Update from Sidhabari 5/24/2013

Based on the phone call with Narendarji, Sheetalji, Sunilji and Sanjeevji who are the ground team planning our visit, I have collected the below information about the trip. Please have the youth read this as it will help them form an idea about how to start planning for the trip.

Daily Schedule

Time	Activity
0600-0645	Swadhayay/Yoga
0645-0715	Shram Dhan, gardening
0715-0800	Recess
0800-0830	Breakfast
0830-0900	Departure for Field
0900-1700	Field Visit
1700 – 1800	Rest
1800-1900	Samadhi Arti
1930-2015	Dinner
2030-2200	Debriefing
2200	Lights out

Swadhyaya:  The topics can be decided by the children. Session to be facilitated by Parents/CORD representative.
Field Visit: Departure time will vary for Groups depending on the area they will be visiting.


Self Discovery
      The goal from their perspective is to enable exposure of kids from US to the local Kids. In the words of Sidhbari Volunteers "If the US teens present what their goals are/their aspirations/a day in their life/plans etc that itself provides a huge scope for the yuva to ask questions and guage themselves agains teens from a different place". 

• Usually mornings are dedicated to Anganwadi visit(very small kids). No presentation here.
• 4 Teams will be in 4 different location each day. 
• Each of the 4 days each group will meet a different Yuvati group.  
• As a whole the group will meet 16 different Yuvati groups so continuity is NOT needed in the topic(s) chosen to be presented. 
• 1/2 Hr icebreaker for each session. 
• Dedicated 1-1/5 hr time for Activity/Game/Presentation. T
• The same session can be repeated for all 4 days or the teams can plan different activities.
• Theme for the session can be picked from ideas like leadership/organizing from the manual or can be others like "Self Empowerment".
• Activity must be interactive/fun/more pictorial less words.
• Sharing personal story is good. Answer questions.
• Age group of Yuvati vary from 9-15,16-18 also. All of the are going to school. most study upto 10th. Some even will go to college. So giving them career advice is a plus
• If all teams choose the same presentation then the youth can grouped differently each day

Balavihar

   They are planning events for the whole day. The kids in balavihar are preparing to present what they have learnt to show our teens. They will be conducting a drawing competition that our youth will participate in organizing. 

•     Teens can teach them bhajans. 
•     Teens can play a game that will teach them values.
•     Teens can make charts and present one of the topics(hygiene/nutrition/values) suggested later in the slum visit section
• 
  

Slum Visit

Slum visit day would start with making posters on various topics. Youth can prepare them before hand here and take them. The teens will talk to the kids in the Slum and present one of the Topics below

•    Importance of using Toilets
•    Oral Hygiene
•    Alcholism
•    Cleaniness
•    Nutrition
•    Personal Hygiene

Some of these can be reused in balavihar.

The kids could be rewarded with the following gifts which are appropriate to the topic or based on utility value:

•        Toothbrush
•        Erasers
•        Pencils
•        Compass Box
•        Rulers
•        Coloring pencils/Crayons
•        Coloring Books

Differently-Abled Children

The Sidhbari team plans to take us to visit the children along on a field visit. The youth can experience how CORD is helping the affected children  in making their home accessible, interact with family. 

They have a separate activity for the Differently-Abled children to make bracelets/necklaces with beads. The ground team suggested that we could bring the kind of beads appropriate for this kind of activity. Other items of interest.

• Resistance bands used in physical is also usefull for them. 
• Books with large pictures and little text. 
• Toys that help in fine motor skills

Mahila Mandal Visit     

The youth will see the mahila mandal and the micro-credit operations. They will have a chance to interact with the women. They can make presentation about their daily life that they have prepared for the yuvati group before. 

The Sidhbari team thinks its usefull to share with the women 

• How are the classrooms in US
• how are the schools
• Life in general 
• Plans for future

Sanitation

 This is actual work in the field. 

Garbage pit/Soakage pit construction is done along with other CORD volunteers and Local Villagers. 

Low cost Toilet construction is done with a smaller group. The toilets are constructed for families with Special needs. Usually the family members are involved in the construction also. More personal and directly helps a particular child/family. 

Farm Visit

The teams will be divided into two groups instead of four. Each group goes to a different farm. They will be digging holes for planting, plant some citrus trees and other plants(15 - 20 a day) for two days. 

Rice Plantation is actual re-planting of saplings in muddy fields and water. 

SightSeeing

Day1 Off:  Devi Temple    

Day2 Off:  Hiking in the mountains

Day3 Off : Dharamshala

General

Rain Boots or shoe that can be washed or can dry faster when wet preferred for daily activity. Either lot of rain or water puddles from rain on the ground  is a possibility.