​There are several large monkeys paying very close attention to the activities at the Shiva Ji Mission School on this 29th July morning. They are remaining very close, uncomfortably close, to the student areas and are extremely attentive to every move in the school yard. The reason? Several large crates of very large, very yellow, perfectly ripe bananas have been delivered to the school for today’s Just One program. It seems these monkeys feel that maybe they should be included in this morning’s Just One fruit distribution as well. And if they are not going to be included, then perhaps there might be a chance to take matters into their own hands and grab some delicious and tempting bananas while no-one is looking..

This morning, 22nd July, is bright and warm as the Just One team make their way to the Shiva Ji Mission school at Laxmanpur, Varanasi.  This week we again arrive at the school during the children’s play time and it is so delightful to enter and have all the children gather round. They are all so joyous and free, and some acknowledge our arrival with traditional Indian gestures of respect.
 
Once the children return to their classrooms and have settled into their lessons, the headmaster, Nanku, signals to the Just One team and the older students to begin distributing today’s fruit.  Today Just One are offering fresh, local mangoes which are currently in season and very delicious. 

As the Just One team walk into the Shiva Ji Mission School on this 15th July, we are joyously and raucously greeted by the students playing in the yard during their play time. Today there are more children in attendance than the previous week, but there are still only about 250 students in total. Many of the older children won't return to school until later as they must perform their duties with their families during the summer months.
 
Today we are serving a full, hearty cooked meal to the children. Just One are offering a dish of mixed vegetables in a delicious curry along with poori (fried flat bread) and kheer (a sweet milk and rice based dessert containing raisins and nuts).

The Shiva Ji Mission School in Laxmanpur, Varanasi follows the standard Uttar Pradesh state school terms, which means that on July 1st 2017 the new school term, and beginning of the school year, began. This was a Saturday so Nanku, the principal, expected attendance to be lower than normal. Given his assessment, the Just One team returned to support the nutritional intake of the Shiva Ji Mission School the following week, Saturday July 8th.