jadanschool: March 2009

Friday, March 27, 2009

Harvesting time

In the past week we have been harvesting our wheat crop. In the Ashram we grow organic wheat which is used throughout the year in our kitchen and in the school hostel.

Happy New Year

Today is New Years Day in India. So our students are wishing everyone a happy new year for the year 2066 in the Vikram Samvat calendar.

Links to slideshows/videos/you tube

Just click these links to see a slideshows of scenes from school throughout the years. The first one is shorter. The second one has more photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/jadanschool/JadanAshramSchool#slideshow

http://picasaweb.google.com/jadanschool/Jadanschool#slideshow

Some videos on You Tube.
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=s879XXhfEl0
Swamiji talks about the School and Gyan Putra project

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=z734NqZuRLA
About the development of Jadan School

From the school animations. These animations were made by our students in a program with Twin Vision, an NGO doing wonderful work in England and throughout the world:
Lila Amrit http://blip.tv/file/1765845
Cravat Story http://blip.tv/file/1765830
Indian in London http://blip.tv/file/1765854
Water is Life http://blip.tv/file/1765876

Welcome

Dear Friends and Family,

In the Indian tradition they have an ancient saying “Vasudeva kutumbhakam” – the whole world is one family. It is a truth that if realized would solve a lot of problems. I write openly to anyone who is interested to listen with what is, in my eyes not an appeal, but an invitation to join me in being part of the amazing development unfolding here in Rajasthan.

To introduce myself I have spent the last 14 or so years in Rajasthan, India, living in the Ashram of my Guruji, Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranand Puri Ji Maharaj, and trying to do something for the people of the local area. It is a beautiful life which I enjoy very much.

In 2001 we started a school for the local village children. The school started with 140 students and went up to 5^th class. It was makeshift and bodgy but it fulfilled our aim which was to give the children a better education than they get in the village. The idea of starting a school stemmed from the realization of the poor standard of education available locally. Consider that:

o In some local schools there are 250 students and two teachers. Classes are from KG till 8^th!

o In most Government schools the teachers have an actual attendance rate of 50%. Of course in the books they are marked present all the time.

o The Government doesn’t allow a child in a Government school to be failed in the exams until class eighth. Which means there are students in 8^th class who can’t write their name!! It serves the purpose of giving better figures to UNESCO (looks good when everyone studies till 7^th – on paper). Children in our school pass on merit.

o In many villages around us there are parents who are completely illiterate and sign with a thumbprint.

o For a lot of villages there is no school facilities after 8^th class and to study further they have to travel by bicycle more than 10km. It’s a tough ask in the Indian summer when temperatures reach 48 degrees.

Now in 2009 thanks to the help of our Guruji, His Ashrams throughout the world and a host of generous donors from all corners of the globe we have a school that has 1350 students going up till class 12^th. In November 2007 we opened a new school building where we can fit 900 students and in 2008 had to extend it! It is the only school offering science and commerce subjects in 12^th class within a 20km radius with fully equipped labs and a great teaching staff.

What has been beautiful to watch over the last years is the development of the students and teachers. The standard of education has increased dramatically. The staff have become not just employees but part of the movement, offering their time and hearts for the students. But most of all the beauty is seeing students who came with nothing blossoming and succeeding. I can only share an example:

There are two girls who joined the school in 2001. They came from a village with 4 houses, no electricity and a family that was completely illiterate. Neither of them could write their name and they joined 4^th class. In May 2007 they completed 8^th class and sat the examinations of the Government board (8^th class examinations are the first “big” examinations held across the whole state of Rajasthan, similar to the school certificate of 10^th class in Australia). I don’t know how to describe the beauty of the moment they received their results. They looked ……..and looked again. Asked someone else to check. Their eyes got bigger. Joy spread across their faces. Not only had they passed but they both scored in first division! It was special – beyond their dreams- bringing tears to my eyes. ( now in 2011 they have passed 12th class, studying Science!)

There are so many stories and experiences that one would like to share but your time is short and I have to go to school! As I said in the beginning this is an invitation to be part of the experience.

We are constantly fighting to try and fulfill the demands of the local community. Everyone is welcome to join us on the journey. For example you can help with fundraising for buses or for construction works, by donating to pay for a child's education, for new computers, a new bus, playground equipment, supply of fresh water or with any other idea or opportunity which you may think will be helpful.

If anyone is interested to help please be in touch on my email swamijasraj@yogaindailylife.org and I will give you details of how to send donations to our charitable society in India. Alternatively you can give it to one of the Yoga In Daily Life Centres in Australia or throughout the world, giving it specifically for the Education Fund of Shree Vishwa Deep Gurukul Maheshwaranand Ashram.

They say “Bund bund se talab bhar jate he”. Drop by drop the dam becomes full. Our school is a drop in the ocean of the world's illiteracy. Each small donation is also only a drop in the dam of the cost of the school. But it all adds up. If you can help, thanks. If you feel it appropriate then please pass this site address on to a friend or put it up at your workplace. Any effort is welcome.

Lots of love

Enjoy,

Swami Jasraj Puri

Do you want to be a part of the journey?

Everyone is welcome to join us on the educational journey which is Jadan School. If you have any ideas of how you could contribute be in touch and we are happy to discuss them. Some examples of how you can help are:

* Help with funding the construction of the extension of the school building. It is a big project with each classroom costing on average 450, ooo rupees ( approx. 13000 aud or 7500 euro). Any help gets us closer to the goal.
* If you are a teacher overseas and would be interested in making some cultural exchange with our students we now have better internet access and would be interested.
* Over the years we have had kind groups and people send judo uniforms, sports equipments, science equipments, donations for furniture, encyclopedias, computer learning games, text books from syllabuses in other countries, cameras, toothbrushes (!!!!!)..........the list is long and varied. The only limit is imagination.
* All of our girl students and the boys who come from the poorest families are given scholarships under the Shree Deep Madhavanand Ashram Fellowship's Gyan Putra scheme. Gyan Putra means the child of knowledge and the scheme sponsors each child for their school fees, books, uniforms and any other expenses. For more information about this scheme see the website www.yogaindailylife.org .

* Hopefully you can enjoy this blog and share it with others. Any suggestions on what you would like to see or know more about from our blog page are more than welcome.

A thought

A while back an educationalist from a reputed school in Delhi visited our Ashram. He told a story of a visit that he had made to a village only a few weeks before in which he was thinking to set up a literacy program.
Whilst in the village he was talking with the local children and telling them of his plan to set up a small program and centre there. The children, to his suprise, said that they weren't interested. They then said:
"We don't want to go to a literacy program, we want to go to YOUR school, the one where you were educated".
What they wanted to say is that they just need a chance, an solid education with all the opportunities for learning that their middle class cousins in the city can get. And that when they get that chance they will take it with both hands and prove that they can change their situation, can change the future of their immediate families and can be ready to give their own children the chances that their parents didn't have.
Similarly our students are proving that when they get the chance to get a certain level of quality in education that anything is possible. The leaps that students have taken over the past few years is incredible. It is humbling and inspiring to see the way that they apply themselves to make the most of their chance. What can one do but enjoy watching their lives unfold and blossom.