Rotary D1190, India Feb 2010

The Team Returns 10th February

2010-02-10T21:23:00.001Z

Were back

Arrived back in Manchester this evening rather tired but really happy we took this wonderful opportunity to se Polio Eradication in Action and to see what Rotarians in another continent are doing to help their communities.

We have a number of potential projects to discuss with colleagues in District 1190 but can report that the team have already contributed some funds to the Blind School we visited in Tumkur and have funded 3 water filters for a school in Bangalore.

Other ideas we have identified include funding for exercise books for deprived children and support for District 3190 initiative to set up schools for Autistic or children with learning difficulties.

We may be able to discuss these directly later in the year as the DGE did say he would arrange a reciprocal visit during his 2010/11 year.

Watch this space for further developments and our own personal reflections.

If you want to hear more about the trip members of the team will be only be to pleased to come along and share their experiences. Just leave a request in the comment box.

District 3190 Conference 6 & 7 February

2010-02-10T21:07:00.004Z

Sambrama – District 3190 Conference

On the 6^th & 7^th Feb we joined Rotarians and their families, some 2,600 people in all, at a vibrant, partially open air event in an exhibition park in Bangalore.

The usual mix of the RI representative, key note and district based speakers were introduced, listened to politely and thanked profusely.

We were entertained by local ethnic folk dancers, Sri Lankan dancers and several special youngsters, a toddler who knew the flags of the world and a lad whose mental arithmetic was something to be believed.

Awards were presented to a young Entrepreneur, an Artist and for Vocational activities. These were presented during the modern sounding and looking evening entertainment in front of local press. The pictures will show a relatively young Rotary, perhaps mentored by the more mature.

We were introduced during Saturday afternoon and David gave a short explanation of why we were in Bangalore and thanking our host for their hospitality. Hazel presented the DG with a banner and a gift.

This mandala and shrine was in the centre if the food tent

Some interesting quotes have been noted in my diary including;

The Indian culture includes “ a strong will, enthusiasm and spirituality that gives honesty and commitment to the workforce”

“India (will become) the skills capital of the world”

“The giving of funds comes from the heart not the cheque book”, “ so to get the funds pick the hearts not the pockets”

“The longterm funding for Polio Erdatication (in India) is in our (India’s) hands”

“Fellowship is getting to know the spice of every industry”

“I love what I do and do what I love”

The pomp and ceremony of this Conference surrounded the entrance and veneration of several Swami’s together with the entry of the DG at the start of the event and the DGN & DGE at the end. We will tell the stories in the coming weeks and invite future DG’s in 1190 to consider their conference options carefully.

The Reason we are here - Polio Eradication Pt 2

2010-02-10T20:51:00.003Z

NID 7th Feb

The day we had all been waiting for started at 7.30 as we visited one of the central distribution centres for the Polio Vaccine in the City. Teams of nurses from local Colleges turned up to volunteer. Having been issued with their cool boxes, tally sheets, banners and whistles and masks to give to the children, they were shipped off to the booths situated strategically in each neighbourhood by Rotarians in their cars or in bedecked rickshaws.

We had breakfast at the Conference centre and after the Karnataka state Governor had ceremoniously immunised a couple of youngsters we took to the streets with our Rotarian hosts. In pairs we toured a number of the local centres as the Rotarians do on every NID event. They act as the eyes and ears, highlighting any difficulties with the venues, checking the numbers being seen and ensuring that the vaccine is OK, i.e. staying cool. They also deliver breakfast and lunch to the volunteers at the booths.

Some sites were expecting only 47 during the day whereas others my have 600 through the doors. They varied in size and location, schools, community centres and local clinics. But all were clearly marked and manned by enthusiastic staff.

We were all encouraged to take a direct role, administering drops, moving tables, fixing banners and interacting with the kids, providing whistles, baseball caps and pencils when appropriate.

It was a great privilege to have seen the sharp end of this longterm campaign.

5th February

2010-02-07T18:48:00.004Z

A more relaxed day, started with breakfast on the roof terrace.

Visits included a very high class jewellers owned by a local Rotarian followed by a VIP trip to the ISKON temple built by the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, better known as Hare Krishna.

The temple sits on a hilly site to the north oif the City and has three shrines the upper one being a large domed hall with painted ceiling and chanting devotees. Perhaps more important is that the site also houses the society’s Bangalore kitchens that employs 400 people, 24hrs a day, providing food to 1m children a day in local schools. They also feed local prisons on the hope that the inmates will receive spiritual support alongside the sustenance.

A short drive around the Indian Institute of Science, one of the top 25 Universities in the world was followed by lunch in a local Mall.

The three guys left the girls shopping with Pratibah in the afternoon, before visiting the Bangalore North Club for their evening meeting and a meal.

NOTE: Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th revolved around the District 3190 Conference and the Polio NID which we will report on shortly. Please revisit the Polio Posting to see the updates in due course.

4th February

2010-02-05T19:16:00.005Z

4^th Feb

Today was an experience we will not forget, apart from the Polio Immunisation awareness we experienced which is reported on a separate posting we were royally entertained by Rotarians from no less than 4 Clubs in Tumkur.

We started at 6.30am, coffe break at 7.20 and just managed to escape the City boundaries at about 8.40. Breakfast was laid on at the home of the President of Tumkur East Rotary Club who then invited us to take part in the Polio Awareness rally reported elsewhere.

Before having lunch at the President of Tumkur City’s house we visited a part of the Siddaganga Mutt campus (more of which later) where blind children from poor families from a wide are taught and trained.

As we approached this facility we passed through the annual cattle auctions, these are working beasts not the sacred cows found roaming the streets. We made time to walk through the throngs of farmers and their stock after visiting the school. By the intense interest shown in us by these inquisitive people we assumed that few westerners had probably witnessed this annual event.. One of the many privileges we feel we had today.

(Video to follow soon)

After our lunch AG Asha Prasanna Kumar invited us to have a restful hour or so at her “mansion”. A successful local couple, her husband runs a regional Highway Contracting company, they looked after us well with fresh coconut, teas coffees and walks in their grounds full of tall palms, banana and beetlenut trees.

Then on to a local beauty spot to take in the sunset followed by a further visit to the Siddaanga Mutt Campus. This school has 9,600 students again from the local region. As we arrived, at around 7pm, they were ALL sat in a large square for evening prayers. These prayers were in honour of the Swamiji, this guru set up the centre some 80 years ago, he will be 104 this year. As well as the school the centre provides free, simple but nourishing food for the destitute in the area.

As the students rose and departed the spotted us and wanted to know where we were from, why we were there. It is easy to see why these bright, but initially destitute students, find it easy to return some of their future earnings to the institution.

The Swamiji makes himself available for devotees to pay homage to or obtain solace from him after each prayer session, we were also given the privilege of doing so, being introduced to the frail old man by Asha.

(Video to follow soon)

This day to remember was topped off by a hearty meal on the way out of Tumkur hosted by Rotary Club of Tumkur South. The friendship we are receiving from our Host clubs is great, although it was noted by one that “if it was not for Polio, we would not have met!” …. back to the reason we are here, this time at least.

The Reason we are here - Polio Eradication

2010-02-05T03:35:00.014Z

4th Feb

Today we engaged with the reason we are all here; the elimination of Polio. In Tumkur we supported the local Rotary Clubs in their awareness raising campaign in the poorer area of the city.

We hope the pictures & videos, which you can see via YouTube, tell their own story:

You can find the first video on YouTube by clicking here

A video showing some of the poorer areas we walked through to raise awareness is here

We were also given an opportunity to see the all important "drops"being delivered in a local Clinic.

Some of our party, particularly those with nursing backgrounds, were encouraged to take a direct part this activity.

3rd February

2010-02-03T18:17:00.003Z

11.45 pm

Tonights posting is a short one as we have only just returned to the hotel following attending the Rotary meeting of Bangalore South at 7pm followed by an excellent meal.

We have packed a lot into the day including

3 temples, a second dialysis unit, a local school, an old peoples home and orphanage and a visit to the local shops - Gandhi Bazaar

Here are just a few initial pictures. Why not join in the "Caption Competition" by providing one for the pictures below - just leave a Comment saying which picture and your caption

Traffic in Bangalore

2010-02-03T02:09:00.002Z

We have all agreed that we will not be hiring a car whilst we are here!

The traffic in a city with some 8m souls is bound to be heavy but, as this series of posts (I will update this page regularly) will show driving habits have a little to be desired

firstly a couple of videos shot from our bus en-route from the airport gave us an initial insight but no real feel for the chaos to come

We've arrived

2010-02-02T10:10:00.002Z

2 Feb 1545

All arrived safe & well despite delays leaving Manchester and Dubai and Janet being stopped by a sniffer dog - something to do with rolled up notes.

The traffic in Bangalore is something else!

2 Feb 23.00ish

Namaste

A great start to the trip hotel is cosy an welcoming, soup and sandwiches (spicy) a briefing by DGE Suresh Srimanthi and team.

We then met with the Rotary Club of Bangalore South West , initially to see a local hospital dialysis unit then onto their weekly meeting during which we heard much about their various projects, including a moving presentation by their recently formed Rotaract Club - I can only Imagine what this team will be up to in a few years time.

The evening finished with a chat and meal in a rooftop restaurant (must take a jacket tomorrow night). There will be plenty of new Indian dishes to consider on our return.

Final Preparations

2010-01-31T16:10:00.002Z

Final preparations will be just about complete

So here is another reminder why the team are going to India

Do follow and comment on our blog over the coming days

Our Itinerary has arrived !

2010-01-21T20:37:00.004Z

We have now received the programme for our visit from our Indian Hosts and we are in for a busy time.

Projects for us to visit include Homes for the Aged, the destitute and orphaned children , Educational Institutes and of Course the Polio Plus Programme.

Cultural Visits are planned to a range of temples, gardens and other tourist locations including of course our trip to Mysore.

We will meet many Rotarians at the two visits we are making to the District Conference and the specific visits to at least 4 Rotary Clubs.

Please return to these pages during our trip and we will try and give you a flavour of what we are getting up to.

2010-01-10T19:34:00.003Z

I thought it might be useful to remind ourselves of one of the reasons we are travelling to India. For those who have not yet seen the Final Inch documentary here is the link

http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/thefinalinch/video.html

Please share the Blog with friends and colleagues who might want to find out more about our trip.

Where we are travelling - a Map

2009-12-29T23:10:00.000Z

This is a link to the Google Map which shows where our team is travelling in India. We will add more detail as we get to know it.

Our Google Map Web Link