June 22 - Digging Ditches and Branding Toilets

Team India maximized their time again today by heading to two different destinations at once: two stayed in Auroville to continue net-working with the Udavi School, where they were able to share resources and discuss the possibility of integrated HIV education and peer leadership into their already tight curriculum. They were also able to visit the Auroville Youth Center, which people under the age of 25 can express their creativity in various forms. Already they are encouraged to take leadership through arts, construction and music. Team India members were able to engage these creative youths in dialogue about HIV prevention and education.

Meanwhile, three members of Team India headed for the Sri Ragavendara School, outside of Auroville. This “nursery school”, which actually teaches children up to ten years old, was created by one couple who was inspired to teach youths that can’t necessarily afford a good education, and who come from fringing communities outside Auroville. Upon arriving at the location of the school, Team members were shocked to see the make-shift building, which the principal also calls home. One room of the school had also been destroyed in a post-tsunami storm, which flattened the structure. Ditches were in progress of being made as a future home of the school’s first proper bathroom. Though the school structure is in rough condition, the people running the facility and the children attending were inviting and engaging people.

Later on, those three members also travelled to the Chinji Colonie, which is about a three and a half our commute from Auroville, and rural as they come. This was one of the towns where Village Outreach continues to do their post-tsunami relief efforts. As the school was closed, the Team resorted to using the abandoned school, which was still unlocked and which they were invited into, as well as the school field. There was no shortage in children to interact with, as many began to follow the bus before Team India had even parked. In the abandoned school, lights flickered and occasionally failed as the Team went over HIV 101 with members of the rural community. Again, students were very engaged as this information is not widely discussed in their town. That being said parents were still on-hand and generally supportive of CAIDSHP efforts. Some very-far -out-reach was accomplished by the Team today.

 






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