I am Parashurama, a labourer from Katapura, Kopla District. Due to unemployment, I came to Kundapur in search of suitable work 7 years ago. I have 2 children and both of them are unable to attend a regular school. My eldest child is a son, Yemannur. He has a birth defect of weak and paralysed limbs since birth. So, I cannot send him to a regular school like other children. We are very fortunate to have FSL-India’s school within our…
McLeod Ganj is a busy town where diverse people and stories cross their paths. In its streets you can meet Buddhist monks, Indian tourists coming there to visit the Bhagsu temple and waterfall, Europeans coming to attend yoga or meditation classes, or representatives of the Tibetan nation, as McLeod Ganj is both a seat of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile and permanent residence of His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. We came here to attend a work camp focused on Tibetan and…
Hello, I’m Linda and I’m Hanan!!!! Our day starts at 7 o’clock in our host family, when it’s already day. In the morning, we usually wash our clothes, spend time and play with our house siblings and then, after the pooja, we eat breakfast all together. Indian breakfast is different every day: Dosa, Idly, Upittu, Chapati, Poori and more and more tasty dishes. As we are neighbours, we can go everyday together to work. We take the bus near the…
On 8th of Aug 2019, FSL-India celebrated ‘Global Common Action Day for Climate Justice’. 8th August 2019 also corresponds to the approximate Earth Overshoot Day, E which marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. For this reason, CCIVS (Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service) calls IVS projects all over the world to do a practical action to reduce carbon emission and contribute towards Climate…
On the 16th of June, 2019 I flew to France, to the Western world. It was the first time for me – flying to Europe. I was very excited to go and also, a little bit worried. Indeed, I wanted to plan everything in advance like the train ticket, and the food availability there, and I also brought with me the chilli powder, because I knew I would have missed it a lot. My journey started from Bangalore airport on…
I have been working at the Baikady Tent School for the last 10 months, along with with Felix, FSL-India’s Long Term volunteer, from Germany. The older children of the tent community have to look after their younger siblings, so they are unable to go to regular school. So, FSL-India started their Tent School initiative to provide basic education in English and Maths, and healthcare to the children. First, we go to their houses and convince the parents to send the…
On 5th July, FSL-India’s Kundapura staff received a call from Beejadi Beach: another injured turtle was found by the local fishermen on the beach. The turtle probably got entangled in the fishermen’s net and came to the beach because of the deep wounds on its neck and flippers. A huge group of people cooperated to rescue the marine creature: local people and FSL-India staff and volunteers, along with members of the ‘Clean Kundapura Project’, an active initiative for cleaning up…
My name is Thamizhselvam Velmurugan, a volunteer at the German Red Cross, at Billerbeck, Germany. I am working as a caregiver at HausBaumgarten where 24 people live. My role at my workplace is to go for a walk with the residents, help the cook to prepare meals and to take the residents shopping. I am staying in an apartment near my workplace, at about 650 mtr distance, along with 2 other volunteers from Tanzania. January was a normal month –…
FSL-India has been working for the conservation of Olive Riddley and Green sea turtles, which are considered to be an endangered species. In the past, whenever the local fishermen came across the sea turtle eggs, they used to collect them, cook and eat them. They did not know the importance of conservation of the sea turtles. After the intervention of FSL-India, the fisherman community got an awareness of the need for the conservation of the sea turtles. They joined hands…
FSL-India regularly runs a 2-week work camp at Dharamshala throughout the year. From 1st-21st June 2019, 7 international volunteers from different nationalities, i.e. France, Czech Republic, US, Spain and Belgium, participated in this work camp. Our volunteers actively took part in various activities at the Heeru Government Primary School. They participated in a Yoga session every morning at the home base, renovated class rooms, had art and craft sessions with the schoolchildren, painted the school wall and also educational paintings,…