerns for Sea Turtles conservation which leads to reduction of their ability to fulfill vital functions in ocean ecosystems. FSL India’s participation in the national level forum is another stepping stone and effort for Sea Turtle conservation and promotion of sustainable eco-system.

“Where open defecation remains prevalent, the policy focus needs to be on education to encourage people to build and use a latrine”. Open defecation is a major contributory factor to the high incidence of diarrhea in India, which causes 46% of childhood deaths. But still in the country there are vast majority of people who do not use toilets and resort to open defecation. Here is a case study of a family which suffered due to open defection and later availed improved sanitation overcame health and environmental sanitation.

Place : Irunkattukottai, Chennai

Name of the Beneficiary : Arokyamary and her family

Concept of the Case Study : Promotion of Improved Sanitation

Background of the beneficiary family:

The beneficiary Mrs. Arokyamary is twenty-five years old. She was born and brought up in a small village called Irunkattukottai. She married and blessed with two children who are studying in the local primary school. Mrs. Arokyamary runs a petty shop near her house. Her monthly income would range somewhere between 2000 to 2200.

Problem Statement:

Mrs. Arokyamary has been is living in this village for more than 25 years. The family did not have the toilet at home. As her old mother also leaves there, it was difficult for the family to ease out themselves. It was indeed great problem for the family. Mrs. Arokyamary and the members of her family suffered without a toilet. For women it is all the more difficult to resort to open defecation because of the distance and many a times the fear of snakes, scorpion and insects especially in rainy season. It could have been increasingly important for the family to have its sanitation facility.

Solution for the Beneficiary:

Hyundai Motor India proposed to build 205 toilets at Irunkattukottai which has been the Model Village Project implemented by FSL India. Out of total 205 toilets, Mrs. Arokyamary was allotted a toilet with the help of Hyundai Motor India for which the family expressed the gratitude.

Response from Mrs. Arokyamary:

I am extremely happy and grateful to Hyundai Motor India and FSL India for the gift of improved sanitation facility. Prior to construction of toilet, we had no option that to resort to open defection. My aging mother used to find difficult to ease her out.  Now our problem has been solved.

On december 5th the world celebrated International Volunteer Day, from FSL India we want to thank all the volunteers that have worked with us through our 10 years. We thank you all for volunteering with us or anywhere. Volunteering can make the difference. Lets keep working for a better world!

LTV get together is a regular monthly event in the Long Term Volunteering program facilitated by FSL India. The international volunteers placed in various projects, gather once a month to share their experience and learning with one another. One of the principal factors of placing international volunteers and project assignments through voluntary service is to give an international dimension to development interventions in India. In this backdrop monthly get together facilitates a process whereby the volunteers express their views and learn by sharing with one another.

The one-day get together for the month of October was organized on 17th November 2011. It was organised at Break Through in Bangalore, a national level organisation which is pioneer in conducting corporate and management training. All together 17 volunteers representing countries such as Germany, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Korea, Austria and Denmark participated in the monthly get together. Six staff from FSL India also participated.

The one-day event was facilitated by Break Through training team with lots of simulation and fun games. The volunteers while participating in the sessions enjoyed every bit of moment. Sessions were conducted with lots of fun and frolic. Practically every session was conducted with a simulation game. After an activity or game was over, the volunteers were engaged in collective deliberation, analysis and application of learning back at project was the process adopted to facilitate get together exercise. Input and feedback from the facilitators, opinion sharing and specific learning outcome that could be applied back at work formed the basis of the one-day program. Simulation game such as name juggling, man-bear-gun, bottle and rag, low-rope walk and spotting, robot race, trolley walk, blindfold and search were organised and analysed its practical application for personal and professional enrichment. Systematic planning and coordination, team work, risk analysis and conflict management, needs identification and prioritisations were the major learning outcomes of the activity based sessions conducted by Break Through team.

The volunteers had the opportunity to meet and interact with each other. They could share their experience gained in the project. It was also an occasion to receive and give feedback on the projects that the volunteers are associated with. As the volunteers work on a range of education, health, socio-cultural and economic development and environmental issues; they made a brief assessment of the progress, challenges encountered, and the changes brought about in the project. One-to-one talk with coordinators were also organised for the volunteers.

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

I feel like I have fulfilled all of the expectations that I had before coming to India. I knew I wanted to know more about the Indian culture and I wanted to work with children who are in need. I enjoy a lot working with children because I know they are the future of a country, if the society is not investing in education, there will not be improvements on sciences, health discoveries to end epidemics and other issues. For me, education is the basis of society’s development and I was very happy I could help in some way to improve these children´s quality of life. If I know that the children were able to get more opportunities in their lives because of tent school then that would have been the greatest achievements of all, for me and for the project.

Claudia Yvonne Liñan Segura, Mexico

For me it was a wonderful time and I really enjoyed being in India not just as a tourist but as someone who works with the Indians.

Viktoria Kwasniok, Germany

Regarding Orphan Children teaching - it’s a wonderful project! Not very easy, but with all the more possibilities to put a lot of time into it and to gain a lot of experience.

Franz Koenig, Austria

Environment degradation is one of the most development challenges today globally. Coastal area is one such vulnerable zone which gets environmentally degraded. In this backdrop, 19^th September is set aside for beach clean-up day.

As environment promotion is one of the important development programs, FSL India took a part in “International beach clean-up day” at Marvante, Kundapur on 17th November 2011. FSL volunteers, staff and local people participated in this event. International beach clean-up was organised in collaboration with Trasi Nirmala Grama Samithi (Sanitation Committee. The local sanitation clubs formed by FSL India also participated and took the major role for beach clean-up. All FSL India volunteers under Home Based Project and staff and about 50 community people participated. The participants collected the garbage around the beach and safely disposed.

It was bit hard but commendable work undertaken by FSL India volunteers and the staff. The volunteers participated very enthusiastically and set a good example of global concern for environment promotion. All the participants contributed their effort for environment conservation. Local people also appreciated the works of the volunteers and SFL India team.

In November 2011, a total of 25 new volunteers from 9 different countries arrived for long-term voluntary service. As inter-cultural learning is the important aspect LTV program, FSL India organised a week-long orientation for the new volunteers. The orientation event was held at Hotel Sharon, Kundapur, from 7th to 13th November 2011. There was a special orientation for 5 Denmark and 2 French volunteers which was organised from 2nd to 4th November 2011. The orientation program was facilitated by the LTV program team of FSL India. Volunteers were picked-up from the meeting point and taken to Hotel Sharon, Kundapur. As the orientation program started, volunteers were welcomed by FSL India team with garlands of rose, and vermilion tilak marks on the forehead and Aarathi.

Different sessions were scheduled to give input on a range of topics. Sessions were conducted with both theoretical input and inter-cultural experience. Introduction to FSL India and its works, Indian Philosophy and life, roles and responsibilities of the volunteers, setting up aims and objectives and conflict management during the voluntary service in India were the major topics dealt with. Volunteers shared about their country and people. During the evening hour sessions were organised to introduce the volunteers on Indian culture. Volunteers also interacted with the local community so as have inter-cultural learning and experience. Teaching of Kannada and Tamil language, project introduction and visit to the social and development projects were organised during the orientation. Volunteers actively participated in the orientation program. On the last day of the orientation an excursion was organised. The following is the detailed profile of volunteers:

S. No. Country, Name, Project/Placed

01 Denmark, Kathrine Mory Kristiansen, Bless, Tamil Nadu

02 Denmark, Katrine Stokholm Høngaard, Narayana training centre, Tallur

03 Denmark, Maja Staffeldt Pedersen, Bless, Tamil Nadu

04 Denmark, Veronica Solund Kirsebom, Narayana training centre, Tallur

05 Denmark, Lars Fjord Garvey, Seon Ashram

06 France, Tony Sabastier, Reads, Tamil Nadu

07 France, Djeneba Dembale, Sinum, Tamil Nadu

08 France, Marine Mangenot, Seon Ashram

09 Netherlands, Louise Willemjin, Baptist

10 Germany, Anna Greshake, SWORD

11 UK, Sean Gilhooly, Milinda School, Kushalanagar

12 Finland, Mari Kähäri, Relief Foundation

13 France Esclancon Myriam Nisarga

14 Germany, Fabian Bethge, PLANT, Tamil Nadu

15 Germany, Maria Kelz, FSL India (Tent School)

16 Italy, Benedetta Ceccanti, IWDI

17 Italy Sara, Tafuro Govt. School, Bangalore

18 France, Cécile Prouchandy, Kalvikendra

19 Italy, Giulia Curiotto, FSL India-Tent school

20 Italy, Fabiana De Luca, FSL India-Tent school

21 France, Etienne Homer, FSL India

22 Netherlands, Sanne van Nistelrooij, READS

23 France, Antonin BORGNON, Water Literacy foundation

24 France, Arthur Sire, FSL India (EE)

25 Netherlands, Wouter Bot, Seon Ashram

Work Camps of FSL India are aimed at increasing social, cultural, educational and environmental actions in the rural and urban areas of India through international and national volunteers. These camps offer valuable opportunities for the volunteers to learn values of life from different parts of the world through cooperative operations and services. Altogether 8 Work Camps were conducted at various locations during September and October. A total of 58 International Volunteers participated in the Work Camps.

Dharamsala - Tibetan culture / Construction / Environment

05.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Engaged in digging foundation of the toilet for the school, educational wall paintings, cleansed school kitchen, painted walls of the classroom, doors, windows, black boards of the schools. Interacted with the Tibetan Youth and monks, visited Tibetan Museum, Dalai Lama’s temple, Tibetan Library, Medicine Museum, waterfall, temples, Tibetan Children’s Village, Norbulingka Institute, Tibetan cooking class and attended McLeod Indian Gusthi (Martial Art) - part of a local festival.

Goa - Social / Happy Hearts / Kids

12.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Volunteers painted two rooms, one hall, and one kitchen and balconies of Boy’s Orphanage Home. Taught Basic English, Maths, Action songs and simulation games to orphan children. During the evening hours helped the children in their home and interacted with them. Country-wise inter-cultural Performance.

Chennai - Social / Happy Hearts / Kids

03.10.2011 to 16.10.2011

Volunteers painted two rooms, one hall, and one kitchen and balconies of Boy’s Orphanage Home. Taught Basic English, Maths, Action songs and simulation games to orphan children. During the evening hours helped the children in their home and interacted with them.

Kundapur - Sea Turtle Conservation / Environment

10.10.2011 to 23.10.2011

Volunteers built 2 TIC near the Beach South & North of Kundapur (Maravanthe and Bejadi Beach). Volunteers conducted awareness program to save Sea Turtles to near the Beach side and in Malphe Harbour to fisher-folk community about conservation of Sea Turtles the Eggs. Renovated Community Center and Water Shed (cleaning & Painting). Henna class, Indian cooking class, Kannada class, Boat trip, visited Hindu temple, attended Hindu family marriage   and Indian family, and performed in country-wise presentation of cultural event and Kannda Nudi Theru.

Bangalore - Social / Kids

12.09.2011 to 25.09.2011

Educational pictorial wall paintings and taught English and interacted with children and community people.

Attended Health on Stage program hosted by FSL India, visited families and learnt Indian cooking and Kannada language.

My name is Valentina Macchione Vlacovich from Italy. I served as a volunteer in the Home Based Project of FSL India at Kundapur. I was assigned to work in the Tent School Project at Navayuga near Brahmavara, Udupi District. I this Tent School I worked during June and July 2011. I enjoyed working with children at the Tent School and children also liked me very much as I used to be very friendly with them and take care of them by engaging in varieties of teaching and learning activities. While working in Tent School I introduced compulsory shower program for children so as to ensure their health hygiene. It was wonderful working with the children. They are so active and agile that I never used to feel tired of working with them.

Having completed my volunteering work in July I returned to my country. But I felt nostalgic and every bit of moment that I spent with children and community people constantly whispered me to take one more chance to visit Kundapur and the Tent School where I had the opportunity to work with the children. Now I am back again in India to see my Tent School Project and the children who taught me that I have so much of responsibility to be part of such noble mission. Today I am so happy to come back and see the project and the children. Children of the Tent School too are extremely happy to see me.

LTV get together is a regular event facilitated by FSL India for the international volunteers. Once a month the international volunteers gather together to share their experience, success stories and learn from one another.

The two-day LTV get together was organised on 13^th and 14the October at Turtle Bay Beach Resort, Kundapur.  Volunteers participated in the LTV GTG are the those who are associated with projects such as Sea Turtle conservation, Eco Tourism, Tent School, Teaching projects, Medical project, Environment education and rain water harvesting projects. All together 20 volunteers placed in Mysore, Bangalore, Udupi and Mangalore zones participated in the get together. The event was facilitated by four coordinators of FSL India.

One of the primary objectives of organising get together is to give an opportunity to international volunteers to share the experience and success stories with one another and in the process learn from one another. This also becomes an occasion to identify common issues and find out solutions collectively. The volunteers were given different shapes of pre-cut cards and were asked to write down their experiences and later asked to share with other members of the group.

The international volunteers also had one-to-one talk with the coordinators and discussed about the project work, host family, inter-cultural learning experience and travel details. Beach game was also organised for the volunteers. With lots of fun and frolic varieties of games were conducted.  Indeed it was also a moment to get and give feedback and make the assessment the progress and results achieved. The volunteers also made assessment of the living experience in the host families.