"The poor will not come to us, we have to go to them"

Dear friends of HSP,

I am happy to present this new edition of our Anuprerona newsletter. We do hope Anuprerona, as per its meaning, is an inspiration for you, as the life of HSP inspires every one of us.

In particular, we had a beautiful excursion time with the children for the second year. Last year it was at the seaside in Digha. This year, all Howrah Homes went to Jalpaiguri Homes for one week. It was beautiful to see the joy of the children discovering the mountains in Kurseong or the tea garden around Jalpaiguri for the first time. It was also touching to see the children making new friends within HSP and the didi dada getting to know each other better. 

More and more in our spiritual community, we are trying to unfold the fabulous treasures and resources that lie hidden in the life experience of the didi and dada and the children's hearts. That is why so many workshops and sharing are taking place, staff interviews, and activities with the children. We thank our volunteers and all didi dada involved. These treasures are almost forgotten because we do not share them or dare to transform them into actions. We want to open the doors of HSP so that the doors of our hearts open, too. Only then can life flow freely and bloom into trust.

Lots of love

Fr. Laurent

News

Independence day

On August 15th, India celebrated it's National day on the commemoration date of their independence day.

All Homes celebrated the occasion with a patriotic programme. National anthem, flag hoisting, special dances, march with flags.

In the afternoon, all Howrah homes gathered for a common programme. The occasion for sibblings and for friends to meet again, and for all to appreciate beautiful dances and eat delicious snacks.

HSP friends and family visits

With the summer vacation in Europe, many of our friends and donors had time to come visit us!

We first welcomed 10 members from Terre des Hommes Alsace (TDHA), including 5 youths who spent the year organising events and collecting money for various projects. Coming to see us further implicated them and they enjoyed the opportunity to offer totos to our homes in Howrah and Jalpaiguri. Historical partner of HSP, TDHA is regularly coming to visit us and didis and dadas were happy to see familiar faces from France. Adults, youths and children all spent very joyful moments together!

The second group who came in August was a French association "cycle for water", composed of 4 young adults who cycle around the world to explore problematics linked to the lack of access to water. They spent a few days with us and animated workshops in Baksara and EPN schools about water, they also played a lot with the children and their bikes! The association gifted a small water filter for EPN boys' hostel, and big water filter for EPN school which will allow all students to have access to clean and safe drinking water!

The third group who came to visit us in August was the Moinet family, with the parents and their six children, members of our partner Namaskar Kolkata for many years. They came for the first time and enjoyed discovering more about HSP and spending time with the children and didi who now remember them fondly.

Finally, in September, we welcomed a new volunteer: Clémence! She will be a social teacher in Lalkuthi and will also work in the slums with the didis from our SMCS programme.

Children, adults and staff were thrilled to receive visits in Howrah and Jalpaiguri, and meet new people, we are waiting for you!

Come soon!

Brother and sister's day

On August 30th, all India celebrated Raksha Bandan, the day where sisters tie a "Rakhi", a bracelet on their brother's wrist.

In our homes, girls were encouraged to tie a rakhi to the boys' wrists, celebrating HSP's family spirit. Many families also came so that sibblings could meet.

Excursions: Jalpaiguri and safari

In September, as all Howrah children visited Jalpaiguri homes, children from Bakuabari, Mogradangi and Jordighi felt the festive atmosphere and became eager to go on excursions themselves.

As such, didis and dadas took 27 specially-abled children to the Bengal Safari Park. There, the Park gave them free of cost entrance and all children enjoyed the visit very much: they even saw a royal Bengal tiger! This Safari park had also opened its doors free of cost in August to the adult men of Jeevan Path.

Maria Basti women also enjoyed an outing to the Jubilee park in Jalpaiguri.

For the full account of the visit from the Howrah children to Jalpaiguri, find the article below!

Lalkuthi opening

After almost one year of intensive works, and thanks to the support of our generous donors, Lalkuthi home opened its gates to the girls on September 1st.

First the little girls went back with their didi, and enjoyed again the short trip between their home and the school.

One week after, the big girls joined them. Discovering the home with fresh paints, new windows, and a roof covered in synthetic grass gave great joy to the girls.

Now, after almost one month of sorting through boxes, cleaning, arranging shelves and pictures, the building really looks like a cosy home and the children feel very comfortable and happy there. Of course, they still miss and remember fondly their friends from other homes and are waiting eagerly for all to come and visit them.

All photos and videos are available in this album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sLnwjyDenKfKLm3a7

Events of the quarter

• In September, our SMCS department opened an office in a new area : Moukhali. There, they will offer their service and advice to a 100 new pregnant mothers and young children.

• Many events took place during the last months, such as a workshop on autism given in July by Dr Prof Mallika Banerjee in Howrah, celebrations in various centers for the memory of Tagore's death, or drawing competition and activities.

• Puja season started and children already enjoyed some visits and some celebrations in the homes like Vishwakarma in honor and celebration of artesans, engineers and maintenance workers, or like Karam puja as a thanksgiving for the harvest and a worship of Karamcha tree.

• Children love sport! In Baksara, girls are actively preparing for their Kho kho competition. The big girls also started some self-defense class, and boys got a recent admission in a local football club to go and play everyday.

• Schools in HSP are developing thanks to weekly trainings given to formal and non-formal teachers. All teachers of Baksara, EPN and Howrah non-formal schools also participated in a workshop where they gave their ideas and their vision for a better school system and a better way to reach out to the poor and deprived children. All teachers have started doing home visits to get to know their students better.

   

   

• On September 26th, a programme was organised in Ashaneer for the international day of sign language. Activities to learn more about sign language and common expressions took place for all children didis and dadas.

• Between August and September, Tista Chowdhury, an Indian volunteer, spent one month in Mogradangi school and home where she taught many new dances to the didis and helped take care of the children.

   

Video

HSP in July, August and September

Portrait

Rehana, Sujata, Archana, Bidisha, Anita and Arati

SMCS team

"We are a team of 6 didis for SMCS (Safe Motherhood and Child Survival).

Rehana Banu and Sujata Adak have been working here for 5 years, Archana Mondal and Bidisha Naskar for 4 and a half years, Anita Das for 1 year and Arati Das for 10 months.

We don't have any qualifications, we used to be housewives. We came for an interview and said we had experience with our own children. We are very grateful to HSP for believing that we could do this job. We learnt a lot still do.

What we like most is the relationship with the community. We arrive and they say "Didi, sit down, have a cup of tea, here's what's happening with my child, with my husband, etc.".

We are part of the families, part of these communities, they also enquire after us, we share many things together.

In addition to the 600 mothers and children to whom we give food rations, we are present with nearly 2,000 mothers in the slums. We give them advice and suggestions about their situation; about their health, and we learn a great deal from them. We're delighted to have the opportunity to reach out to these women and be there for them. Thank you!"

The SMCS team has 3 long-established centres in different slums, and opened a 4th centre in September. The team's core mission is to ensure the survival, good health and proper development of these women. The team's objectives are

1/ Reduce infant and childbirth mortality rates

2/ Offer health advice to pregnant women and see that they give birth in hospital

3/ Ensure that babies are well cared for, including feeding and motor and psychological development

4/ Promote social and cultural awareness of women and children in the community.

To achieve this, the team carries out various activities: home visits, weighing children and pregnant women every month to provide pre- and post-natal support; guiding pregnant women to register with the hospital and go for regular check-ups; distributing food rations; providing preventive health education on seasonal illnesses, skin diseases, giving birth in hospital, vaccinations, child marriage, family planning and gender inequality.

The SMCS team is deeply committed to its mission, and a big thank you to each and every one of the didis for their exceptional work!