Friends,

Many of us had uneasy hearts at the start of the New Year. For us it was because the local government already closed down schools “for children’s security,” and this closure kept getting extended week after week into January. The children’s security was initially because of cold weather, and then became because of COVID’s increasing cases. The prospects for schools returning to normal seem bleak for months to come, maybe till June or July.
 
Online classes are the new ‘normal’—again. Except that for most children, they do not exist at all. Anshika, in Kindergarten, is happy playing outdoors because of course she doesn’t have access to a smartphone. Harshit’s (class 8) family have one but it is strictly in the hands of the father. Kishan was bought one by doting grandparents because he is the only child in the family to have made it till class 7, and it has stopped working. Chandan, in 3, is one of four siblings, and is always left out when everyone negotiates for use of the one phone available to them. Utkarsh, class 4, would love to find his class group and follow his teachers on the phone, but his parents are busy working and no one has the time to sit down with him. Alok, in 1, does get support to attend the class—and cannot understand what to do.
 
In many other, seemingly more ‘successful’ cases, children are completing their work because their parents (read mothers) are conscientiously sitting down with them and regulating the completion. All the mothers agree that it is a laborious task; one broke down describing it to me and another openly cursed the whole business of online classes. Some teachers and some staff members are sick. Many are caught without resources. Everyone is apprehensive.
 
Yet they smile. They look pensive but they work without pause. Our staff members have been forced to take tests to be permitted to work, and have switched their work from in the school to in the fields. The resilience of people is a lesson in itself. It’s not worth complaining and worrying, their demeanour suggests, one has to get on with the business at hand.
 
I take that as a moral of the whole story. Certainly one needs to be critical of everything, but more important is to assess the situation and take the best possible decisions. Our decision in our school Vidyashram is to trace every single student and be in individual contact with them, teaching, lending books, advising, explaining, guiding. Also, to contact busy or unaware parents and after understanding their problems, suggest solutions.
 
I am imagining running a three-wheeler around in the village with a megaphone attached, announcing in the style of old-fashioned advertising, “All children and young people! Come to Vidyashram School! Our libraries are open. A teacher is present to guide you. You can sit safely outside in our large campus. Come and do your work!”
 
I am imagining giving out laptops and smartphones, and of course internet modems. But mostly lots and lots of story books and worksheets.
 
I am imagining gathering our teachers together again, a few at a time, and shooting thematic videos on various topics, such as we did in 2020.

We have a twenty year old project that seeks to cycle knowledge productively. Women from the neighbourhood are taught to cook and bake an international cuisine. They become skilled enough to earn so that their children can go to school. The school teaches their children while employing the women in its Café that both earns from outsiders and provides varied, nutritious meals and snacks to children.

 
The Southpoint Café has a theme: books. Its décor consists of books: both new ones for purchase, and old ones to browse, read, or borrow. Its basic love, however, is for hitting the palate and exciting the customer’s appreciation. With all the obstacles it faces—presently the road outside it is dug up and defaced—it soldiers on. Its new Manager, Gunjan Gupta writes about her experience with one of the cooks, Rita, whose daughter Nisha completed her class X from Vidyashram—the Southpoint School. Read her blogpost here and find her on Instagram.
 

As with online classes, the Café has turned to Carry Out and Home Delivery. All is fine except (a) the convoluted workings of some delivery companies such as Swiggy, and (b) that every takeout container in the market is made of non-recyclable plastic. 

A big Thank You! to all those who responded to our end-of-year call for donations. Every single gift is so important, especially during these times.

1. Laptops or notebooks (nothing fancy)
2. Art materials; or monies to purchase kits (Rs 7,000 / $100)
3. Funding for a long-lasting Mathematical or Science model (Rs 20,000 / $160)
4. Musical instruments, or funding for the same (Rs 30,000 / $400)
5. Playground equipment (Rs 40,000 / $530)
6. Tents and poles for outdoor work (Rs 30,000 / $400)
7. A music system and speakers for school events (Rs 80,000 / $1050)
8. Smaller speakers for classes (Rs 5,000 each / $75)
9. Atlases and dictionaries (a set of twenty for Rs 7,000 / $100)

* Carpentry tools (Rs 15,000 / $210) have been donated to us by Professor Lis Maring's Public Health Beyond Borders students at the University of Maryland: thank you so much! *