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Post by Gregory Hewett on Oct 30, 2007 14:10:50 GMT 5.5
Post your summaries and reflections here.
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Post by rahel on Oct 30, 2007 14:57:05 GMT 5.5
Field Trip Rahel Gross Developing Nations
This was a field trip to the 4m Trust. The 4m Trust is basically a place which helps women who have either been left by their husbands or their husbands are alcoholics and therefore cannot take care of their children and family. So in order the 4m Trust helps women earn money to pay the education, food and the house rents for their families. These women work in groups of 20 and the money each of them makes will be put together in this group and they will take it to the bank either every year or month. This is basically just how it works what we have experienced will come now. The Walk was our first stop. The Walk which they took us on was basically where we visited two slum areas. The families who lived there and very small houses which were built out of straw. They had one main room were they all slept and stayed. One kitchen which was so small that barely one person could fit in. The huts I went in all had a small bath area to. I am not sure if you could really call it a bathroom. Behind all the rows of huts there was like a wash area were the women could wash there cloths and hang them. The huts were also like stuck together that there was really no place between any of them. These people who live there have barely enough money to buy enough food for themselves and could that’s why only live in these kind of conditions. The thing which shocked me most was that even though of there poor living they still managed to smile at us when we walked by. They even offered me stuff which I tough could not accept. They had no fans and it was really hot and they did not even have proper doors so when it rains I have no idea what they will do. They live in this heat every day and I just went their for 1 hour or so and suffered so much. I have no idea how they can live there. But by at least going there you saw the “real and actual” India. You could experience their suffering and it made me feel guilty. I just could not take it anymore it made me feel bad.
The Community Hall was our second stop. When we entered the hall we were decorated in flowers by the women and we got two spots on the cheeks I don’t really know what they are called. Then we sat down and the people who are like part of the organizing company gave a talk on how the company really worked. Some of the women gave speeches on how they got into this community and also about their life.
Examples on the lives of some women who work their: One of the women said that she was a leader of her women group and therefore stored the money of their group in her house. As one day the money got stolen by someone and she wanted to commit suicide because she thought it was all her fault. But this was luckily unsuccessful as one of the members of the 4m Trust found her and gave her a job to get back the money and to start a new living. Another woman was a Muslim and in their religion it is said that the women are not allowed to work but only work in the household. Her husband though did also not earn much so they had trouble feeding her children. When she heard about this group though and how it helps women in her problems she left her husband and started working. She soon converted into a Hindu. With the money she earned she could feed her children. Another woman she had a husband who worked on the railway station carrying bags for people. He earned fifty rupees a day and spends forty rupees drinking alcohol. He then only came home with ten rupees which were never enough to feed the family. They lived with her husband’s parents, her parents and some brothers and sisters. So as they had trouble feeding all she joined the community and started working. This helped their way of living.
As it can be read most of them have husbands who either drink or don’t earn enough. So the women have to work to feed their family, rent and education. Most of the women earn twenty five rupees a day which goes to their group. Per year the whole group has then approximately earned forty thousand. With that they go to the bank and each of them gets their loan. They earn this by being auto rickshaw driver, making artificial jewelry or other things like that. It is very hard work but most of the women seemed very pleased that this group is helping them get new hope and a new life.
Then our third stop was a technological school. Over there it was basically a school where children went after they finished the tenth grade. They can choose a job which they want to do when they get older. It is a two year course. You can learn the basics to earn money. The classrooms over there are pretty small and there are up to like fifteen people in a class. Currently it also opened a motoworkshop for the women. Since they are the ones who mostly drive scooters. I think it is good that these kinds off schools are being opened since the poor younger generation can then be able to earn money and feed there families as well as themselves.
My opinion about this field trip is that it is good that the 4m Trust helps these women who are suffering. They are also very thankful to the community who opened this business as in there speeches they made this clear. The walk though that they took us on was really sad and heart breaking. To see these people suffer this much while we have a nice life is this fair? This is also why the world is unflat and not flat. The people who live like that they don’t really show their sadness since they smiled at us so welcomingly. But even though they did manage to smile dose this really mean that they are happy with their life? No, I don’t think so. I think they smiled because there are actually people coming to visit them. It made me feel very guilty seeing these people suffer this much. They never really have a nice time because when it is raining there houses get flooded and when the sun is shining it is to hot because they don’t have any fans. When is there any time to be happy for them? At the same time they always have to be careful that they have enough to feed themselves. I would really like to help these kind of people as that would make me happy as well as them. I would say that you should really visit these kinds of areas in India as it shows you the real India. The field trip was therefore a good idea as it made some of us realize that there are many people suffering around us while we may have a good time. Okay that would then be my last statement help these people.
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Post by yulli on Oct 30, 2007 14:59:35 GMT 5.5
Field trip Yulli Kim Oct, 25th 07 On 23rd of October, we (developing nations class) went on field trip to gain knowledge about destitute here in Chennai. The whole class was extremely excited about the fact that we were actually going to see them face-to-face. As we are all living in India, news about poor people on the streets seem pretty familiar to all of us. However, we all usually don’t go out on the streets to seek the real consequence on the seriousness of the situation. Thus, the trip actually was quite successful in broadening our sights to those people on the streets, their conditions and what their lives are like. First, we walked through the small, very sloppily-built huts, what they call as “apartments.” Our impression through those huts was quite shocking. Second, we entered into some kind of organization building to hear personal life stories of Indian people. Our final step was to explore Indian school which was quite different from what we call as “normal school.”
Do we really know what is happening to those people on the streets? The people who often turn out to be on a lot of newspapers? The first part of our trip was to walk through the apartments of poor villagers. What they called as “apartments” did not look like one for all of us but for them, it was their only home. Inside of those sloppily-built huts, I saw televisions, small kids and little bit of the necessaries of life. For me, I’ve seen it on the news and internet but it still was pretty shocking and unbelievable.
The second part of our trip was to actually attend to an organization in which people who are in hard conditions help each other (I think) to make better livelihoods. Some of the women have undergone a lot of terrible, risky experiences and we all felt saddened when they shared their experiences in committing suicide due to the hardship of life. Some of their husbands did not cooperate with them in living and drunk and helped none. We also saw those women who decided to work together to earn about 100000 rupees to buy their new homes and to settle down.
Final part of our trip was to visit Indian school. This school was partially different from normal school. Students have not enough of money or necessities of life have been skilled to use knives and saws to be engineers or other professions. The school teaches them various types of works, such as science, technologies, math etc. Kids were very innocent when we visited them and I experienced new things in watching people who came from totally different environment from me.
Actually, I had not really cared much about those people on the streets or those in need at all even if I heard about them. That was apparently because I did not actually experience or witness how severe their situations were. However, from this trip, my thoughts have been widened and my sympathy towards those people grew. Before I came to Chennai, I’ve never witnessed people who are this much unfortunate because I think Korea is moderately developed now but some of the rural sides of Chennai aren’t changed at all from the past. The walking tour to people’s apartments gave me a lot of impressions but the most striking one would be to feel how fortunate and lucky I am. Sometimes I censured other people for bad things that happened to me and felt how unfortunate and unlucky I am to undergo those things. Now, I really feel that I should not do that any longer and start to look around me to help those in need. Even though I can’t do much as a student, I feel content to volunteer anything that’s within my power. This field trip certainly has influenced me a lot in many ways in refreshing my poor knowledge about unfortunate people and to encourage me to help them if I can. It really was a meaningful experience.
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Post by sujata on Oct 30, 2007 15:01:01 GMT 5.5
Sujata Mahtaney October 28, 2007 Developing Nations
Self Reflection and Summary of the Field Trip to 4 m Trust
The field trip we went on was an eye opener to many of us that were unaware of a lot going on not too far away from where we live. It’s hard to believe these women were the richer of the poor, and the houses we saw were better than most. I can believe what they said about the houses is true, considering I’ve seen worse, but to see people happy with the life they lived, and that is not just hard but impossible to even shut my eyes and imagine.
When we first got off the bus, my instant thought was “ Weren’t we meant to go to a trust? Isn’t that going to be in an air-conditioned building?” But I guess I was wrong, this field trip was to show what women went/go though before and after they were helped by a trust. We first walked for a few minutes and got to a couple of houses where families that were helped by the 4m trust live in. The houses were smaller than a quarter of my bedroom and this is not an exaggeration. They were dingy with no ventilation, hardly any light, and one of the houses had a television, the size of my computer. I was amazed when I saw a smile on the peoples face as I bent to enter the house, since the door couldn’t go higher, as the houses had a very low ceiling. I’m prediction because they couldn’t afford materials to build higher up. The condition of these houses is not describable. These houses have no air-condition, no electricity and basically no conditions to live a proper life, apart from a roof. I wonder how these roofs stay up during heavy rains, without leaking into the house. They probably collapse or allow rainwater, or extreme heat to enter the house. These people probably deal with more than one extreme weather condition. When I walked in to one of those houses, I felt as though I was stepping into jail. I couldn’t imagine spending even five minutes in there, and people spent their lives there, and are happy. It’s unbelievable how they consider themselves blessed to live there, because I would consider myself cursed if I ever lived there.
We then walked down a road, which was filthy, with dead chickens for sale, and fish spread over the ground. That, according to me was the most disgusting part of the trip. I couldn’t bare looking at these animals for two reasons, one because it was just filthy, and two being an animal lover I couldn’t see dead animals or little chickens caged up. But again did these people have a choice in the conditions they live? The answer is no. People were making a living out of selling these animals, and even in the crummiest conditions, they didn’t have a choice but to sell in this un-hygienic environment.
After a walk, where I had to shut my eyes for half of it, we finally reached 4m trust. It was in a small room, with a few fans and a whole bunch of women, who were associated with it, seated in rows. We walked in and they greeted us with a small string of flowers to wear as a bracelet. It was astonishing to see them so happy, considering they lived awful lives. We were then seated and a gentleman explained to us what this trust was all about, and how they helped women in need. Then a few women, who were helped by the 4 m trust, talked to us about their lives, and told us how they were helped. First, a Muslim woman who was kept at home her whole life, because of her religion told us how she started earning money to make her own living. Her husband wasn’t making enough money to support her family, and so she was living below the poverty live. She then met a member of the 4m trust, who told her to get in touch with them. As soon as she got to the 4m trust, she formed a group and they started saving money. When this woman spoke, I didn’t really have much of a reaction. I found her life interesting, but I’ve heard of many women like her and so it didn’t really get me thinking. We then got to hear from two women, who were saved by the 4m trust because they were on the verge of suicide. This really freaked me out, because I’ve heard of people committing suicide but never met people that have tried to commit suicide before. These women were part of a group, and the group leader collected all their money. One day it was stolen, and she was worried people would blame her for it, and that’s why she wanted to commit suicide. She then got in touch with the 4m trust, and they helped the group attain the money they had lost, and start over. When this woman spoke, I was in shock. A friend of mine always says she wants to commit suicide because her boyfriend broke up with her, but that’s plain simple stupid. But seeing these people, and their reasons for suicide, I lost every word I had to say. We then spoke to a female auto driver, which was impressive, considering in my lifetime in chennai, I haven’t seen a single female auto driver. She spoke English, which could show us she was educated up to some point in her life. Of course her English wasn’t fluent but it was understandable. She told us she earned around forty rupees a day, which is what I spend in five minutes without thinking. She called it “ a super life” which really got me thinking. How can she educate her children, feed her family, and take care of other necessities with forty rupees a day and find it a super life? We talked to a few other women about their lives as well, but the most interesting and fascinating one to me was the auto driver, because you tell when looking at her she was thrilled with the amount of money she was earning. It’s hard to believe people can be happy which such lives. These women at 4m trust were taught handicrafts, which they used to make a living. They made sarees, artificial jewelry, and small other crafts to sell. I could tell they were very exited to have us there, and it was fascinating to see how they were happy with such lives.
We then drove to a technical school, where people were educated for about a year or two only with the profession they plan to do in their life. The jobs they were prepared for were things like a carpenter, a mechanic, an electrician etc. It is a school, where the government shrinks the price, but the people still had to pay a small amount. For them it was probably a large about. We visited a few classrooms, and those guys were really excited to see us. They had courses from three months up to a few years, and it depended on the amount of money parents could afford and the course that people studied what they did. I was really happy to see something like this set up in my country, where I was unaware things like this happened, and really hope that more institutions like this, but better run, can be set up to help the poor not end up sweeping floors for the rest of their lives.
Although this field trip wasn’t fun, it was a great learning experience. It showed me so much that I was unaware of, like how people lived on the streets and were happy with it. It taught me that the world isn’t perfect, and that I am one of the few lucky kids that go to a proper school, lives in a nice house, and is fed with nutritious food everyday. It taught me not to complain when the rice isn’t boiled enough because there are kids out there that don’t have food to eat everyday. I really owe this field trip, for showing me parts of the real world.
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Post by yeeun on Oct 30, 2007 15:01:45 GMT 5.5
I Cannot Still Forget the Girl’s Eyes In the Village.
Ye Eun.Park 26.10.07 Developing Nation 4th
Though I gave the parents signature sheet back to Mr. Hewett, I did not understand perfectly about what we were actually going to do in the poor village. Only thing I knew before the trip was that we were going to watch a presentation about local problems. So honestly, I was not so interested in this trip and did not expect much of it. While I was chatting with So Hee, Eun Ju and Yulli, I saw everybody walked towards the backdoor of school, and there were two white buses were waiting for us. “Guys, get into the bus~!” When I heard Ms. Evenson’s exciting voice, I got into the second white bus, which all girls were in except Yeon Chan. And When I was totally seated, I heard singing sounds of girls and poor Yeon Chan was the only quite boy in the bus. Anyway, this was how our field trip started. : )
The first sentence which came out from my mouth, when I entered the villages, was “I am a lucky girl”. The bus stopped, and the driver walked away with only one sentence “Wait in here.” The landscape I could see through the window was a stack of garbage and a long road which does not show many people. Further, because of the driver’s disappearance, the girls’ noise, in the bus, got louder, and Maimoona was being asked about the location where the bus had stopped. And finally, when the bus driver came back, the door opened. I could see several women were lining up from the door to the village entrance. ‘Are we that important people in this village?’ I could not understand why the village women had to line up like bodyguards, but when I got off the bus, I knew it right away. The road was pretty dangerous because there was no specific line which can separate a sidewalk and a road. Anyway, when I entered the village, I could see same low huts were standing on both, left and right sides. Further, the ground I stepped on was mostly covered with water so it was hard to walk. But while I was walking along the narrow way between the huts, I could see an unbelievable life. The hut’s ceiling was really low, and its base and wall were only covered with cold cement. In addition, its ceiling was only covered by leaves which would cause many infection problems when it rained. But, in that horrible little hut, a family was living all together, and a little girl was smiling at me. I could not believe it; actually I did not want to believe it. So the only thing I kept doing in there was pushing the shutter button on my camera, to remember their lives in my future. And when we finished walking around the village, we walked to a little hall to listen to the presentation of local people’s problems in their lives.
Again, I could see the village women, who were lining up to protect us, but this time, they tied a flower bracelet on my wrist and handed me a rose. I thanked them, but because I am allergic to flowers, I had to take off the jasmine bracelet. When Mr. Hewett, Ms. Evenson and Maimoona’s mother were seated, the presentation started. One by one, each time, one of the women stood in front of us and talked about their problem. A village guy translated from women’s problems into English, but unfortunately, I could not be concentrated on him because I was sitting right next to a fan. So the only thing I could hear was the sound of the fan, which was like whiiiii whiiiii. But, later, what I heard from Sujata, Rahel and other friends was shocking. Most of the women earned about ten to hundred rupees, at most, but they have to take care of every necessity; feeding, clothing and housing. In addition, if they care about their kids’ education, they have to pay for the school. But most of the women’s problem was not that they cannot earn some money. The problems were mostly about their violent bad husbands. One husband, who was an alcoholic, spent forty rupees to drink, among the fifty rupees that his wife earned. In addition, the other story was a Muslim woman’s story. Actually, Muslim women are not allowed to work in outside because of their religion. But because nobody had a job in her family, she had to be the breadwinner, in her family. But her husband beat her because she worked in outside. “How cruel!” I said, and I could not forgive these husbands and what they had done too. Well though, the women are learning some jewel works with the helping project, I again could experience, not only feel, the inequality between women and men under poverty is much more serious. When the presentation was over, I got back to the bus, and through the window, I could see an Indian guy, who seemed like a construction worker, was shaking his hands to me. So I took his photos and then, also shook my hands. When I started shaking my hands, the bus driver started the bus, and the guy’s shaking hands got smaller, and in the end, I could not see him.
I thought, the bus was going back to school, but it again stopped in a school, its entrance seemed like a zoo. According to Mr.Hewett, the school I went was a government technical school, which was built by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Further, this school was the one which the village boys and girls usually go. Because; since it is a government school, the payment that students need to pay is much cheaper than other school. Anyway when I entered the school, two girls, in the same pink uniform, started at us. I quickly took my camera out, but I could not take a picture of the girls because they went back to their class room quickly with a pretty giggling. So only picture I could take in that school was only boys actually, naughty boys. The first sentence I heard from one of the Indian boys was “Hello? How are you?” It seemed like they learned in their English text book and reminded me of the Korean English text book. Anyway, I greeted back to him, “Fine, thank you!” The class room did not have a door like a door. It had a door like a cage. So it gave me a cold image of the school, but when I looked at the boys, the image could never be explained by the word, cold. About ten minutes later, I felt so hot in the class room because there was no air conditional system, and only several fans were on the ceiling. Many of them worked hard on their project, I think. They seemed like learning how to fix a switch and how to grind an iron pole or something. In addition, some of us tried to grind wood with a help of an Indian boy. It was really fun to be in there because I have not been to a technical school, not even in Korea. Probably Korean technical school is better with construction, but it would not impress me strongly. So I was happy about my first visit to a technical school was done in India. Because; I learned how clean place I am studying in, and I can actually have a chance to dream about my future job in school. But I felt so sorry for the boys because the reason they were learning in that school was to have a job and earn in their future. So during the technical school section, I hoped them to have a job which they want to have in the future. - Or at least, in the far future, I hope their kids do not repeat same thing as they did.
Actually, my interest in this filed trip was about taking photos in poor villages because in magazines, such poor people’s pictures always looked happy. So I have had a question about the people’s pictures, ‘Are they really happy? And is that picture really true?’ By the way, during this field trip, my question was solved. The smiles I saw in magazines were true, and also I actually saw their smile by myself. But though my old question was answered, I got a new question, ‘How can they be happy and smile in such a hard life?’ After I came back to school and home, I started at the photos I took in the villages and the technical school. But because of the new question I got, I could not say something about the pictures while I was looking at it. Further, because of their bright and beautiful smile, I was so embarrassed about myself who never satisfies with something she has. Well this trip taught me much more than any activities I have done in school, and it was really impressive in many different ways. If I can, I want to have this activity again. In addition, for Mr. Hewett, Ms. Evenson and Maimoona’s mother, I really appreciate about giving me this great opportunity to experience such an activity. Thank you!
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Post by hawklim on Oct 30, 2007 15:03:44 GMT 5.5
Hawk Lim 28/10/07 4th Developing Nation Field Trip Report
Imagine yourself, where are you, how are you, what are you and who are you. There are people suffer more than you and do not realize who they are, how they are. They do not even have a proper metal or wooden structure call house where they can rest peacefully. What they call house is about to break day by day and there are no money and house to save them from debt and natural disasters. However, they find something to make them keep going on. What is the root of their power? Their power is coming from their new generation who will live better lives than theirs. The scene that I saw when I went to the field trip, it made me imagine what will happen when the flood comes. People lived in such a small house it was even smaller than my room. Their fans were too low that they could hurt, but I am amazed still there is no people hurt their head by the fans. There were also dogs that we cannot safely touch whether it have virus or not. There were fighting chickens, but nothing for eating was there. Near by the small village area, there were many stores and they sold meats, vegetables, and fruits. However, there was no way that meats were fresh. There were roads with narrow width that looked like only one car can just pass by. Passed about 3blocks from the small village area there was an assembly hall and people talked about their lives and how is it. People talked about their lives and their future target. One of the people said the sentences, which shocked us. ‘ I tried to suicide. However, now I have a job and I work hard and I am earning twenty thousand Rupee and I save over half of them.’ For Indians, twenty thousand Rupee is huge money to be used in one month and they could buy enough supplies for other neighbors. Another thing we were surprised by them was that they could talk fluently in English. Well, even though they can speak little bit, but it is so hard to master it in short time. People also sold us some goods well, I couldn’t buy anything that I had no money. They sold some goods and actually their goods looked really expensive, but it was just my imagination. They were really cheap. Well, once Mr. Ravi who is physics teacher who had an interview with me, he told me that India’s true power is men power and I could it is very true after that day. The enthusiasms of the villagers who tried to save the village and people were powerful enough to make each other to lean each other whenever they are having hard time. They gather their power together and solve their problems together just as brothers and sisters. I think these are what we call miracle.
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Post by meehye on Oct 30, 2007 15:04:37 GMT 5.5
:oSmelly, dirty and unsafe! In India have lots of poor people. I hear about that 70% are poor people. On Wednesday, I went field trip and we saw the poor people’s life. But that village people are lucky people because they have Women Community Center so women can earn the money and technical school which poor people can learn technique and they pay little money. The government help the poor people so I can feel that India is developing nation. In a village, they looked so poor because their house is very small without window. I saw one inside house. There have kitchen and gas range so I think they have gas. The dangerous thing is that kitchen have a bed so person who live that house, they sleep there next to gas range. It looked really dangerous. And they did not have any toilet inside of house even water but I saw water pump outside of house. However, it came out only little water so I knew that that village have not enough water. The street also is very small and lots of people walking around so it was much crowed. There have fish market and fruit and vegetable shop and meat market but the meat market is vegetable shop so lots of flies and bugs are flying around. Even though, fish market also next to garbage box. It did not look fresh. So I feel that I worry about people’s health. And maybe, they will have lots of disease because lots of dirty food and bugs and flies and mosquitoes. And the strange things are that they have two television I hear that they corruption gave to people like that, if they vote then corruption gave to televisions so it is really good for them and they can watch televisions that mean, they have electricity. I think, that village people was quit luck people. In fact, in India have lots of poor people even though they cannot have house and enough food. However, they have electricity and gas. I have to happier then other poor people. Next, we move to Women Community Center. There were lots of women. And they were telling their life. One woman, she was richsha driver. She graduated technical school so she can earn the money but she cannot have job, it was really difficult. And the other woman, her husband was alcoholic. He had a job but he brought money 10 rupee for one month because of drink. He spent money only for drink. Another two women tried to suicide because they had occupation and they save money to that company 25 rupee per day but they did not give back to them. They lost their money so they tried to suicide. The last woman, her husband die and she did not marry so she could not earn the money. However, when they joy Community center, they can earn the money and then now they live very happy life. All women said that they had children and they had education problem. But the community centre helps them. The Women Community Center is really good center. I can feel that empower women. They have children and they worry about their children I can feel that mom’s love. I think, women want that their children have to live better life. I feel really sad when they told about their children. Their mind is really beautiful. However, their life was huge changing. The Women Community Center is really good system for women. Last course, technical school, it built 70 years ago because of Gandhi and poor people can learn technique and people pay little money for that. there are lots of section of learning. Like, there have electrical and wood and metal. So they can learn what they want and they have 1 year course and 2 year course. Student can choose what they want. the best thing is that they did not care age, sex and religion. It is really good for poor people. I feel happy when I went there because I think that all poor people are not bright and always sad. But it was my misunderstanding. They are really bright and have happy face. I was really surprised about that I have to learn from them about positive mind. They are poor but they have positive mind. But we have good life and much better then poor people. But we have lots of discontent and have negative mind. I was very bashful about my self. I reflected about my life. So the last school is that most good place to me. India is developing nation. The government help poor people a lot. But I hope that there are lots of poor people and government have to take care about all that. if government help people- make that earning money- India GDP is going up so it is good for India also. So they have to take care all the people and I was really happy with this trip because I learn many things and I have to think all of that and I know that I am luck and happy person. Anyway, I hope that more people live happily and India become developed country.
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Post by pyeonchan on Oct 30, 2007 15:05:31 GMT 5.5
Our class went to the field trip last Tuesday. This field trip gave me a lot of significant experiences because it was the first chance to interact with the middle or low class of India. Most Indian populations are in the group of middle and low class that suffer from the poverty and famine. I could meet the Indians under the poverty line. I could see how they live, how they survive, and how they find their own hope. It was very unique that I could meet the middle or low class people of India. Most of them were exposed to the diseases seriously, and the environmental situation was extremely bad for me.
First of all, we visited the houses of the people who live with the poverty. In fact, it cannot be called ‘home’ in my perspective, because it was full of trashes and dirty stuffs that generally do not exist in my ‘home’. Even though I recognized the serious and extreme poverty by reading books or seeing pictures from the others, it was much more serious than I have expected before. There were also so many dogs in the houses whether the dogs had lived with people or not. Perhaps it shows how they have lived poorly and exposed to the various types of virus or germs that cause a lot of diseases.
Secondly, we had a chance to hear the story of many women that have suffered from the poverty. Most women that talked about their life or difficulties overcame the most urgent problems, and they looked like the people who found their own hope through working as a group. First woman's story was mostly composed of her Muslim husband. Due to the Islamic idea, she was not allowed to go out, she could not earn the money but starved and did only housework. Second woman’s story was harsher than I expected. She tried to kill herself twice, and she lost all of her money that was gathered by many women for 6 months. The other woman was working as an auto driver. She tried her best to make money because of her children, but her husband used her money a lot. Last woman had an alcoholic husband. Even though he earned money, he used most of them for his drinking. So she needed to find her own way to survive. Fortunately, these women strongly cooperated and found the reason to live. Finally, we visited one school that offered the educations to the poor students in order to get better jobs after being adults. The school provided engineering, carpentry, and electronic skills. These special skills would allow these students to be an engineer or carpenter, which are better jobs than the physical labor such as carrying rocks or sand for building houses. I did not get how many students could get the opportunities, and the percentage of students under the poverty line as well. Perhaps the students who got the kindness and benevolence must be very tiny percentages from the whole group. However, the fact that there are chances for getting better job will prove better life of Indians. The Indian governments maybe attempted and settled down the policies for these people.
Through visiting the Indian buildings and institutes, I could really understand and see how they live and survive. It was a kind of cultural shocks for me, but it was so fortune that the Indians did not lose their hope to get better life but try their best to get it. I think these people will live better several years later. But I could know what the problem is as well. In order to offer better life quality, the government should show their efforts, not just looking the death of people.
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Post by miriam on Oct 30, 2007 15:06:09 GMT 5.5
Field Trip
The way we started off the field trip on Tuesday the 23rd October 2007 was by visiting the homes provided by the ‘4m Trust’ organization which gets people off the streets and gives them new hope. Everybody in the ‘4m Trust’ learns how to make specific things and then sell these handmade artifacts. We saw the way these people lived, saw how their houses were furnished, managed to get a glimpse of what their day to day life was like, and I was even able to exchange a word or two with some of them.
Each house was equipped with at least: one bed, one T.V. set, a kitchen, and one cupboard. While visiting their community and walking through the alleys connecting all the houses to one another I noticed that different places had different purposes and different people have different jobs – for e.g. I saw a woman sitting on a stone, washing clothes and she told me that this was the stone where she would wash all the clothes for her family – which explained why the stone was so remarkably clean.
Some of the people that were on the field trip were saying things like: ‘Oh my god, those poor people’ but I was thinking that if you compare their standard of living to your own, just like they were, their way of life may seem a bit overwhelming to some people, however, if you compare their standard of living to some people you see living in slums or on the street you’d think their lucky, lucky to have a roof over their head, lucky to have someone to look after you, and lucky to be alive.
After leaving the community we entered a hall like room where chairs were set up for all the students as well as some of the people living in the ‘4m Trust’ communities. (While we entered we also got flower bracelets). Everybody listened to speeches from some of the people that were ‘adopted’ by the ‘4m Trust’, all of which were rescued from various difficult situations. All of these backgrounds were interesting but sometimes terrible experiences which these people had to endure. Two of those speeches affected me the most. They are: 1. Two women stood up and, in Tamil, talked about how the ‘4m Trust’ literally gave them their life back. These two women had tried to commit suicide; they thought that they had gotten to a point in their lives where they had absolutely nothing left, where they had lost everything. One of the women explained that she had been saving money where she could and had already saved up thousands of rupees throughout years when somebody broke into her home and stole everything she had spent so long getting. The two women clarified to us the impact that the ‘4m Trust’ had on them and how it gave them hope again, along with a roof over their heads. 2. The women that stood up started talking about the life she left behind, when she had a chance for a better life in the ‘4m Trust’ communities, in English. I myself was extremely surprised that her English was good as all of the speeches we had heard so far had been in Tamil. She had lived with her husband – a drunk – who hit her and gave her an allowance of 50 to 70 rupees each day with which she was supposed to buy everything that her husband, herself as well as their three children needed throughout the day. It was also expected from her to pay for anything that might be needed concerning the housework – which was also her job alone. Now she is an English speaking Riksha driver and is now finally considered equal to her husband. I was extremely positively surprised at the fact that this woman had the discipline to learn English and can speak it so well. Unfortunately I did not find the chance to ask her where, when and how long she has been learning how to speak English. The reason why I wanted to know this to urgently was that I was so fascinated at the standard of her English skills.
Once the speeches were over, the photos had been taken and the handmade artifacts had been bought the busses left for a school called (JHFGBJFFDHB) which was grounded by Mahatma Gandhi. In this school women and men of all ages learned different careers so that when they left they would have an income to support themselves as well as their families.
Some of the careers that are being taught to men at this school are: 1. Electrician 2. Technician 3. Maintenance 4. Carpenter
As far as I know there is only one career that is being taught to women at the moment, which is motorcycle repair.
Personally I have a partially split opinion about this school. On one hand I think that it is a great thing to have a place where people can be prepared for the things that face them in real life and give them tools to overcome the obstacles that lay before them. On the other hand I do not understand why exactly there are so many careers for men to learn and only one career for women.
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Post by sohee on Oct 30, 2007 15:06:38 GMT 5.5
So Hee Lee October 27, 2007 Developing Nations
Field Trip in Developing Nations Class
On October 18, 2007, all students who are taking Developing Nations class went to the ‘4M Trust’ for the field trip. It was the first time that we went to the field trip so I and my friends were really exciting. In ‘4M Trust’, we saw the houses where the women and their families were living, we heard the presentation by the women, and we went to the school which was for the poor students.
The first thing that we saw when we went to the ‘4M Trust’ was the houses where the women and their families were living. I knew that some people are poor and live in poor living conditions but I couldn’t believe that people were living like that. Their house was so small and only some of them had a television. The ceilings of their house were so low and their houses seem so weak so I felt when the rain falls, then their house will be destroyed and they have to find somewhere to live with no food and no money. Also I saw a little girl there and she looked so cute. The thing that made me shocked was the people were so kind and they smiled at us and also they welcomed us to see how they are living. I thought like maybe the poor people are more pure and innocent than the people who are living in better conditions than them. Also I was curious about how they are living and how they cheer up themselves because I can’t ever live in there if someone asks me to live just for a day or week. That was the most shocking time for me during the field trip but also it was the most interesting time for me.
After we saw how they are living, we went to the office where the women were working to hear the presentation. They talked about how they earn money for their lives and what they have experienced during their lives. They told us that lots of people tried to kill themselves because they were unable to live in their poor living conditions with almost no food and not enough money to live. They also showed us their hand made works and the process of it. Those looked so beautiful and I amazed about the speed of the process of the work because it was really fast. They also said that they use only about 20 rupees in a week for themselves.
After the presentation, I was so disappointed because I thought we will go to school directly. But the thing which made me happy was Ms. Evenson told us that we will go to the Indian school. I am not sure but I think the guides told us that the school was built by Mahatma Gandhi. The all of the students were the boys and they seem crazy when the girl looked at them. The most of the students were making something in the hot weather. I couldn’t believe that they work in the hot weather although they are still young.
This field trip was really helpful for me to understand how the people are living in outside of India and I hope this field trip was helpful to the others too. Also I want to go to the field trip again in the next time.
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Post by sam on Oct 30, 2007 15:06:57 GMT 5.5
Tuesday’s Field Trip
On Tuesday, we went, among other places, to Maimoona’s mother’s business. It is basically an organization which helps women who are down train for jobs, potentially enabling them to have a better life. While we were there we heard many touching stories about women who are involved in the organization about how they overcame many hardships to eventually become involved and improved their lifestyles.
It would take much too much time to talk about all of them at length, so I’ll just skim over the more interesting—and more audible—points. A couple of the women went through some difficult parts of their lives, and some of their money was stolen. Their only solution that they could come up with was suicide. After a failed attempt, they heard about the organization and they thought they would join, having nothing to lose. And now they have considerably better lives, and thoughts of suicide have gone from their minds.
Another woman was married to an overprotective husband who wouldn’t let her do anything at all. However, as soon as he heard that she could possibly make some money doing a respectable job, he decided to let up a little bit. Now she has a well-paying job, and her husband lets her do it. She also has a better condition of life due to the extra money she is earning combined with the money her husband was already making.
We also visited a neighborhood in a busy part of Chennai. The people who lived there were very welcoming, and were even happy about the place they lived in. to us it might’ve seemed like a place where we wouldn’t want to live, but in comparison to many Indian places, it was rather quite nice. All of the houses had televisions, and seemed to be well furnished.
Then finally we went to a school that taught people of a variety of ages train for jobs that would help them earn a living, such as carpentry. Some of them were very young. It was interesting to see all the different jobs that they did. They had some very busy classes as well.
The trip was overall very educational, and I hope we can do something similar in the future.
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Post by rikke on Oct 30, 2007 15:07:26 GMT 5.5
Tuesday’s fieldtrip By Rikke Madsen
On Tuesday we went to a field trip, and on this fieldtrip we saw three different places, about how poor women in India life, and what their situations are. The first places we went to was to see where and how some of them lived, we went to two different places, and we saw there houses, and when I first walked into the first little room, it really made we realize what I good life we have, because they didn’t have many things, and small rooms, one of the rooms there were a little kitchen in the corner, and when a bed and that was it, and in the other room there were some few things, and then I think there actually was a TV. And in a little room next to it there were a toilet, but not like a toilet we know and what we use, no it was a toilet there went down to the grown, and that was it. But besides that the people there live there didn’t have that much space, there were many people there lived in the same small houses, and not only that, a women told us that when it is raining the rain comes into the houses, and when it does that it gets dirty and wheat all over with water so there stuff gets rounded, and they can get sick, because it is not good with water all over the house. And another thing was that outside there houses there were not any garden as you are used to, no there were just soil and that was it, and then maybe they had animals like hens outside walking around. And the soil was wheat because it had rained. So that was how most of them lived. And actually one of the houses I came into, there were a planked in the middle they could sit on, and then there things around it.
My opinion to this is that I think that, first of all it made me realize how lucky we actually are, and it also made me realize how hard it is for them sometimes. And second of all, it was really sad to see, but also good because some of them actually look happy, but sad because I think it most be hard to live like that sometimes, specially when the rains comes, and when they get water in their house.
The other place we went to were where all those women there were in the groups and the ones there got help where there also the women there had shown us their homes. And we came in and they gave us flowers around our arm, and after that we had to sit down. And one by one some of the women explain and told us about their situation. Some of them had lost their husband, and they didn’t have any money, so they had to ask for help. Others had lost all their money, and had tried to kill them self, but luckily they didn’t, and a third one didn’t have enough money for her children education, and her husband didn’t want her to get a job, even though he didn’t earn enough money to support the family, because he also spend almost everything on drinking. So the women decided to get a job, and now she can speck a little English actually, and she is driving one of those auto cars, and now she can pay for her children’s education, and all of this is because she joined the group, so it is going better. All of the women there are joining the group there life are going better now, and together in each group they are saving money, and putting them in the bank, and the also each taking a lone from the bank to start with, and many of these women are starting their own business, in small groups together.
My opinion to this is that first of all I think some of their situations were not that easy, and didn’t seem easy for them either. And they were pretty seriously. And I also think that joining the group made them happier, because it went better for them. Which I think is really good, that they have this opportunity. And I also think that it most is really hard to life only on little money still, and that they are saving 25 rupees a week, is maybe a lot for them. I mean we use 25 rupees just like that, and that really shows how different the world is even though it is next to each other, in the same city.
The last place we went to were a technical school, where people learned how to do one particular skill, which is better than nothing. And we went around the school looked at were the work on things, and learned how to, and how the class rooms were. And I mean for us it was really warm in there, no ac, nothing, and for them a whole day in there most be really hard, and that just shows how big the different it is in the world between people, and how hard it is for many. But I think it is good for them that the have a skill, so they at least are good at something and actually can say when they try to get a job that they are good at something. So that is a good point and them.
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Post by eunjucho on Oct 30, 2007 15:09:25 GMT 5.5
I have only lived a happy life so I always believed that there were only people who live happy lives, have families, and earn enough money to eat and survive. Of course, I knew that there were some people who do not have those things but I’ve only seen them in television so it was hard for me to believe it. Though, this field trip has given me a chance to see how the real world is, how the real India is. How the poor people lived and live their lives, how they earn money especially for women.
The first place we have been to is apartments where people lived in. The street was so narrow and the roofs were low. It was hard for me to believe that they actually lived in the huts. I was so worried because it seemed to get really hot in the summer and because it seemed like the rainwater will leak through the roof. Maybe it’s because I am not used to the environment but I was so shocked. At the corner, women were selling fish and I wondered whether they get enough money or not to eat and take care of themselves. But I agreed with what Miriam told me. She said that at least they have place to sleep, under the roofs but what about the other people who live on the streets?
The second place we went is the place where we saw the presentation the women gave us. A lot of them had bad experiences. Two of them even tried to commit suicide; one had an alcoholic husband who only brought very little money and spend other money to buy drinks; and one woman lost her husband and didn’t have anything to lose. These women joined the organization which help them and go through a lot. All of their stories were dramatic. I was happy to see them earning money by themselves and live better lives.
The third place we went is the school for the kids who cannot afford to get proper educations. They train the kids as electricians and other technicians so they can work and earn money to survive in the future. Some people were sitting in the class studying theories and other kids were actually working really hard. I heard that the school was built seventy years ago by Mahatma Gandhi and other people which I do not know the names of. I think it is a good idea to educate the kids and give them chances to learn something.
I think it was a fun field trip because I actually got to find out about what is going on to help the poor people to survive. Plus, when I was looking at the apartments, I was grateful that I was able to sleep and live in a proper house and eat three times a day. Also, it was saddening but a good thing was that I actually walked in India and saw everything. It was good to know something new. I hope, in the future, that everyone can attend the school and all the people will be able to earn money and live happy and fun lives.
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Post by eliasse on Oct 30, 2007 15:09:43 GMT 5.5
The Field Trip
When I went to the trip of the 23 of October, for the first time i visited the real face of India, we visited a small village that is far from the school about 40 minutes by bus. Arrived we visited some houses. It was the first time that I enter in an Indian house, from outside I thought that was very small, but inside there was lots of space, this thing impressed me so much, that when I entered inside I thought that before there was someone that was too high to live I in a normal house. After we moved around some group of houses to see how the India is in the real. Later we moved on a little structure that looked like a small temple, where there could be discussions about the problems of the area. After some gift of flowers, and colour powder to put on the skin, we sat and a group of women started to tell about the life of the people that we came to see. Before they started by telling about the poverty of these villages that everyday increase its number, and how the Government try to reduce this problem by giving money to the children to have an education, and send assistant to help people that are old, or that don’t have money, and also they said that this organization started about 3 years ago . The first woman told about his life, she said that she was training in a technological school to help her family, but her husband, he always gave to her something like 10 rupees at day, and with these money she must buy everything for the house, for him, and for her children. So she decided to change her life. She started to work hard, and after few time she opened a tea shop. So she could earn 3000 rupees at month(better than 10 rupees), and help her sons to go to school and have a normal education. This case were looked by the society of her village that decided to help her by give something like 5000 rupees. Then they told the she wasn’t the unique woman with this problem, another group composite by 20 women told about their stories, these women were working together to get money to help all population of their village. But they also said that this problem its impossible to stopped because every day the entire population increase and with them the number of poor people, and also another problem is the religion. The Muslim religion in particular that have an lots of restrictions that destroy all of the ideas of a good future. After this long presentation we moved in another area, we entered in a school, but it wasn’t normal, this school was made by Gandhi!! He make it around the 30’s, he did this to help the young population to grow with an education that could help them in the future. Today this school still working, everyday many students learn the basics of the education and also learn the principal works that they can do in the future; the carpenter, or electrician, etc.. So, my general opinion of this trip is very positive, I’m happy to be now a develop nation’s student, because with this trip now I know what mean poverty, what can be live without a cent, and without food. I hope that in the future if I’ll have money to spend I’ll be happy to give money to these people that every day suffer and die for a piece of bread or something to drink. This trip had impressed me a lot for these things that I said, and most important it showed to me the real face of India, the true world of the Indian population.
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Post by sofiekh on Oct 30, 2007 15:10:16 GMT 5.5
Summary:
Thanks Maimoona’s mom!
The bus drive took a long time. There was a good atmosphere in the bus, because everyone was excited. We were glad to see something new and not just the school. It was the first fieldtrip for the developing nation’s classes. The bus stopped on the road and first we thought it was the wrong place, so we stayed in the bus for a while. The driver said we had to walk to the place we were going to. I took a step outside and experienced a whole new world. We walked on a small road for five minutes, but it felt like twenty minutes. Everything was so new to me. We walked unconscious of what we were going to do and see. The only thing I knew was that I should see a helping centre for women. When I saw the small house made of concrete and palm leaves. I was suddenly more quite and looked curious at the rooms and things inside. This is the way the live and it is so different from mine. The rooms were small, but they had everything they needed in the house. We saw two houses and their “backyard”. A person told us that when it was raining everything was under water. It was so sad to hear. I got so ashamed. I couldn’t do anything about this issue. The women were so friendly and one of them invited me and two of my classmates inside her house to get something to drink. She was very sweet and smiled a lot. That is one of the things I love of India. We had to go and we walked down another road. We walked for about two minutes. We came to a big room. There were a lot of people and all of them were women, there were one man and he was sitting in a chair behind a table. I got flowers bund around my wrist and some yellow paint on my hand. I had never tried that before so it was very fun to try. We sat down in the back of the room. There came two women and said hallo to the only table in the room. They started talking in Tamil, and I didn’t understand a word. Suddenly the man behind the table began to talk in English and said that these two women were talking about their lives and the way they handled all the tragedy. The man did not speak loud enough so it was very hard to hear anything. One woman stood up and talked in English. She was struggling with the English words, but I understood her, and I was very proud of her. She was standing in a crowd of people and she never changed to Tamil, because that was the easiest way. She was talking about her life: she drove an auto and she could send her children to a good school, only because of the organization. After the speaking they showed us what the could do, and one woman showed us a little three made out of pearls. Someone asked her for the price and she said fifty rupees. It is that much some of us is spending on one day in school! The meeting broke up and we could buy something of their stuff on a little desk at the stairs. It was so cheap! A lot of people bought some of these things and most of them bought a lot.
We said goodbye and walked to the bus. I thought we were finished and was heading for the school, but then we stopped in front of a school. It was a government school, that Mahatma Ghandi build. It was a place to teach children to work. I saw these small rooms with no air conditioner, and that reminded me of how lucky I was to be at the school I am at now. There were people everywhere working. We came to a room, where they were working on some wood and they just smiled at us and kept going with there work. We came to a little room with one motor bike and six women. I don’t know what they did to it, but they looked liked they knew what they were doing. We walked back to the bus and stepped in. that was the end of the developing nations classes fieldtrip.
This fieldtrip showed us the realities of the real life. I would never have thought that people lived like that in the small houses or that there were such a big amount of women there were joining this non governmental organization to make a difference for their lives. I would never have thought that there were a school that was helping youngsters to work on their own. This fieldtrip has really showed me the way outside AISC and my house. I will never forget this fieldtrip. It showed me a normal life in a developing country, and that someone is doing something about it.
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Post by divya on Oct 30, 2007 15:12:38 GMT 5.5
DEVELOPING NATIONS, IN OUR OWN BACKYARD
Many schools go to museums and historical monuments for field trips and spend hours learning about the history of our world. But what about what is happening now, in our own city, where some people don’t have running water even today with the many advances in technology? Some don’t realize that this is a reality and choose to ignore it but luckily, Mr. Hewett opened our eyes up to it.
Our bus took us to what some may consider the slums of Chennai, and we unloaded, careful of the speeding autos all over the place and piles of trash. In a long line that stretched about the length of the street, all the Developing Nations students walked, eager to see our destination. Soon, we reached a small alleyway with a door where most of us had to crouch down under and we entered slim pathway made out of concrete. We thought this pathway was going to lead us to a nice large building with AC where we could sit and continue with our field trip in comfort but were surprised when we looked to our right and found even smaller openings as doors to houses. This was our field trip. Some women were sitting outside with their children and actually inviting us into their homes, proud of the abode they had set up. We ventured down the pathway more, viewing the side by side huts and once in a while we would come to a small Indian style latrine which all of the residents shared. Wadded up balls of soggy paper, fallen leaves, puddles of unknown liquids, and leftover food were scattered everywhere and yet these people lived here as if it were heaven. As we came back around to the exit, most of us were shocked at the lack of hygiene which we could smell by now and their living standards. But our journey was hardly over. We walked across the street to another small opening where we were led into somewhat of the same scene, broken down huts and random trash everywhere. Again we emerged from the place absolutely aghast at the sights we were seeing.
We walked to our bus, whispering and discussing the things we had just seen and wondered what this field trip would have in store for us now. After about five minutes we came to an average sized concrete building with steps leading up to it. When we entered the one room building, throngs of women greeted us by tying jasmine flowers to our hands, a sign of respect and welcome. Plastic chairs were already set out for us so that we would face the audience of women as they spoke to us about their lives. A translator helped us understand their tragic stories of close to suicide stories and how some were struggling just to make a few rupees a day to save. Some had abusive husbands and others were widows. One lady even spoke English, frustrated when just forgot a word or two and spoke about how she made a living as an auto driver, an absolutely male dominated field of work. After we heard about the stories, a bank representative and the translator explained to us how the NGO’s and organizations were helping these women by providing sums of about 10, 000 rupees to each and when the time came the women would repay this loan. The organizations would also help find work for the women and help them set up a small shop to make a living off of and these shops would teach the women skills such as money management, selling strategies, business management and independence in what we see as a meager way but they view as a life changing experience. These women could now support themselves and soon enough help their children receive the education they deserve. At the end of all the speeches, some of the women proudly brought out the items they sell at their shops such as jewelry, ornamental trinkets, and other baubles like hats and artwork that some of them could create in front of our eyes. Some of us bought the items while others interacted with the people, who were so happy to have visitors care about them and listen to their stories.
After the women’s heart wrenching tales, we went to a carpentry school where boys were studying and learning how to work with wood. Though to some of us it seemed easy to learn this art, to the boys it was their way of creating a name for themselves in the future. We saw classrooms with the boys learning intently, though distracted when our class walked by, excited to have visitors. We then came across boys shaping wood and others melding metal and firing wood to create items as a school project. The classrooms were extremely different than ours, walls painted with pictures of the generators and fans whirring above our heads made the environment totally different to us because we were used to large air conditioned rooms and bright lights. In another room there were women learning how to be mechanics and fixing a motor bike, not something you see women doing often, especially Indian women in salwaars and sarees, but it was empowering to see these women working so hard and not afraid to do what many consider is a man’s job.
After going on this trip, I personally realized what luxuries I live in today. I came from the United States where you rarely see this scene because everyone has an excess of materials. We only learn about poverty in books and are encouraged to donate to foundations or raise money for them. As all of this does make some difference, it was refreshing for me to see the actually change being implemented in the system and how so many people are working together to help the underprivileged become privileged. It was moving when we saw women sitting outside with their children and happily asking us to share their belongings, no matter how little they had. You don’t realize that while you are complaining about not enough money for lunch, some don’t have enough money to support their family. After hearing about women rising in society, I realized that you don’t have to have a heroic story and make your self famous to be someone in our world today. These women and men also put in the same amount of effort and after they have finished, it seems like they have conquered the world, considering where they started and where they will end up. We all need to realize that everyone has the same potential and after we have satisfied our needs, help others reach their potential and have the same opportunities as you. So before I complain again about not getting a certain type of food, or say that no change is being made in the world, I know to look in my own backyard and see how these people survive before I say anything else.
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Post by jihyeyun on Oct 30, 2007 15:14:45 GMT 5.5
When the school bus stopped beside the narrow and crowded road, I and the developing nation classmates could not find any tall buildings or any place that we all can make stand. Thus, I was wonder where can we visit among these small houses and such a narrow road. We walked for a while along the road. Also, we were lead to one so small and narrow that even one person barely can pass it. Too small, I couldn’t identify that was another path to another houses. The village that we have visited was new scene to me for living in India for almost three years. All houses are all right next to each other within very small village. Besides the houses, all kinds of trashes are piled up and dirty water was flowing right next to the houses. Houses have lower floor than the ground, lower entrance seem to be exposed to flood or other risks. Kitchen and bed are in the same space. Next, we visited the women community center where was just empty room located next to the shops in the street. The government provides subsidies to poor households in the town. Also banks support these women by providing loans and women pay back by doing small activities. With the loans, women usually buy the sources of hand crafts and they sell hand crafts that they have made. Further more, the women are trained for some techniques to do something like marketing or small businesses. The experiences that each of members of the community told us was translated by another man. One of members of the women was married with Muslim man and she was not allowed to go outside of the town. She got loaned 4000 rupees and got the small activities and repaid loans. The forum let women to get loans from the bank so that women can earn money by doing works. And two women attempted suicides because of economic problems. However, the community members encouraged women to live again and save money everyday. One woman’s husband is alcoholic. He spent almost of money for drinking brings only 10 rupees to home. It was not enough for education and other life for children and the family. One woman was trained as Auto driver and now she is earning money. Another case is when the husband died the woman doesn’t get the remains. For three years she’s been doing this job. With loan the woman buy blouses and sell those. She also learned tailing skill and does tailing for other people. Other women get nursing assistance and for Teashop she is earning 3000 rupees each month. The women in the community seem very happy that they can invest their projects and improve their life styles. The community helps women to be independent and educates about concept of saving. Not just giving them money but to encourage and pull out their potential. The forum really counts the women’ potential powers as the men do. The last place that we’ve been was technical school, was built seventy years ago by Gandhi. People learn small or simple skills or techniques so that they can get jobs after they finish the courses. Most of courses are one year course and they pay small fee for learning in this school. The school has lots of desks and chairs in small rooms. They have fan and black board in front. Those rooms seem to not big enough to have many students studying in.
Reflection I realized that I was only trying to look at the good aspect of India, like hotels and clean roads and comfortable life. However, it is important that looking at the true aspect of India. Compared to these people living in the so poor conditions, we are living in. Yet, we never satisfy and complain about our live. We are living in the life with ignoring all the things that the people living in the poor conditions can’t afford to buy. It’s only not about wealth but everything. I learned that we always should have the attitudes that appreciate everything even small happiness. It is amazing that the small community helps women not just giving them money so that they can get commodities but encourage and teach them techniques. Thus, women can truly stand by themselves in a long-term. In India, women have kind of lower value or status compared to the men. Yet, women can earn money and not depending on their husbands is really big and new concept. I think this effort that government and bank are supporting can be spread and held in many villages. Thus, the households also can earn money and have equal authority or value as men do. Also, the attitudes that women showed us were amazing. They were proud of themselves and even courageous. At last, the education center, even though the poor condition of school, I can not forget those students’ eyes. They looked so enthusiastic and passionate. Compared to our school, we have so much better conditions. I hope that this community can be formed in many other villages so that many women can find their way of earning money also be independent themselves. :-)
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Post by arpitav on Oct 30, 2007 15:16:57 GMT 5.5
Field Trip Essay To me this field trip was amazing on two levels, and I learned a lot from this experience. It amazed me how these people lived in these extremely small and poorly built huts. I was also amazed how much the organization 4M Trust did for these people. We first went to a small village in which people lived in houses with thatched roofs. We walked around exploring different houses, and as I was walking I thought to myself, “This amount of walking might be really hard for me, but now I can see that these people are actually worse off than me.” It really opened my eyes to how little these people had. When you look out the windows of AISC, you usually see tall buildings run by big companies, and you don’t see everything we saw on this field trip. Also, until I went on this trip I didn’t think about these small villages and the people that live there. We then went to the organization 4M Trust. We heard different speeches. The first one was from a man; however it was a little hard to hear him. From what I heard, he talked about the loans. 20 women save money until they collect 40,000 rupees. Then once they reach that point they go to the bank to ask for different loans. They then receive 100,000 rupees which gives them the opportunity to start a new project. We also heard many stories from different women. Two of them had tried to commit suicide. We also heard a story from a woman who became a rickshaw driver. Her husband earns 50 rupees a day and spends 40 of that on alcohol. Due to the help of the organization, she now earns about 400 rupees a day. These speeches made me realize that I shouldn’t complain about the amount of money I get per week. Finally, we visited one of Chennai’s technical schools. The school is sponsored by the government with a low school fee; but for many poor people this fee is still too expensive. While at the school we walked around and looked in at the different classes. Some people were learning how to become a carpenter. This school teaches students wiring, how to repair air-conditioning, how to repair motorcycles, etc. The purpose of the school is to train students in particular professions, instead of only giving them a basic education so that they are prepared for their later lives. Technical are extremely useful for people who already know that they won’t get the opportunity to go to college. Even though by the end of the day I was wiped out, I felt that it was extremely worth it. I learnt that even though those people living in rural areas didn’t have much, they were thankful for what they did have. I also learnt that we have to be more grateful of what we have and not complain when we don’t get that new cd we want or those new clothes we want.
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Post by devin on Oct 30, 2007 15:27:35 GMT 5.5
Field trip summery Devin Wildman: Houses- they were different from what I have seen before in Africa. They were better they looked pretty good. They were well kept and clean. It was small but if it works for them its okay. It is hard work to try to keep a house and a family together at the same time as trying to do your job. Hard work to keep together. Hall of women- they told stories of their lives to us shared their personal and non-personal feelings with us complete strangers, and that takes a lot of courage. They told of hard times that they have had throughout their lives. Some of them were trying to get a good job others may have been stress even thoughts of suicide. There were also some bad times like trying to get this whole thing started and trying to get women that wanted to work to work. There may have been some good times like when they figured everything out and are now smoothly sailing in a good direction. They work together to help one another if someone has a problem everyone tries to help out in some way. It is hard work to do this everyday. Their goal is to raise money for these women so they could use it to their need. School of work- it was pretty cool to be able to see those guys work on stuff like wood work, iron working, crafting, electrical work, and building. It is hard work doing this everyday I know because I used to do it. Work with wood, electrical stuff, building things, working with iron, and crafting with different things. It is really fun to be able to do stuff like this but you have to be carful when you do it. My idea of the whole thing- I think that he whole trip was pretty good, interesting, and we learned a lot. Personally I liked the school of work the most. It reminded me of home and when I could do that at my house everyday. It is pretty hard for them to live like they are but they cant help it its just how they are. The women work really hard and it pays off in the long run. I think what they are doing there is pretty good and a good Idea for others to follow. The school was interesting and looked like and good place to learn.
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