Idealism?

This past week has been better than last. The first highlight I want to share is about when the volunteers sat for tea with Dr. George; the intent was for us to ask as many questions as we wanted, the conversation was very moving and inspiring. We asked him questions about the financial crisis that The George Foundation is struggling through. With his explanation I now more fully understand the nature of this school and its mission. The reason for why they have not received any funding from donors or sponsors is because unlike most education programs for the underprivileged especially here in India, this school has as its mission, to provide a high end education for their children. To run this school the way he believes it should be run, they need $250,000 a year. This includes clean and comfortable living conditions, nutritious food, above all a good education with all the necessary materials and a good salary for qualified teachers, and finally an occasional day in the city or an ice cream sundae once a month for the children.
The responses to most of their proposals have been criticisms about how they are wrongly expecting people to give money so that the children at Shanti-Bhavan can live luxuriously.

From my experience living with these children, it is impressive to see their level of commitment to their education and above all, their way of upholding the good values and ethics that they have been taught here. Even though they live away from home, this school has formed them into well-educated, well-mannered and good-hearted creative thinkers. The students in the 11th grade are smarter and better informed about world issues than I was in high school. What is most impressive is that before Shanti-Bhavan these children were playing in dumpsters during the day, and at night many of them were sleeping in a room where their parents raped them or their brothers and sisters. “They too”, explained Dr. George “are entitled to as good an education as you and I received, even if they were born into such harsh conditions”.

I am often reflecting and thinking about Nicaragua; of how I myself am from the second poorest country in the western hemisphere and there too exist extremes cases of poverty and children that live in broken homes where rape and violence mark their lives. I think that this experience it India is helping shape my views about how those who suffer from such difficulties can also succeed and help, as educated citizens to make their country a more humane and just place. I am certain that I want to take part in making that happen in Nicaragua and though I have not formulated concrete ways of doing so, I trust that I am forming a strong base in my mind and heart through this experience to be able to transform these words into actions.

I know the term idealism may come up after reading this…it can be a flaw off course but I think it all depends on how you approach it. The NGO that I am proud to be a part of today is called “Artists Striving to End Poverty”. Will we put an end to poverty? No we will not. But is it a great thing to try and mitigate it child by child if you are inclined to do so? A million times, YES.