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

Dear friends,

Last April we wished each other a happy new year as you can read in an article of this new Anuprerona edition. The modern bengali calendar, called "calendar of God" was forged 1430 years ago by emperor Akbar and is an image of the Indian culture: a mix of the Islamic calendar and the Sanskrit one. April saw also the start of summer with extreme temperatures, the apparent temperature often reaching and exceeding the 50° Celsius for several weeks. The monsoon was also delayed and was not preceded as usual by the pre-monsoon rains, leaving our bodies exhausted by the oppressive heat. But this new year marks above all big changes at HSP. It is the end of the collaboration with our historical German donor who financed medical projects. This painful and yet necessary turning point allowed us to reaffirm at HSP our evangelical roots and our closeness to the poorest. In fact, our social bureau team was strengthened to allow us to visit more families in the slums and help them link with government support programs. The SMCS help was extended to new areas like the slum of Moukhali in order to find new beneficiaries. The non-formal school teams opened new outreach education centers like Argoria. All this is conform to HSP's line: "reaching the unreached". Thanking again to all our donors and friends for their irreplaceable material and spiritual support.

Lots of love

Fr. Laurent

News

Happy new year!

On April 15th, at the joyous cries of "Subho Nobo Borsho" all HSP centers celebrated the Bengali new year. In Bengali years, we are now in 1430.

In Jalpaiguri, the boys of Mogradangi came to Bakuabari and we enjoyed a big and merry gathering, where we ate a delicious meal, sang and danced all afternoon.

In Howrah Baksara, a program was held with songs, dances and little plays. A local donor also came and gave books to the children of the hostel.

HSP friends and family visits

As in the last quarter, we once again had many visits!

We first welcomed Céline, a friend of Father Laurent and specialised educator working with autistic people. She spent time in Howrah and in Jalpaiguri, discovering all our homes, spending joyful moments with children and most of all, giving some advice and sharing knowledge to the staff to keep improving our care for the children.

Samuel and his son Baudoin also came and visited all of our homes. As a journalist, Samuel was very keen on understanding HSP and how we work for and with the poor. His article was published with beautiful pictures from photographer Harsha in a French Magazine called Famille Chrétienne.

Finally, Armelle, the aunt of Aliette (volunteer in Ashaneer Howrah), came for one week and spent time in Ashaneer center. She also went to discover the work of our SMCS unit and took the opportunity of giving a powerful testimony of their work and action in the slums.

Children, adults and staff are always very happy to receive visits and meet new people, we are waiting for you!

Come soon!

Rabindranath Tagore's birthday

Rabindranath Tagore is an icon of Kolkata. Poet, writer, playwright, composer, founder of a university and an educational system, he was the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel prize for Literature. To commemorate him, a bank holiday is granted to students on the day of his birthday, allowing cultural programs to take place.

Both in Howrah and Jalpaiguri all children celebrated the day after many hours spent in training. They recited poems, enacted small plays, danced and sang on the vast repertoire of the artist.

Summer camp in Ashaneer

At the end of May, the summer vacation started to allow children to stay home as the temperature skyrocketed and regularly hit the 50°C (perceived temperature).

Just before letting the children with a handicap go, the staff of the Ashaneer's special school, physiotherapy and psychotherapy organised a summer camp for the children and their parents.

For two days, the parents were invited to come with their child to take part in common activities. Dances and water battles were a great opportunity to have fun together. Sharing groups also allowed parents to meet each other and express their problems, their advice and suggestions in taking care of a child with a handicap.

The summer camp was a resounding success. Parents most liked the fact that they could spend a carefree moment of joy together and with the child, as for many of them the occasions to party and rejoice are few are far between. The staff now wants to organise such events several times a year.

Events of the quarter

• Easter was celebrated in Jordighi and Maria Basti with a chocolate egg hunt. As it is not a tradition in India, all participants were very eager and had a very good time looking for the treats.

• In Howrah, the big boys of Baksara and Ashaneer went to visit Don Bosco Asha Tici training center where a few boys of Jalpaiguri are following a training in art carpentry. Our big boys gained exposure to this job and it set them to think about their future.

• The summer vacation spanned between mid-May and mid-June for about one month, in Howrah and Jalpaiguri school started again on June 15th. The great majority of children went back to their homes. During this time, our staff and volunteers took the opportunity to do home visits, both in Howrah and Jalpaiguri. In Jalpaiguri it can take up to 4h of road to go to the village where some children live! Visiting the homes of our children and meeting with their family is precious and gives us more understanding on their background.

• Our volunteers Aude (social teacher in Baksara from September 2022 to May 2023), Aliette (psychotherapist in Ashaneer from January to June 2023) and Mathilde (ergotherapist in Bakuabari from January to June 2023) finished their mission and went back to France. We are very grateful for their help and all they brought to us and the children. Thank you!

• Some works and renovations took place in several homes. Baksara water pump was changed, forcing the children to migrate to Ashaneer center for a few days. In Bakuabari a new roof was set up for the guard room and store room, and new paint was applied to the Big Girls' building and to Jeevan Path where the adult men reside. All the damage caused by the storm of March were fully repaired and all solar panels are now in good order.

• In March 2023 16 students went for the class X board exam called Madhyamik. We received the results in June and all of the 9 girls and 7 boys passed. Most of them enrolled in higher studies.

• In May, the partner association Bhagaban Mahabir Biklanga Seva Samity provided 36 appliances to our Jalpaiguri children: calipers, wheelchairs, artificial limb and walker.

   

• Works at Lalkuthi are in full swing. External repairs have been done, external pipes have been replaced, new windows have been installed and the painting is in good progress. Some children went to visit the site and were delighted with the new paints! You can find photos of the progress of the work in the following album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sLnwjyDenKfKLm3a7

Video

HSP in April, May and June

Portrait

Neeta Chatterjee

Psychotherapist in Ashaneer

"I am Neeta Chatterjee and I am working at Ashaneer in the department of Psychotherapy as a teacher and therapist. I have been working there for the past 14 years.

I had no idea about this field of work before joining HSP. I have been able to get to know various therapies by working with many psychologists of both India and abroad, especially from France.

I have come to know different types of psychological and physical disabilities for different children. The most satisfying feeling in such a work is that I am somehow involved in treating and making the children feel better."

6 or 7 types of different therapies are proposed to home children and outdoor children depending on their disability and their needs. We feel very lucky to have a psychotherapy department and such dedicated people as Neeta di.

Thank you all for your support.