Volunteering with a cause- Mr. Andrew Lorimer

Mr. Andrew Lorimer in Govt Secondary School- Maderna Colony, Jodhpur

Kids all ready to learn a new game of frizbee  

Mathematical Fractions made simple using Chapatis & Pizzas

Mathematical Fractions taught in Playway method

F3 all the way: Fun, Fun and Fun...

Mr. Lorimer's visit to Shri Sultan Senior Secondary School- Pali

Mr. Lorimer had a week long sessions on Maths and Communication Skills for the school children & youth.

Even the school teachers actively participated

Happy Batch


Staff Workshop on Classroom Management Tools


Mr. Lorimer organised one day workshop on April 30th 2010 for all the HOPE staff. Here are some of the excerpts  - "Behind every REMARKABLE performance is several hours of UNREMARKABLE practice."

The workshop had various interactive and enjoyable exercises which gave all our staff  to explore ideas beyond the normal methods of teaching.

The best way to manage a classroom is: " To ENGAGE the children in meaningful ENJOYABLE activity."

The best way to enjoy teaching is: " To have FUN in between structured teaching,"
" To focus on the BEHAVIOUR that is DONE WELL than on what's not done well," &
"Respect for  Teacher should be EARNED than DEMANDED."

I dream a lot....

I'm a crazy teacher from down under, who loves young people, inventing and sports. Since coming to India I have been stared at by so many people that I'm starting to wonder what is wrong with me. Could it be the mehandi I am sporting on my arm that is meant only for girls, or perhaps my long curly hair...

Oh, by the way my name is Andrew Lorimer.

 I dream a lot.

Sometimes  I  lie  awake  into  the  early  hours  of the morning thinking, dreaming, imagining all the  possibilities that lay ahead. There are always too many and not enough lifetimes to achieve them all.

I'm  so  glad  this is a "problem" I face in my life. I'm glad to have been blessed with so many  opportunities,  but  sadly,  many  young  people  will never have the opportunity to dream, to  discover,  to  consider,  to  imagine.  They live in the worst possible conditions and all they  are  interested in is SURVIVING. They may be alive but are they truly living? They exist, and yet they were created for so much more.

I find it hard not to look at some of them and wonder...what if?

What if you lived in Australia?

What if you had an education?

What if you had money?

What if you had a say?

Providing  access  to  the  basics  at  least  allows these questions to be answered. I think what  I  find  most  important  is  providing  opportunity, for growth, for success, for the development of skills, for the potential to earn...

Visiting all these HOPE programmes has got me reflecting on that word. Hope.

This  organization  embody's  its  title.  Hope.  It's  not  just a word it something real and tangible, full of opportunities and a future.

It's opposite is also revealing. "Hopeless". Nobody likes feeling hopeless, it's awful.

I HOPE my involvement here in Jodhpur is causing people to HOPE. ( posted by Andrew Lorimer)

Andrew Lorimer is a qualified Mathematics and Sports teacher has been volunteering with HOPE since April 21^st2010. He has spent time in schools, teaching various skills such as English, Maths, Personal Development, Sports, and Time Management. Andrew has been awarded for his teaching in Australia and provided a workshop for HOPE staff to improve their skills. He continues to volunteer in our schools and provide feedback to HOPE.

Books distribution in Rajiv Gandhi kachi basti school.

Books ready to be distributed

HOPE worldwide Jodhpur conducted a recent survey for a donor to start a computer and English learning        center at Rajiv Gandhi Kachi Basti Govt.Middle School, Jodhpur.This Government school  is  located  in the midst of a slum of over 5000 people, mostly rag pickers and daily wage labourers. The school has a total of 321 children (187 boys and 134 girls). The head master of the school Mr Heeraram Choudhary expressed the need for notebooks, pencils, erasers, and sharpeners for 1st – 3rd   grade children. The notebooks distributed at the beginning of the year get used up within the first four months. 

Children having mid day meals in the school

Most of the parents living in the slum struggle hard to earn daily wages and make ends meet. With no money to spare apart from food and clothing, buying books for their children is unthinkable. No books and pressure from teachers to buy books could also be a reason for children to drop out from the school.

A girl showing her prized possession

Recently  the  HOPE  staff collected a certain amount and bought notebooks, pencils, erasers and pencil sharpeners for all the school students. The kids were overjoyed to receive new books and that too of good quality. They started  using  them  right away.

 

Children showing their new books

What was so satisfying to each of us were the smiles on these little faces. The joy felt was unexplainable.

We  will  be  delighted if you also join hands with us in this noble cause. You may kindly forward our blog to friends with a similar interest, who may wish to participate in way of program sponsorship or in kind donation.

To run a computer and spoken English learning center in Govt. School it takes as little as Rs. 50/- per child/month. Join us as we bring hope and change lives…

HOPE staff with the school teachers

Meet our Staff

Mr. Mahaveer Jain 
Program Manager – Jodhpur

"Through the years I have learnt and thank God that HE gave me an opportunity to serve the needy and make a difference in their lives. HOPE brought hope to my life. It gave me a purpose to live."

Mr. Anil Masiya 

Program Coordinator – Jodhpur

"HOPE is an organization that takes genuine interest to help the needy. In today’s fast lifestyle where nobody has time for anyone, it is a privilege to help the underprivileged , and care for them when they need it the most."

Ms. Amruthavalli

Trainer – Jodhpur

"What I like about HOPE is “it is for the people, by the people and to the people”, just as our democracy stands. People and relationships are the center of our work. The programs are  planned and implemented as per community need. I have learnt and grown in understanding life."

Ms. Roseleen John 

Trainer – Jodhpur

"In HOPE I have learnt to care for the poor. I enjoy each moment helping and making a difference in the lives of government school children and youth."

Ms. Sukanya Kola 

Trainer – Jodhpur

"I am working with HOPE as a spoken English trainer in Govt school for the past one year. Working for HOPE I have learnt to genuinely care for the poor."

Mr. Ramesh Sharma

Trainer – Pali 

"Working for HOPE has taught me to “Do the right thing, the right way, at the right time” as we cannot direct the wind, but can adjust the sail. I would say my life has changed. May god bless HOPE and its people."

Mr. Ram Ratan Rathore

Assistant Trainer – Pali

"Working for HOPE has taught me to live for others, to work without selfishness. I enjoy the team work and transparency to share ideas. I learnt, the secret of success is passion, think big, spread love & joy".

Grateful Heart- Nand Kishor

Nand Kishor with Anil Masiya(HOPE staff)

Nand Kishor Sain is studying in 8th class. When he was studying in 5th class, after school, he used to work part time at a tea stall in order to assist his family financially. In 2007 his father died and his mother started working as a helper and cook in weddings to support the family of nine members. In the same year his mother met with an accident and broke her spinal cord. She is now unable to work. The desperate situation of the family forced his older brother to work in a shop. After the school Sain goes to the market to work (from 2.30pm to 9:00pm). He gets customers to the dealers and avails of goods at a low rate for those customers. He gets a commission of Rs.1.50 paisa per bag (4 US cents) and makes about US$50 a month.

He cannot read or write simple English words. He enrolled himself in the after school tuition conducted by HOPE. We taught him the English alphabet, the days of the week, months of the year and some of the meaning of frequently used words. He is very eager, sincere, committed and hardworking and stands out among the tuition students. He feels HOPE has really helped him in improving not only his English but also in guiding him with his future.

I want to become an Engineer

Ganesh( in school dress) with his elder brother

Ganesh Goshwami belongs to a poor family. His family's main source of income is from a rented tea stall. His family works really hard to make ends meet. At 4:00 in the morning, they open their tea stall. Ganesh, along with his elder brother, assist their mother in the tea stall. He is so dedicated that nothing matters, even his studies. Last year, he participated in the summer camp organised by HOPE which had lots of classroom activities. He was so impressed with it. He started liking his studies again. Although there is no encouragement from his family, he now comes regularly to school and attends all his classes. He now gives time to his studies. After school hours, he does his homework and reads the lessons given to him. When asked what he wants to become, he said 'I want to become an engineer' He is grateful to HOPE for getting his interest back in his studies.

Looking for HOPE

                         Kids from the Slum

                       A Family from the slum

A recent survey in Rajiv Gandhi Kachi Basti Govt. Middle School, Jodhpur. The school is located about  12  kms  from  Jodhpur railway station and is in the midst of a slum of over  5000 people, mostly rag pickers.

The school has a  total  of  321  children  (187  boys and 134 girls). The school has offered to provide us with a room for computer training.  It could also be used for outside youth for vocational training. This would actually make a huge impact in their  lives. Most of them are guards, helpers or work as servants in people’s houses.  Computer training would give them a great opportunity to improve not just their skills but also their lives. It’s a chance to encourage drop outs from the school to build an interest in going back to school rather than picking up rags and garbage. In principle we have found a donor, who will establish the computer lab, however, we are seeking for donor who could fund the running cost. If you know of some friends who would be interested in sponsoring such noble  cause,  kindly  forward our blog information to them. It takes Rupees fifty a child per month to run this program.