Time Flies When You're Having Funprint story
September 10, 2010
It's hard to believe that I have been in India for 2 months and that I am gearing up to head back home in a couple of days. I remember thinking about what my biggest fears were prior to landing in New Delhi; that I wouldn't have enough time to get my work done and that I wouldn't be as productive as I would like to be. I can safely say that I didn't have enough time, BUT, I was definitely far more productive than I thought I would be. The kitchen project is moving along very nicely and I am so excited by its potential. In the beginning, it started out as just a kitchen that would serve one very cheap, nutritious meal to Tibetan refugees every day. I am so proud to say that it has turned in to something so much more. We are really starting to look at this project as a public health project. After arriving in Mcleod Ganj, I learned very quickly that none of the refugees are starving. Instead, they just need a lot of help with their diets and basic health knowledge. I am now working with an education major, Sarah Walker, from the University of Brighton in England, to develop a nutrition and healh curriculum. We consulted a health teacher from Australia to get advice on what health subject to include in our curriculum. The idea is that these health lesson plans will be installed once a week in to the already functioning English classes at the LHA. Since students are already coming to learn English, we thought we could simultaneously teach them English and health/nutrition. I am extremely excited because this curriculum is not only applicable at the LHA. When I come back to India in February, we hope to extend this curriculum to other organizations in Mcleod Ganj such as the Tibetan Women's Association, Tibet Children's Village, and the Tibetan Reception Center. The main focus of this project has always been the health of the refugee population. During my time in India, so many ideas and thoughts have been born on how to do this best. I am so excited that this project is turning in to something so much bigger than it originally was!
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