Bhagawanpur is a small village near the prestigious Benares Hindu University (BHU). At this program we find no shortage of volunteers to roll the puris that will be deep-fried for today's meal. It is monsoon season - the weather is overcast and threatening, while the humidity is suffocating. The flies are swarming over the puris before they are fried in the large vat of boiling oil.
The children begin to trickle in. It is lucky that they show up in small numbers, because the area where we are feeding today can only accommodate about 40 children at a time.
The children begin to trickle in. It is lucky that they show up in small numbers, because the area where we are feeding today can only accommodate about 40 children at a time.
The program begins as soon as the children are seated. There is a steady stream of children, so by the end of the day, we have fed 180 children. At one point, the ASMITA teachers go to the area where the poorest people live. They are called the 'Musahar' or rat pickers. They are easy to distinguish from the rest of the children as they have a darker complexion, their clothes are rags, their skin is covered in dust, and they huddle together as though being in one pack offers protection. They do not have access to showers, so they only bathe when they go to the Ganges River to clean themselves. From their look, this does not seem to be too often.
The children eat very quickly, probably because the teachers are keeping a close eye on the arriving children and the shortage of sitting space. Nonetheless, the meal of curried seasonal vegetables, puri and a banana is effortless in its distribution. The children leave very happy. It is still amazing to me to see how happy they feel from the gift of just one banana! I feel nourished knowing that their stomachs and hearts are full, and privileged to be a part of the Just One children's program.
The children eat very quickly, probably because the teachers are keeping a close eye on the arriving children and the shortage of sitting space. Nonetheless, the meal of curried seasonal vegetables, puri and a banana is effortless in its distribution. The children leave very happy. It is still amazing to me to see how happy they feel from the gift of just one banana! I feel nourished knowing that their stomachs and hearts are full, and privileged to be a part of the Just One children's program.
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