First Sunday at KM

Last Sunday was fantastic!

We were so fortunate to have Vinod write out a translation so the children could understand what we were saying. Our new friend Bhavya helped with all of the translating in person that day. (not all the kids are fluent in English....yet!). Bhavya was a student at the Engineering University (congrats on the new job!) and volunteers her time every morning at Operation Shanti. After we thanked her for all she does and for helping us she said, "I am the lucky one that gets to be with them and do this". Wow.

We started off by showing the video that we made of our students at StarSeeds Preschool expressing their excitement about the playground project and introducing themselves. We wanted this project to be one that connected our students at StarSeeds in San Francisco with the kids at KM (Operation Shanti). Our vision was that, in the end, the playground could be one that everyone helped create.

They loved the video and were excited to learn about their "prize". We ended with the introduction to the photography program. Each child had their picture taken. Their favorite was seeing themselves after Bax took their picture.

We told them that, the following Sunday, they would be taking their own photos and helping us make a video. We would be filming them answering the same 3 questions that the StarSeeds were asked. This way, the StarSeeds students would have the opportunity to meet the children at KM they have heard so much about.

 Watching the video

 Watching the video

 Seeing pics of themselves

Bhavya with some of the girls

Visiting Shanti

The first day that we met with the kids at KM (another name for Operation Shanti shelter) was Indian Independence Day. We had the chance to visit one of the schools some of the KM kids attend. They were having a celebration and an exceptional performance was put on by the students.

After the performance we went to KM, which is located in a village on the outskirts of Mysore. We met the kids, all 46 of them, they were all so welcoming and well behaved. Kendra was pleasantly surprised that some of them remembered her. Tracy told them that we had a big "prize" for them and that we would be back on Sunday.....

With the donations for our project, we were also able to create a photography program for Shanti! We bought 4 digital cameras, two for the boys and two for the girls. We hope to show them the power of photography and how it can be used as a way to capture, express, create, remember, and see things in the world around us. Our goal is to have each child at KM exposed to this wonderful medium. We hope that over the next month they grow more comfortable with the camera. We want them to have the freedom to choose what to take a picture of and experience the sense of pride that brings. Our dream is that the photography program continues on in full force after we leave and can be a fun means of self expression for the children at Shanti.

Made it to Mysore....

After settling in Mysore...

We met with Tracy Kunichika, the special woman from San Francisco who started Operation Shanti, to go over details of our project. We also went along with her while she made a trip to a slum in Mysore that some of the kids at Shanti are from. Tracy was going to help one of the families there that was having some problems with the roof of their home.

We were both deeply affected by what we experienced.

The spirit and love of the people there in spite of their surroundings was unbelievable.

The pictures explain it better than we can.

Arrival

We made it to India!

What an adventure, San Francisco, Korea, Singapore, Bangalore. 30 hours later.....

After a day of adjusting and jet lag, we visited Vinyaas Play Systems, the company that is providing the equipment for the Shanti Starseeds Playground Project.

After a crazy rickshaw drive through Bangalore, we met with the warm husband and wife team that own the company, Shridhar and Bhuvana Mohan, to go over the details of our project. With this project, we wanted to have everything done locally, and finding this wonderful company has done exactly that. We had the pleasure of touring their factory where they do everything under one roof, from molding to welding, and even hand painting the equipment. 

We left Vinyaas feeling so grateful to have found an amazing local company, run by good people, that produces quality equipment, with kids' safety in mind.

We were also pleasantly surprised when Shridhar and Bhuvana expressed their appreciation of the generosity of those involved in this project. They reminded us how rare it is that people offer the time and resources to give to those with less.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Vinod Menon, the uncle of StarSeed's student Nirvaan John. He has been our man on the ground in Bangalore, making things easier for us. Thanks Vinod, we appreciate it.

Next we are off to make the 4 hour journey to Mysore, where Operation Shanti is located…..

Vinyaas's Factory

Sridhar & Bhuvana Mohan, Owner's of Vinyaas

Us with Vinod Menon