Altruistic 5th Grade Class Shares Bake Sale Money with Aarohan!

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."   ~Mother Teresa

One of Mrs. Ritu Sachdev's favorite quotes certainly sums up what she and her 5th grade class opted to do their bake sale money this year.  Instead of choosing to spend all of their earnings on an ice cream or pizza party at the end of the year,  the children decided to donate half of the money, amounting to 250 chf,  to Aarohan! The Primary School Charity Committee was deeply moved by the children's generosity and kindness -- and so was Mrs. Sachdev.

Mrs. Sachdev explained that "Aarohan is very close to my heart because I come from India, too! [My students] are good kids, not greedy at all and we decided together to give the money to Aarohan.  It feels good to give money to people who need it more than we do."

"As an Indian who has seen poverty around me, I have seen that every little bit helps."

"Millions of people in India help the poor everyday by giving them a meal, a free cup of tea, a book, sweets when they are celebrating, or a small job which they could do themselves but feel that the other person needs the money more...  They don't wait for big moments or large sums of money to make a difference."

But while the sum may seem small by Swiss standards, the donation of 250 chf will make a HUGE difference to the staff and students of Aarohan!  Consider this:

• 250 chf = 1250 nutritious meals for the children attending Aarohan classes
• 250 chf = An Aarohan teacher's salary for five months
• 250 chf =  A year's worth of books and school supplies for three Aarohan students

For Mrs. Sachdev, "Charity is part of an Indian's life eveyday."  It is obvious that she is teaching our children that it can be a part of their lives, as well.

Thank you, Mrs. Sachdev, Lindsey, Sarah, Kyler, Danila, Olex, Rakan, Sara, Mohammed, Martin, Jose, Lauren, Naomi, Tara and Rachel!  What a generous, kind and inspiring class you are... 

   

Pencils for Pupils

We have received the below report from Rani Patel, Aarohan founder. In it she describes how the pencils that CDL students collected for Aarohan were distributed at a special Children's Day on 14th November this year.

Please take a moment to read it and to look at the photos. Rani writes that "Participating in such activities is rare in the lives of these children and the true meaning of children's day was realized when we looked at their bright faces and cheerful smiles". Just one look at these photos will convince you, if you aren't already, that what Aarohan is doing is truly wonderful and very important!




Dear Catherine
Greetings!


I reiterate my thanks from all at Aarohan for the smiles we were able to bring on the faces of Aarohan students on this children's day. Many thanks also for the wonderful stationery CDL has provided our students through Ms Veena Deepak and Mr Deepak Monganhali. We have also received letters from the children who have donated the stationery and we are trying to send a reply to them. I wish the children at CDL and Aarohan students could interact with each other.




Aarohan's work is gaining recognition from all quarters. Volunteers from different prestigious institutions approach us for an opportunity to interact with the students. Lately 35 students from Symbiosis Law School are volunteering at Aarohan. This is a feather in our cap and its like a reward of our work. The children are getting one to one individual attention.

The stationery you have sent was distributed to the students on 14th November.14th November is a special day for children all over India as it is celebrated as Children's Day. Each year, Aarohan celebrates the day almost like a festival. This year, the event was organized in 2 sessions in the nearest local park. The morning session happened from 10 30 to 12 wherein the 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys played many games like lemon-in-a-spoon race and tie-one-leg race. Later the students enjoyed themselves with singing and dancing. All the students participated in these fun filled events. Many volunteers from Symbiosis Law School enjoyed the day along with Aarohan students.Towards, the end of this session, Aarohan's senior teacher Ms Sunita Dhar told the children about why children's day is celebrated. Prizes, stationery ( provided by CDL) and chocolates were distributed amongst all the children by Aarohan member Ms Anjana Tata.





The afternoon session started from 1'o clock and went on till 5 in the evening. This session was solely dedicated to primary students of the PASS group and girls of classes 6th,7th and 8th. Volunteers from management institute IMI organized this session and played games like passing- the-parcel, Paper dancing and conducted quizzes for the students. Chocolates and stationery were distributed to all the students at the end of the day.

Participating in such activities is rare in the lives of these children and the true meaning of children's day was realized when we looked at their bright faces and cheerful smiles.

I wish you could share this day with our students so that we could show them the real force behind this happiness which is CDL. I thank you once again for all the strength that you give us without which none of this would have been a reality.

Rani

The following is a letter from Rani Patel, founder and director of Aarohan:


Season's Greetings!

Hopefully all is well at your end. I have been out of town for the fortnight as I was in Jaipur. I am delighted to share with you that Mr. Shashi Sahai's Photo Exhibition in Jaipur, the proceeds of which will be utilized towards the welfare of Aarohan students, was a great success. We were able to create awareness about our cause and the photographs themselves garnered a lot of appreciation from one and all. Please visit Aarohan's facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/aarohan.ngo 

I cannot express my gratitude for the kindness that you show us in every way. You have given us a free field to utilize the funds in the best and most immediate interests of the children. This makes our work more efficient and productive. 

As you must be aware, Diwali is a time of great celebration and festivity all over the country. It is a festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm at Aarohan as well. We put up Diwali stalls comprised of traditional Diwali products like diyas, wall hangings and paintings that were prepared by the staff and teachers along with the students. The stalls were a big success and Aarohan products were in great demand.

A day before Diwali, the staff members and teachers burst crackers along with the children who thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Sweets, food and gifts were distributed among the students on this auspicious day.

It is a matter of pride for us that the students are performing exceedingly well in academics and co curricular activities. None of this would have been possible without your kind support.

It was heartening to see the stationery (from the "Pencils for Pupils" drive) that you sent for Aarohan through Veena Deepak and her husband. It was touching that they took so much pains to deliver the stationery to Aarohan in two slots. Taking the privilege of the freedom you have always given us, we distributed a part of the stationery in Jaipur to disabled and mentally challenged children. The rest of it will be distributed to Aarohan students on 14th November which is celebrated as Children's Day in India and during Aarohan's Christmas celebrations next month. 

I wish that you would come to Aarohan soon so that the kids and all of us can see who is behind Aarohan's success. Till then, I can only convey many thanks to you on behalf of all the children and the Aarohan team for the strength that you give us at every step.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Thanks.

Rani Patel 

Half a dollar a day 'adequate' states India's main planning body

BBC 21 September 2011 Half a dollar a day 'adequate' Millions of Indians live below the poverty line. India's main planning body has said half a dollar a day is "adequate" for a villager to spend on food, education and health. Critics say that the amount fixed by the Planning Commission is extremely low and aimed at "artificially" reducing the number of poor who are entitled to state benefits. There are various estimates on the exact number of poor in India. Officially, 37% of India's 1.21bn people live below the poverty line. But one estimate suggests the true figure could be as high as 77%. The Planning Commission has told India's Supreme Court that an individual income of 25 rupees (52 cents) a day would help provide for adequate "private expenditure on food, education and health" in the villages. In the cities, it said, individual earnings of 32 rupees a day (66 cents) were adequate. The Planning Commission was responding to a direction from the court to update its poverty line figures to reflect rising prices. India has been struggling to contain inflation which is at a 13-month high of 9.78%. Many experts have said the income limit to define the poor was too low. "This extremely low estimated expenditure is aimed at artificially reducing the number of persons below the poverty line and thus reduce government expenditure on the poor," well-known social activist Aruna Roy told The Hindu newspaper. The Planning Commission also told the court that 360 million Indians are now being supplied with subsidised food and cooking fuel through the network of state-owned shops. A World Bank report in May said attempts by the Indian government to combat poverty were not working. It said aid programmes were beset by corruption, bad administration and under-payments. BBC © 2011

Aarohan News Letter - Teach the Mother Project

TEACH THE MOTHER PROJECT

Aarohan's aim is to attain 100% literacy in India. We had left one block unattended in our work towards achieving this goal i.e. Adult Education. Our experience with the class 10 students of our Shikhar project made us realize that despite of these children doing really well in their examination, their parents do not know what an excellent academic performance means.

We are utilizing all possible resources to prepare our meritorious students for taking the entrance examination in professional and technical courses like engineering and medicine. For this, we are happily bearing the entire cost of tuition classes, textbooks, stationery, transportation etc. as our students are talented and hard working. However, there is a total lack of motivation and direction from their parents as they are illiterate.

This particular experience gave birth to our " Teach the Mother" project which was inaugurated on 1st August and where we aim to make women of Jagdamba Camp, New Delhi at least functionally literate. 80% students from this urban slum dwelling study at Aarohan. Therefore the people here have an unquestioning trust in Aarohan's work. In spite of this, they are not very open- minded about studying. We had to do a lot of convincing before the women agreed to come out of their homes to learn reading and writing. However to our utter surprise, we realized that the number of women attending the class kept increasing. Initially they were hesitant to attend the classes due to social stigma but are actually very enthusiastic about getting this opportunity to learn.

We read in a paper by UNICEF that teaching basic reading and writing to adults takes a long time but our experience has been delightfully different. The women are so eager to learn that they are making progress at a remarkable rate. They are coming forward to study and are also practicing diligently at home what they are being taught in class. They want to study so that they are not cheated, so that they are able to help their children in academics and to gain the respect of their husbands and families. Along with studying, they are also addressed about the importance of health, hygiene and sanitation.

This was an area that needed immediate attention and we are happy to be able to help these women become educated and self- reliant.


DILLI HAAT EVENT
Aarohan organized a day long event at Dilli Haat on 13th August. It was a combined celebration of India's 65th Independence Day- which encapsulates the spirit of freedom, Raksha Bandhan- symbol of love, care and affection and the nation's ongoing fight against corruption. This event aimed to sensitize people and make them aware that each one of us has a responsibility towards our country. The day began with an art competition that was inaugurated and judged by National Award Recipient Shri Ganga Narayan Maharana. Many children participated and drew innovative drawings on the themes of "My Childhood" and "India of My Dreams". Later, Aarohan students gave captivating dance performances on Rajasthani folk and patriotic songs. Some students also put up Nukkad Natak (Street plays) on anti corruption and the importance of traffic rules. The evening was brightened by toddlers who looked splendid in different regional costumes in the fancy dress competition. The event came to a close with the prize distribution and an address by Aarohan President- Ms Rani Patel.

JANMASHTHMI
Lord Krishna is worshipped across India and his birth anniversary is celebrated with great enthusiasm as Janmashthmi. Aarohan students put up a dance performance and Veda Recitation on the occasion of Janmashthmi at Shri Laxmi Narayan temple in Malviya Nagar on 22nd August 2011. The students were taught the traditional dance by Aarohan’s dance teacher Shri Dinesh Parihar and won the first prize in the competition.

Avinash's Story

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. This seems to be Avinash’s mantra as he wades through the lows of life like a swan gliding through the turbulent waters.
But what is that makes him different from the other well-heeled 16-year-olds -- his hunger to seek knowledge even while facing unfavourable circumstances.
Miles away from living a cushioned and sheltered existence, this 16-year-old lanky teenager is trying to make the most of his present so as to warrant a rosy future. He wants to dream and achieve big just like other affluent adolescents. He wants to carve a tomorrow where there’s no place for hopelessness and helplessness. All because of one constant and guiding factor in his life – Aarohan.
Aarohan has truly been a harbinger of hope for scores of kids like him who are trying to find a sense of identity in an urban milieu.
Avinash’s innings at Aarohan began in the year 2006 when he migrated to New Delhi from Bihar, a state in India, along with his parents and two siblings in search of employment. Delhi was a culture shock for this youngster who found it difficult to adjust to his new surroundings especially in the absence of a suitable source of livelihood and accommodation. It was a testing time for the entire family who was trying to find a firm footing amidst all the chaos.
There’s a light at the end of the dark tunnel goes a saying and the light in Avinash’s case turned out to be Aarohan where he was referred to by one of his acquaintances.
Aarohan embraced this hapless family wholeheartedly by becoming its emotional anchor and helping it to start from the scratch. Reminiscing those days Avinash says, “When we shifted to Delhi, we had nothing. It was difficult to make two ends meet. Aarohan helped us with basic necessities. Without their support, it wouldn’t have been possible to survive in this big city.”
Just to ensure that this displacement didn’t jeopardize the children’s education and future, Avinash and his siblings were coaxed to enroll at our centre which they did and this move paid off. From a gawky, shy, insecure and unconfident boy who struggled to cope up in every sphere of life including academics, Aarohan brought about a sea-change in his personality and outlook towards life. “Coming to Delhi was a major change. In village, my thinking was restricted but Aarohan altered it by exposing me to a world which I thought never existed.”
“Initially, I wasn’t very forthcoming about approaching people for want of confidence. Even striking a conversation with my friends was a tedious chore for me. Gradually, my personality blossomed through the constant encouragement and support of Rani Maam, Anju Maam and other staff members at Aarohan and, slowly, I came into my own.”
Whatever I am today is because of Aarohan.”
It’s not that Avinash’s life has undergone a complete transformation. The family is still struggling to cope up with their finances. His father is a small-time vendor who barely manages to earn two square meals for his wife and three children. But what has changed is their perspective about how to lead their life in the future. Thanks to Aarohan’s motivation and Avinash’s never-say-die attitude.
The grueling schedule that Avinash follows everyday validates this spirit. He divides his time equally between Aarohan and his school. “Coming to Aarohan has become a ritual, something I look forward to every day.” His day at Aarohan begins at 8.30 in the morning wherein after putting an hour at learning computers; he goes home, completes his homework and readies himself for a long day at school which lasts till 6 in the evening. He’s back at Aarohan by 6.30 for the after-school tuition support which continues till 9.30 in the night. It takes another half-an-hour by foot to reach home. He doesn’t carry any food for the evening and goes on an empty stomach, sometimes out of choice but mostly out of compulsion. “I have become habitual of not eating. It doesn’t matter if I get to eat or not. You have to compromise on something to earn something. I’m struggling because I want to become something. Struggles inspire me to continue.”
He’s vociferous in thanking his parents for unconditionally supporting him in his education, particularly his mother who has always pushed him in his endeavours. For a poverty-stricken family where more earning hands mean more income, letting their child pursue his dreams is no mean feat. On his part, he has never burdened his parents with any inappropriate demands. “I have adapted to the situation and have never asked for anything from them. I don’t feel bad about it. I know I have to build my capacity to that level wherein I can be financially independent when I grow up to seek those comforts which me and my parents have always aspired for,” he says nonchalantly.
Blessed with good oratorical skills, Avinash has also excelled in academics. His achievement is stupendous considering he was like a blank page when had joined our centre. He didn’t know how to read or write and it took one-and-a-half years of rigorous preparation to get him admitted to Grade 6 in the school. It was also the first time that one of Aarohan’s students was admitted to the senior stream of the school. Now, it’s a different story altogether. In the recently held class X board examination, he scored a CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Assessment) of 8.4 out of 10. What a way to go.
One of his best and endearing attributes is his desire to imbibe good things from everywhere, be it books, newspapers or his surroundings. As he says, “That makes me the person I am today. Now I’m sure of myself. Though I’m striving to become a more positive person and take less stress.”
For a person who was neither born with a proverbial silver spoon nor a sound lineage, it is a commendable achievement to take life head on.
Avinash’s story endorses that it’s not impossible to dream big and, may be, make it happen if your head, heart and hands work in unison.

Grade 1 Finalists and Winner in the Aarohan Essay Writing Contest!

Congratulations to ALL of the students who entered our contest. Many tears were shed when the entries were read; we are very proud of how much you understand about the children of Aarohan!

Please view the finalists and winning entries below...

 

 
Grade 1
Students were asked to draw a picture including the word Ararohan, a sun and a child with a book.

 

WINNER: Leo

Ian’s comment: “Leo’s drawing is my favourite. He was supposed to include a book and it’s hard to see where it is, exactly. Still, I think I can see clues to it all over the place. I’ve decided that the book is definitely there in spirit. I love all the intricate patterns and the bright colours that capture the magic of India. The people and the elephants are full of happiness. You sense that they can feel the friendship and kindness of the children from CDL who want to help them. Scintillating!”

FINALIST: Samuel Wang

FINALIST: Jo Fairman

 

Latest Update from Rani Patel

Here is an e-mail from Rani Patel; founder and driver of Aarohan NGO:

Take a moment to read what she has to say about the work Aarohan is doing:

"Your mails are the greatest motivation for me. Even if there is no mail, I wait to hear from you.You remain my highest inspiration and the certificate of our work. Your understanding and support with full care and concern despite of the distance is my greatest strength.I have no words to express my feelings. I wish that I could spend even a few moments with you.







I would like to share our greatest achievement with you. Our children who struggle from scratch, who do not have even two square meals per day, proper clothes or shelter, have proved and certified Aarohan's work with their stupendous results in class 10 Board Examination. Out of 16 students from Class tenth, 13 students have scored more than 85% marks, six students have secured over 90%. Some students have scored 100% marks in Maths and Science. Nishchay, a shy young boy whose mother has passed away and father has abandoned with his two siblings to avoid household responsibilities, is our highest scorer with 96% marks. I would write to you in detail about Nishchay. I have attached the report cards of some of our students with this mail.





As you are aware, we have replicated our work at Baripada in Odisha state which is a remote and needy area. If we can take care of this region through our work, actual development will be projected. It is very challenging to develop this region because of the tough topographic and living conditions. Due to widespread poverty and illiteracy, it is hard to raise funds through local action. We are trying our best but not finding any help here. To gain their trust, we need to prove that we are the real well wishers to the beneficiaries. Apparently, they had bad experiences in the past with community workers and now they have lost faith which needs to be regained.We are following Aarohan's model by alluring them with their requirements like food, utensils, clothes etc to the students to encourage them and their parents to partner in our work. Presently, over 100 children are benefiting from this project. I have constant command over this project. I am assisted by Shashi Sahai ( Treasurer) and Itismita Mishra ( Project Manager).

If you have any other queries, please feel free to write.

Thanking You
Rani Patel"

Winners and Runners Up - Aarohan Essay Competition

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL FINALISTS AND WINNERS!


All winners and finalists, you have won an Aarohan/CDL T-shirt. Therefore, please send an e-mail to ckt@ddocs.ch with your name, telephone number, grade and class teacher, and the requested T-shirt size as soon as possible. We have kid's sizes 7-8, 9-11, 12-14 and adult sizes Small, Medium, Large and XL. If we get your e-mail soon, we can give you your t-shirt before school ends. If not, we will call you to arrange further.















We are delighted to announce the winners and finalists of the Aarohan essay and picture competition.


As you know, the best-selling children's author Ian Whybrow, who has written over 100 children's book and is published in 27 languages in 28 countries, and who visited CDL this school year, had agreed to judge the competition.


Our job was to choose and send him three entries for each year. That was a most difficult assignment as we had never imagined that CDL students would come to this task with so much imagination and hard work.  What impressed us most of all is that, at each grade level, we could see that the children had genuinely begun to think about what it would be like to be born in a situation that is very different from their own.


This is difficult for children to do.


It is also important.


Only if we use our imagination and try to understand others -- how they live, what they feel -- can we hope for the world to become a better place.


The children of CDL have certainly started on the road of understanding and empathy.


We are extremely proud of you.


Here is what Ian Whybrow had to say about the competition:


“The rules of the competition meant that the students had to think long and hard about what to do. And they had to have the sensitivity and imagination to understand how other people living in very different circumstances might feel.

I have only seen the work of three finalists in each grade and I congratulate the organizers for their dedication. It must have been very tricky (from us: it was!!!) to choose from such a mountain of entries, many of them displaying great talent.

Others might have chosen differently, but here are my chosen winners.

Very many congratulations to you all.”




And the winners are….


Grade 1
Students were asked to draw a picture to include the word Ararohan, a sun, a child with a book


WINNER: Leo


Ian’s comment: “Leo’s drawing is my favourite. He was supposed to include a book and it’s hard to see where it is, exactly. Still, I think I can see clues to it all over the place. I’ve decided that the book is definitely there in spirit. I love all the intricate patterns and the bright colours that capture the magic of India. The people and the elephants are full of happiness. You sense that they can feel the friendship and kindness of the children from CDL who want to help them. Scintillating!”


Finalist: Jo Fairman
Finalist: Samuel Wang


Grade 2
Students were asked to draw a picture to include the word Ararohan, a sun, a child with a book and also short text starting "Today I, ..."


WINNER: Dara


Ian’s comment: “I admire greatly the genius of Laith’s very moving picture of the boy reading. Sadly, this talented work doesn’t follow the rules of the competition. So the one I chose as the winner of this section is Dara’s. It’s lovely to think that after all her hard work, the little Indian girl has a picture book by Jill Murphy to relax with, a book that will make her laugh and feel happy. By the way, the little girl’s sari is glorious.”


Finalist: Laith (see comment above)
Finalist: Alex Reid Bezyak


Grade 3
Students were asked to draw a cartoon strip with dialogue showing how they imagine a day in the life of a child at Aarohan

WINNER: Chandler Norling


Ian’s comment: “Chandler’s cartoon is my winner. It tells a story with complete clarity and simplicity and a great deal of charm. That’s a hard trick to bring off, but Chandler managed it perfectly through planning and thoughtful design. Terrific.”


Finalist: Mayu Odajima
Finalist: Alexandra Riley


Grade 4
Students were asked to draw a cartoon strip or an essay describing a day in the life of a child at Aarohan

WINNER: Sarah Levitt


Ian’s comment: "Ishta’s entry was attractively hand-written and I was impressed by the trouble the writer took to spell and punctuate correctly. I admired Ishta’s discipline and control. “My Life in Words” is passionate and appealing and obeys the rules; it’s a worthy finalist.
The other two pieces were from the same writer. The longer story, “The Dream Helper” is not really on the subject set. Even so, you can’t help being astonished by it. It is amazingly intense and strikingly original. How about this?


I had a pair of thick woolly socks and I had glued leaves and plastic on to the bottoms of them.


And what about this for an attempt to get across what it’s like to get inside somebody else’s mind and share her feelings?


A feeling of rage that wasn’t mine burst inside me.


“Slum Life” sticks more closely to the task, but loves to wander.


If it were Sarah Levitt’s only entry, I’d have chosen Ishta as the winner.

Still, there’s such an outpouring of effort and such a desire to communicate feeling from Sarah that one would have to have a heart of stone not to declare her the winner."
Finalist: Ishta Dube (see comments above)
Finalist: Lucy Craig


Grade 5
Students were asked to write an essay describing a day in the life of a child at Aarohan. Illustrations were optional.


Because the Grade 5 task was so difficult, and so much hard work was put into the essays from the whole of Grade 5, we decided to have three winners and three finalists:


WINNER: Evgenija Nuneska
WINNER: Andrew
WINNER: Sebastien G 5/4


Ian’s comments: “Andrew does an excellent, lively job in conjuring up a very detailed day in the life of his hero, Raja, and writes with tremendous energy and spirit.


Evgenija’s essay goes one step beyond what you might expect from a writer of her age and experience. She manages to get into the body and soul of a poor child who lives a very different life from her own. She sees feels, hears, smells and touches things, as Aarsi, her Indian narrator, might well experience her world. Aarsi has a hard life but she is gifted with spirit and a rich imagination that is nourished by what Aarohan brings: a new school, regular meals and the possibility of a better life.

I can’t imagine a more encouraging incentive to donate gifts and books and schooling and friendship to others than this exceptionally sensitive and persuasive appeal.”


Our comments.


Sebastien: We loved the way Sebastien described his relationship with the little brother “it takes forever to get my little brother out of his mattress. His mattress is more comfortable than mine, which I think is really unfair”.

Sebastien doesn’t make his hero a goody-goody, but a normal boy who loves his brother, but who would also like to have the best mattress!!

Sebastien’s story is a diary-entry; he describes the endless hours of walking and the heartlessness of the man who employs him and who can simply send the boy away and say he has to come back tomorrow to get money.

Sebastien’s hero is a little boy who is jealous of his brother, but also a worker who has to argue to get his salary and who empathises with his father who has a long walk across town to get his two sons.

The boy goes to Aarohan after school and at the end of the day comes home: “Once we reached home, I was exhausted. I collapsed on my mattress. I was tired and fell asleep almost immediately. Well, I can’t think of anything else, but I do, I'll write it down”.

You should, Sebastien, because you write very well!

Evgenija: Evgenija’s story shows that she has listened very carefully to what she has been told about Aarohan and about the life in the slums.

As Ian says, she manages to get into the body and soul of the child, Aarsi, who is playing with her friends: “they all got in pairs and pretended they weren’t wearing dusty sandals, but unique boots made by someone famous. Aarsi had fun but it was starting to get dark”.

Evgenija also shows that she cares. Working with this project has made an impression on her, and she has become aware of her power to help, and of the many extra things we have in our part of the world: “You too can help Aarohan and all the children in it by sending donations, clothes, something you bought, but you are probably never going to use… “

She ends with a great message: “CDL Cares!!!”

Andrew: Andrew’s contribution immediately brings us to the slums: “Hello may name is Raja and I am 10 years old”. The reader cannot ignore this person, he is right there, next to us, insisting that we get to hear his story. The story also shows great maturity: “the people in the school persuaded my parents to let me come to the school”; Andrew understands and shows with his sparse, but insightful writing what conflict may have been in the family when making the decision to educate their child. He is not sentimental, but matter of fact, probably quite accurate of how the child he is writing about would describe his own life.


Finalist: Jacob Legallais
Finalist: Jenny Jarvis
Finalist: An Ting Koh


WELL DONE EVERYONE!  While you are here, please become a follower of our blog so that we can send you periodic updates about the lives of the children you are helping!

Silent Auction Items Announced!

International Day

Silent Auction

In Aid of Aarohan

College du Leman

International Day

21 May 2011

School Items for Adults

 PRIVATE PARKING SPACE AT CDL

Become a CDL VIP (Very Important Parking-Person) with your own parking spot at school for the 2011-12 academic year!  Reserved for you and your child(ren), your VIP spot, Parking Space #8, is conveniently located in the lot behind the Panther Sports Café and will allow you to dodge car pick-up queues, orange cones and parking fines.

Donated by the CDL Administration

Value:  2,500 CHF

Opening Bid: 1000 CHF

School Items for Kids

 COACH FOR A DAY” WITH COACH T

Although his are mighty big sneakers to fill, give your child the chance to wear Coach T’s shoes for the day.  Your child will join his/her favourite coach for a day of high-fives, teaching and playing sports -- and learning that there is more to coaching than wearing cool clothes and being able to slam dunk.

Donated by Coach T

Value:  PRICELESS!

Opening Bid: 50 CHF

1 TERM OF PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS AT CDL

Drums, guitar, piano, violin and trumpet…  These are just some of the instruments you could learn to play if you win this fantastic item.  Enjoy one term of private music lessons at College du Leman.  (Also on offer is a new Yamaha flute:  combine these two donations for a fantastic start to your child’s musical career!)

Donated by the CDL Administration

Value:  600 CHF

Opening Bid:  200 CHF

School Items for Kids

1 YEAR OF A PFA SPONSORED ACTIVITY

OR

ONE TERM OF A CDL AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY

Chess?  Pottery?  Judo?  Science Club?  The choice is yours!  Enjoy one term of a CdL-sponsored activity or an entire year of a PFA after-school activity. (The September after-school activity calendar will be published at the start of the 2011-2012 school year.)

Donated by the CDL Administration

Value:  260 CHF

Opening Bid:  75 CHF

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL FOR THE DAY

Give your child the once in a lifetime chance to take over the primary school!  Your child will work alongside M Maeder, making decisions about policies, programs and playtime.  A unique peek into the workings of the primary school!

  

                                                   

Donated by Jean-Francoise Maeder

Value:  PRICELESS!

Opening Bid:  50 CHF

Sporting Equipment

KONA AFRICA BIKE 3

First built to assist impoverished Africans who were in need of transportation to go to school or work, the Africa Bike is now a much sought after ride worldwide.  The AfricaBike 3 is a great bicycle for those looking for a durable, easy-riding bike that can cruise everything from city streets to bumpy back roads. The bike features a new aluminum frame with a built-in rear rack that's strong enough to carry your sister, a basket in the front for her flowers, and a 3-speed internal drive train.

Donated by the Holmstrom Family of CDL

Value:  699 CHF

Opening Bid: 300 CHF

Birthday Parties

BOUNCY CASTLE DELIVERED TO YOU!

Bring the party to YOUR house!  This four hour rental, perfect for 2 – 9 year olds, includes transportation, set-up and removal of the bouncy castle.  Valid until June 2012.

Donated by a kind CDL parent!

Value:  300 CHF

Opening Bid:  100 CHF

Activities & Camps for Kids

1 WEEK SUMMER CAMP

This celebrated summer camp, located in Coppet, is all yours if you are the highest bidder. Winner to attend one of Village Camps one-week summer camps.  (Combine with the other one week gift certificate on offer to experience the full Village Camps experience!)

Donated by Ed Ivy and Village Camps

Value:  600 CHF

                 Opening Bid: 300 CHF

PRIVATE  BASKETBALL  SESSION  FOR  10  PEOPLE  WITH  COACH  T

The winner (plus 9 of his/her friends) will enjoy a 90 minute, after-school private basketball session with Coach T.  What a wonderful opportunity to learn from the pro. Final session date and time to be set with Coach T.

                   

Donated by Coach T

Value:  250 CHF

Opening Bid: 80 CHF

 

Activities & Camps for Kids

60 MINUTES OF EXPLOSIVE, FAMILY FUN WITH     

CDL’S SCIENCE TEACHER, BRIONY TAYLOR!

Up to four siblings may join Briony for a private, after-school session of science experiments!  No prior experience in chemistry, rocket science or the periodic tables required!  (Please see Briony to arrange a mutually convenient time for your hour long session.)

Donated by Briony Taylor

Value:  200 CHF

Opening Bid:  50 CHF

Activities for Adults

SUSHI MAKING CLASS AND LUNCH FOR 8 

                                                                                                 

Spend an afternoon with seven of your friends learning how to make authentic Japanese sushi! Later, enjoy your culinary creations over lunch.  Winner to contact Hiroko van Winden to decide upon a mutually convenient meeting time.  

                                                                 Donated by CDL parents Asako Mizushima, Kiyo Hanishi,

Kimiko Mizuno & Hiroko van Winden 

Value:  500

Opening Bid:  150 CHF

Restaurants & food

LUNCH FOR TWO

AT “LE LOTI” IN LA RESERVE

Win this and you will be dining in style!  This gift certificate will allow two people to enjoy the degustation lunch menu at Le Loti in La Reserve, not including beverages. 

Donated by La Reserve

Value:  260 CHF

Opening bid:  100

100 CHF GIFT CERTIFICATE TO PANTHER SPORTS CAFE

Relax after drop-off or before pick-up with a coffee and a croissant on the patio of the Panther Sports Café!  A 100 chf gift card to use as you please within the café will be yours if you win.

Donated by the CDL Administration

Value:  100 CHF

Opening Bid:  50 CHF

A BOX OF WONDERFUL CHOCOLATES…

An assortment of Cartier’s finest chocolates is waiting for you.  Combine these delights with the red wine donation (following) and you have the makings of a lovely present. 

Go on…  You know you want to! 

Donated by:  O' Saveurs by Cartier, S.A.

Value: 120 CHF

Opening Bid:  40 CHF

Art and Photography

PAINTINGS FROM EACH OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL'S ART CLASSES!

Masterpieces created by the students of CDL.  Every student contributed to a group creation, resulting in a unique portrait of their specific class!  Come view the collaborative effort of the students of College du Leman.

Donated by the children of CDL

Value:  PRICELESS!!

Opening Bid: 50 CHF

TWO HOUR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION WITH KATHERINE NORLING

Katherine specializes in spontaneous, relaxed and timeless photographs of children and families.  Her work is in private and public collections internationally and has been featured in the New York Times, the London Times and various American magazines.

            Donated by Katherine CB Norling (mum of Chandler and Jonty)

Value:  900 CHF

Opening Bid: 300 CHF

Art and Photography

ALAA KHASHOGGI’S

FIELD OF POPPIES PHOTOGRAPH

An original, numbered and framed photograph by CdL father and professional photographer, Alaa Khashoggi.  This stunning and sought after portrait of our local landscape is in collections internationally. 

(120 cm mounted underneath acrylic.)

 

Donated by Alaa Khashoggi

Value 2,000 CHF

Opening Bid: 500 CHF

DECORATIVE INDIAN PAINTINGS and DRAWINGS

Created by the children of Aarohan, these beautiful drawings and paintings were completed during their art classes with Ganga Narayan, winner of the Indian National Art award.  The traditional Saura paintings are of special interest since it is an art form which is quickly dying out in India.

Donated by Aarohan

Value:  Various

Opening Bid: Various

Electronics

KODAK PLAYTOUCH POCKET VIDEO CAMERA

Go ahead. Touch it. Its unique touchscreen lets you glide through HD video like never before. With on-screen editing, you can easily keep the moments you want and trim the ones you don’t.

Donated by the Bell Family

Value:  199 CHF

Opening Bid:  40 CHF

CANON POWERSHOT A495 (RED) CAMERA

Simple to use, the PowerShot A495 has a compact, lightweight design that means you can take it with you wherever you go.

Donated by the Pedersen Family

Value:  199 CHF

Opening Bid:  50 CHF

KODAK PLAYSPORT CAMERA

WITH EXTRAS!

Take the plunge with the waterproof digital video camera capable of shooting up to 10 ft. (3 m) under water. This camera will go anywhere—rugged design enables video recording and great pictures, wherever you go, in just about any environment.

  

Donated by the Pedersen Family

Value:  239 CHF

Opening Bid:  60 CHF

Games for Kids

MAJIN AND THE FORSAKEN KINGDOM

XBOX 360 GAME (American XBOX 360 Game)

In an emotional journey of courage and respect, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom takes players on an adventure of increasing obstacles.

Donated by Abigail Norling

Value:  50 CHF

Opening Bid:  20 CHF

HAWX 2

Wii GAME (European Wii)

Become a member of the elite HAWX squadron and command more than 50 in-game planes.  Explore real locations all over the world created using high-end satellite data.  Play the game as a solo flier or in multiplayer mode.

Donated by The Norling Family

Value:  79.90 CHF

Opening Bid:  20 CHF

SIMS 3 PC/DVD/MAC GAME

The freedom of Sims 3 will inspire you with endless creative possibilities and amuse you with unexpected moments of surprise and mischief. Create millions of unique Sims and control their lives. Customize their appearances and personalities. Build their homes.  Then, send your Sims out to explore their ever-changing neighborhood and to meet other Sims in the town center.

Donated by Tracy Pedersen

Value:  89.90 CHF

Opening Bid:  20 CHF

Health and beauty

PRIVATE VINYASA YOGA SESSION FOR 4

Yoga to fire you up from the inside out...  An all-levels experience of intelligent flow yoga with a Yoga Alliance certified teacher.  Alignment tricks, hands-on adjustments and a light-hearted approach will give you either a taste of yoga for the first time or a kick-start to a familiar practice.

Donated by the Natalie Holt

GATHER, a Yoga Collective

Value:  120 CHF

Opening Bid:  50 CHF

FOUR REFLEXOLOGY TREATMENTS

Donated by Annette Ebbinghaus

Value:  280 CHF

Opening Bid: 100 CHF

Relax, unwind and feel TRULY BALANCED!  Enjoy four reflexology treatments with Annette Ebbinghaus, certified complimentary therapy practitioner.  (A client’s endorsement:  “Annette’s reflexology sessions are the highlight of my week.  The treatments are therapeutic as well as relaxing.  I cannot recommend her highly enough!”)

Musical instruments

MAGIC FLUTE

Perhaps your child might need this flute to go along with the private music lessons on offer above?  If so, this flute is perfect.  This Yamaha student flute in silver plate comes in a hard case with cleaning rod.

Donated by Angie Francombe

Value:  600 CHF

Opening Bid:  150 CHF

Wines

LET’S GET THE PARTY STARTED!

Donated by true oenophiles, Michelle and Rich Riley chose the following six bottles of wines and champagne so that your next party’s beverages would be covered!

Louis Casters Champagne Superieure Cuvee Brut – 2 bottles

Château Le Rosey Charmont 2009 (Vaud, Swiss) --  2 bottles

Tenuta Maria Teresa Fattoria Bernicchi Rosso 2006 (Tuscany) – 2 bottles

Donated by the Riley Family of CDL

Value:  120 CHF

Opening Bid:  60 CH

12 BOTTLES OF RED WINE

The taste of sunny Spain can be yours if you are the highest bidder on this lovely case of Crin Roja.  Enjoy!

Anonymous donor

Value:  120 CHF

Opening Bid:  50

Clothing & Accessories

COLUMBIA

GLACIAL GLIDE SKI JACKET

A women’s sized medium, Omni-Heat insulated, fully waterproof-breathable ski jacket. This jacket will take you from park to powder to après in style. The snap-back powder skirt features connect tabs that, when attached to your pants, create an impenetrable cocoon of warmth.

Donated by the Columbia Sports Company

Value:  399 CHF

Opening Bid:  100 CHF

COLUMBIA CIRCUITBREAKER CYBERPACK BACKPACK

The bevy of pockets includes a large main compartment, a padded laptop pocket and a front small-items pocket that opens horizontally like a locker for convenient accessibility. The multi-point compression straps allow you to adjust the pack’s volume to perfectly fit its load.  Omni-shield advanced repellency keeps contents dry during the drizzle. The sternum strap includes a rescue whistle for survival situations.

Donated by the Columbia Sports Company

Value:  399 CHF

Opening Bid:  100 CHF

THE NEW UNIFORM FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL!

You may exchange this gift certificate for one complete set of the new (and gorgeous) preschool or primary school uniform! 

Donated by the CDL Administration

Value:  300 CHF

Opening Bid:  150 CHF