Banswara Field Visit

I've just returned from a 3 day field visit to Banswara, the southern most district of Rajasthan.  The villages here are remote, and the district is over 70% tribal with more than 60% of the population living below the poverty line.  The small rocky paths that we slowly bounced down in our car seemed to be made more as foot paths than as roads, and in fact I saw no other vehicle in any of the towns we visited.  All the buildings had mud walls and packed dirt floors.  And there was no electricity or running water in sight.

I was invited on the trip by Dr. Kulhari who runs CULP, an inspiring NGO that sets up rural schools for children (many who have never attended school), and with the support of the community emphasizes health education and literacy,  especially for girls.   Over 3 days I accompanied Dr. Kulhari on field visits to 5 different villages where CULP has schools.   I had the opportunity to sit in on the classes and see first hand what an amazing impact the organization is having not only on the children but on the entire community.  

This small organization with a shoestring budget is  practicing all the theories and approaches that we study about in classrooms.  They are connected to the community, recognize the importance of focusing on women, and use a holistic approach to educating children.  I am sure I will be writing about this project again soon, as it left a big impression on me.  If anyone is interested in supporting girls education and wants an organization that puts every dollar to use I highly recommend CULP.

I also had the opportunity to see how the Wello WaterWheel would work in these remote villages over the dry rocky terrain.  While the women were at first shy, they were happy show me to the nearest well almost a kilometer from the school.  

It was a fantastic trip to an area I would rarely have access to, and 3 days barely felt like enough.  I hope to return soon.