Yesterday I said that so many people in India are hungry and today in the newspaper I read the report of the UNWFP, the United Nations World Food Program. They write that in India 40% of the children from zero to three years are underweight. In collaboration with Unicef the central health ministry did a survey and found out that the rate of malnutrition of children under three is 46%. They do not have enough to eat and their food is not nutritious or of a good quality. This also leads to it that they are more easily affected by diseases.
The children who come to our school and kindergarten come from these circumstances. This is why many of them come mainly because of the warm meal. It is nice to be able to help them. The life at the Ashram is busy. There is always something going on and everybody who comes here can choose himself if he wants to be for himself for example in the cave or if he wants to be part of and in the middle of all the things which are going on. There is the family, in lunchtime there are the school children and of course there is always something going on in the kitchen. And there are many people working here who also bring their children to work.
I talked with Ramona about this and she said how beautiful it is to see this. There is a girl, her name is Vrinda and she is now 2 years old. Her father is our cook and her mother is doing laundry at the Ashram. There is a boy, he is called Laksh and his mother is teacher at our school. There are another two boys, Kanu and Suraj, and their father is working at the Ashram with everything that has to be done. Krishna’s mother does administrative work at the Ashram. Sometimes there are two or three more children of other women and men, too. And the nice thing is that the mother can come and do her work and she doesn’t need to worry about her child. There are many people, many mothers and brothers and fathers and sisters who love to take care, who have an eye on the children and who are around. And the mother herself is not far if the child needs her.
It is a wonderful atmosphere and all children are playing together. I hear very often in the Western world that the mother is sad or worried during work because she gives her child to a place where they take care and she cannot be with her little one. She only sees him or her in the evening and in the morning. Especially with little children it is difficult there. And so it is nice here to see how parents can be near their children and that the children have so many persons to relate to.
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Four Girls and two Boys – and five of them learning with us! – Our School Children – 29 Apr 16
Farewell Party at Ammaji’s for our Fifth Graders – 26 Apr 16
When the warm Lunch at School is the best part of the Day – Our School Children – 18 Mar 16
Another three-in-one Surgery for Monika – 14 Mar 16
A Half-Orphan searching for his Place – Our School Children – 11 Mar 16
It breaks my heart to hear about people starving, especially little ones, and I get a very guilty feeling when I see the abundance and over-abundance surrounding me. I hope that they receive help from lots of people. Over here it seems like everyone could afford to give something, and think of what would happen if everyone did?
It is very nice that the parents working at the ashram can bring their children with them. They know that the kids will be safe here and even have fun with the other children, staff, volunteers, and family. This is definitely something missing in the West. Parents must bring their children to daycare centers which can be traumatic for the child. In fact, some of my first memories were of feeling very scared and lonely at a daycare that I didn’t enjoy. Some parents are now quitting their jobs to take care of their young children because they don’t trust daycares and babysitters. But that’s only if they are fortunate enough to be able to afford that.
I think its great that the women working here can bring their children to work. They can earn money and still care for their children. When they need their mum she is not far and can take some time for her little one..Please never change this. Those children belong to the Ashram.