Pied Piper of Tadewalla Road
On the eve of Diwali I had organised a children’s party for twenty of our school drop outs at Extentia’s office. The aim was for Extentia volunteers to interact with the kids and give them some fun for Diwali. Really nice idea. In the week the School Drop Outs Project Leader had assured me that he would get me twenty children, an ambulance (that’s the form of transport we use here at DGS! Kind of like the Scooby doo van!) And a driver. I get to DGS on Friday at 4.30. No sign of any kids. Call Hans in a small panic. He comes down. Still no children. I envisage the Extentia staff hovering over paper plates, party games and the Diyas that will be painted, waiting for phantom children to turn up. The party that never was. Five O’colck passes. Still no school drops outs. Kinda looks like they just dropped out of the whole thing.
I can see steam starting to seep out of Hans’ as we wait on the steps of DGS. I can feel my own temper being to bubble. Hans asks the Project Leader what’s going on. He informs us that its Diwali so he didn’t think it was worth bothering to ask anyone. Again I picture the Extentia staff hosting a phantom party. This is an organisation we are trying to build ties with, so not delivering children to a party they had organised would leave us red faced and embarrassed. Project Leader didn’t really seem to give a damn. This is the frustration of internal politics in an NGO. This is a job to some people, rather than a passion. Some people just cannot see the bigger picture. They don’t realise the impact that this could have on what we are trying to achieve organisation wise. Sometimes you are just banging your head (when you wish it was theirs!) against a monolithic unmoving wall. If he couldn’t sort it out, he should have just said. Instead of leaving us seething on a step at 4.45 on a baking Friday afternoon.
The steam came out of Hans ears at this point…. So we became the Pied Pipers of Tadwalla Road. If some people can’t be arsed to get 20 kids to attend a fun party, then we certainly could. The DISHA team as always where there to save the day. Frantic calls where made… ones that an outsider would be intrigued by “ I need you to get me twenty children and I need them twenty minutes ago… chalo”!!
Ranu, one of the saviours, is cooking her children some Diwali treats in her home when we call. Frying pakoras over her stove. Kids playing outside. The fact she drops everything in a minute and brings the kids and her pakoras within ten minutes demonstrates a) her utmost respect for Hans and b) her dedication to DGS. If only everyone could be like her. Mira, another saviour, answers the SOS in jaw dropping fashion. In a panic we beg her to bring her kids and a few others in ten minutes. Like Ranu she is preparing for what is the equivalent of Christmas day… cooking, getting the best clothes ready, making rangoli outside her house. That doesn’t matter. Five minutes letter a long line of children all holding hands slowly drop into the centre. All sent by Mira. There are 42 in total. Yes its Diwali, yes it’s a holiday, but that doesn’t stop the dedicated DISHA staff delivering on our promise to Extentia. And delivering in the form of 42 kids!!!
Now we all have to fit into the Scooby van!! Me and 42 kids age 7-15. Them speaking Marathi, me English! There isn’t room for Hans and Ranu, they assure me they will be along soon! We squeeze in, 44 people in a 10 seater van.
We get to Extentia only thirty minutes late. Its no point trying to hide the fact we have 42 kids when we should have 20… the more the merrier hey? Well 42 is better than a big fat 0.
The party is great… Extentia really know how to give the kids a great time. First games are played, then Diyas (Diwali candles) are painted, then dancing, food, then the piste de resistance – Fireworks! At first the kids are shy, they are not used to this kind of environment. I (as a DGS face), have to show them all the toilet, as they won’t go on their own. Then as the music blares out and the fireworks sparkle the Indian urge to dance quells all shyness. The shoulder wiggling and hand jiggling is a site to behold on a roof full of candles on a starry night. This sense of togetherness and momentary dissolving of all boundaries between those that have and those that have not, is what Diwali is all about. A festival of lightness.
I can see steam starting to seep out of Hans’ as we wait on the steps of DGS. I can feel my own temper being to bubble. Hans asks the Project Leader what’s going on. He informs us that its Diwali so he didn’t think it was worth bothering to ask anyone. Again I picture the Extentia staff hosting a phantom party. This is an organisation we are trying to build ties with, so not delivering children to a party they had organised would leave us red faced and embarrassed. Project Leader didn’t really seem to give a damn. This is the frustration of internal politics in an NGO. This is a job to some people, rather than a passion. Some people just cannot see the bigger picture. They don’t realise the impact that this could have on what we are trying to achieve organisation wise. Sometimes you are just banging your head (when you wish it was theirs!) against a monolithic unmoving wall. If he couldn’t sort it out, he should have just said. Instead of leaving us seething on a step at 4.45 on a baking Friday afternoon.
The steam came out of Hans ears at this point…. So we became the Pied Pipers of Tadwalla Road. If some people can’t be arsed to get 20 kids to attend a fun party, then we certainly could. The DISHA team as always where there to save the day. Frantic calls where made… ones that an outsider would be intrigued by “ I need you to get me twenty children and I need them twenty minutes ago… chalo”!!
Ranu, one of the saviours, is cooking her children some Diwali treats in her home when we call. Frying pakoras over her stove. Kids playing outside. The fact she drops everything in a minute and brings the kids and her pakoras within ten minutes demonstrates a) her utmost respect for Hans and b) her dedication to DGS. If only everyone could be like her. Mira, another saviour, answers the SOS in jaw dropping fashion. In a panic we beg her to bring her kids and a few others in ten minutes. Like Ranu she is preparing for what is the equivalent of Christmas day… cooking, getting the best clothes ready, making rangoli outside her house. That doesn’t matter. Five minutes letter a long line of children all holding hands slowly drop into the centre. All sent by Mira. There are 42 in total. Yes its Diwali, yes it’s a holiday, but that doesn’t stop the dedicated DISHA staff delivering on our promise to Extentia. And delivering in the form of 42 kids!!!
Now we all have to fit into the Scooby van!! Me and 42 kids age 7-15. Them speaking Marathi, me English! There isn’t room for Hans and Ranu, they assure me they will be along soon! We squeeze in, 44 people in a 10 seater van.
We get to Extentia only thirty minutes late. Its no point trying to hide the fact we have 42 kids when we should have 20… the more the merrier hey? Well 42 is better than a big fat 0.
The party is great… Extentia really know how to give the kids a great time. First games are played, then Diyas (Diwali candles) are painted, then dancing, food, then the piste de resistance – Fireworks! At first the kids are shy, they are not used to this kind of environment. I (as a DGS face), have to show them all the toilet, as they won’t go on their own. Then as the music blares out and the fireworks sparkle the Indian urge to dance quells all shyness. The shoulder wiggling and hand jiggling is a site to behold on a roof full of candles on a starry night. This sense of togetherness and momentary dissolving of all boundaries between those that have and those that have not, is what Diwali is all about. A festival of lightness.
posted by Volunteer at 5:13 am
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