Hi!

I bet you did not expect another newsletter so soon. But the fact is that I did not expect to be back in Kolkata so soon either! But since I am here and have access to a fast internet connection, I thought that I should update you. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year -- 2009. May it be a great year for all of us.

I came back to Kolkata once again so soon because I got news that the solar panels for the laptops that Intel has sent us have finally arrived. I thought I’d pick them up and take them back to the project. But what was to be a simple operation has turned out rather complicated indeed.

Intel shipped the panels through Blue Dart. But since the value of the cargo is around 60,000 we need to get a permit from the Sales Tax Department. Now this, as happens with any kind of bureaucratic involvement, is turning out to be rather complicated. Getting this permit is becoming a headache. Once we get the permit, we will have to give it to Blue Dart, who will then release the goods from the airport and deliver it to us. I doubt if all this is going to work out before I return to the project on the 27th. And return I must as we are going to re-enrol the students for the next academic year.

When Mitali and I returned to the project on the 11th we conducted the final exams. The results were declared on the 16th and we left the project on the 17th because we received news that the solar panels were about to arrive. Also, I was not really needed on the project. The “new” classes are not going to be held till the 5th of January and most of the construction work is over anyway – for the time being at least. The children are coming to school because they have refused to go on holiday! So for the time being they are familiarizing themselves with the new books. Also, Mitali has set them some tasks which they seem very eager to do.

The results have not been too good this year too. Five out of the 11 students we had in class 3 have failed. Four out of 18 have failed in class 2 and eight out of 31 have failed in class 1. All those who have passed the exams have scored good marks. The ones that did not go through have failed in more than three subjects. There was no way one could consider sending them up the next level. Kartik came first, Anjana came second and Radha came third in class 3. Babuni, Pushpa and Rekha came first, second and third in that order in class 2. In class 1, Arti came first, Choti came second and Baburam came third. So obviously the girls are doing much better than the boys.

In 2009 we are now expecting 6 children in class 4. Fourteen in class 3. Twenty four in class 2. I don’t know how many of the 8 that failed in class 1 will rejoin. So we may have to admit new students for nursery and also class 1. The readmissions will take place on the 29th – which is one reason why I’m going back. Fresh admission will take place on the 4th. My big worry now is who will teach all these children? At the moment I am the only permanent teacher on the project. The volunteers certainly help. But they don’t come every month. And Mitali comes once a month. So at the moment I am really concerned. I have not been able to find anyone who is willing to live on the project. And the local teachers themselves need to be taught!

Sim, who went to the project with us, has settled in well. He was there to help us conduct the exams and also prepare the results. These days he’s busy applying primer to the new desks and benches and also helping the kids to improve their English. He seems to be very happy and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

Meanwhie, I’ve also received news that the new kitchen and store-rooms have been whitewashed. Bansi just informed me that one of the two remaining classrooms is being whitewashed. Nursery classes will be held in this room. The last room cannot be whitewashed because Bruni and her brood are living there! The pups haven’t opened their eyes as yet.

Yes!!! Bruni gave birth to a litter of 5 pups a few hours before we arrived on the project. So right now she’s very busy with her kids and also extremely protective. It’s probably not a good time to ask her to move her “family” to another location. We don’t need that room for the time being and so she can continue to stay there till she can relocate. Besides, it’s very cold and we are worried that if the new pups are exposed to the cold they may not survive.

The weather has been strange. It’s always misty and the temperature is hovering around 12 degrees Celsius. We did get some weak sunlight while we were there, but Bansi says he hasn’t seen the sun since we left. In fact, the drive back from the project to Kolkata was a nightmare. The entire route was foggy and I still don’t know how the driver managed to drive and also arrive on time! Kolkata, on the other hand, has been occasionally cold and foggy. But at times it’s quite warm too.

Well, that’s all from me for now. But before I sign off let me inform you that I am going to put up a clip on www.youtube.com/dakshinayan showing the new threshing machines in use. We gave these to the villagers recently and they seem very, very happy with it. It has cut down their work by 70%!

Kolkata
22-Dec-2008