Meeting Kanasu kids

This post is by AC, a techie who has spent a lot of time and effort in helping Kanasu.
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Meeting the kids (if I can call them kids) changes the perspective completely. It should be compulsory for everyone involved with Kanasu. These kids have a very daunting task ahead. Often coming from structured education we will not comprehend this.

There is a struggle to identify the future for each and every one of them. I mean not knowing what may be the right path for them to take. Given that Kanasu often has to assume this, there needs to be some way we can support Veena to give her confidence that she is making the right decision.

Having a network of people who will actively make introductions for them to get employment can be very helpful. Especially since all of them found jobs through someone's referral. The traditional application route might not be work here. I can't emphasize enough on the level mismatch of the education being
imparted. The students will need some regular guidance/coaching.

I am also convinced that they should be meeting each other and feeding off each other's successes. More money being spent on a few might help solve a lot of above problems.

Education or livelihood?

I was travelling to assess the impact of the work by the Kanasu team among rural and tribal students. I met students who belonged predominantly to the Soliga tribe. Almost all of them were economically backward. I had to see whether they were studying properly and providing desired results academically. It seems like a simple exercise. Except that it isn't quite simple enough.

Soligas have a great culture of their own. They are highly educated people; their culture equips them with an intimate knowledge of nature. Their culture equips them to know about medicinal plants in the forests by the time they are 3 or 4 years old-something we learn only if we do a BSc in Botany. Yes, they weren’t literate.
But then, the education these kids receive is quite poor. They do not receive any special kind of education which opens up their mind. They are learning things that totally disconnect themselves from their surroundings.

The current education is not helping them be creative and thinking individuals. As is the case everywhere, there will be creative and thinking individuals not because of the system but despite the system. But yes, I am sure it is successfully killing the creativity of many kids there and also creating various other problems in process.

Early in my travels, it became clear that we are not helping them be “educated”. We are only providing them with tools to earn a decent livelihood! That in itself is a big thing, considering for various reasons including globalisation, their decreasing right within their own forests have rendered them totally helpless. They just don't have a choice but to join the larger national economy. And education here helps them. It helps them to secure a livelihood; it helps them to earn money so that they don't starve and die.

Shobha S.V.

Meeting the students

We have had three sets of meetings this year.

1. We called some of the students over for a one-on-one to Bangalore early this year.

2. We traveled to Basavanagudi, Konankere, Kamagere to meet some of the students and their families.

3. We invited all the Bangalore-based students to meet us over lunch and snacks on June 12-13.

Reports coming soon...

Grandmother strikes again

Remember the girl who would be pickled?
The grandmother strikes again. This time it is to go the temple, to worship the family god, can't miss the ceremony, etc. etc.

Hope the child survives this academic year at least.

Passed - 1st class

Some good news.
Two boys -- both studying D.Ed. have completed their first year with first class.
Onto the second year now...

Follow up reports

In the past two months, we've managed to meet almost every student (except two) we are supporting this year. It took a bit of travel, but between the three of us, we managed it!

1. B.R. Hills
2. Kollegal
3. Mysore + Chamarajanagar
4. Bangalore
5. H.D. Kote
6. K.R. Nagar
7. Melkote
8. Hanur
9. Srimangala, Kodagu (pending)
10. Ponnampet, Kodagu (pending)

Reports will be posted asap.

Helping hands

He was a student, much like those others who came to me seeking help. He was eloquent, willing to work, and urban. With jokes, compliments and some hard work, he befriended me. And today, he has become a young professional. And he donates some money to Kanasu Trust each month.

He is a friend of a friend. When I needed Rs 50,000 in a hurry, he helped raise Rs 35,000 in a matter of two weeks, from friends, colleagues, and family. Then he actually apologised for being an introvert, and not having more friends.

She was a flatmate, my sounding board, my person-to-bore-at-all-times. One fine day, as I was recalling my conversation with the latest student who contacted me, she suddenly said: "I'll raise money for this boy." And she did. For this one, and the next, and the next.

I do not know where they come from, but I seem to have friends all around. This work has enriched my life aplenty. I feel very very good personally being the channel through which so many people help so many others. Feels like a huge privilege...

Perhaps, I should not let a couple of bad experiences rule my decisions.