When couchsurfing we try to find hosts with our similar interests. In this case our host volunteered with a school and women's shelter so our time was mostly spent visiting the organizations and learning about how they started and are working towards sustainability. The school had just set up a thrift store and of course Jaims and I can never say no to a thrift store. Lucky for us we even found a few outfits and a scarf to protect us from the dust that never seemed to settle.
The school was inspiring as the we talked with the man who started it all. Although I have many opinions on how humanitarian and development should work the one thing I believe in most is that in order for something to last and be strong enough to create the desired change it has to start from within. As a foreigner I can support, inspire and encourage but that can never replace the personal investment required in development. This school and the women and childrens' shelter had it. Started by locals who saw a problem, it is about changing their community and their own lives.
As we sat and spoke with the women and children I could not hold back the tears. Confused by my response the women, mostly victims of abuse and prostitution, smiled at me in attempt to make me smile. Their strength inspired me and reminds me to never give up. Although they may not qualify to be the models of a magazine or in a Bollywood film, to me they are beautiful.
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| *such basic needs* |
To learn more about the school visit their website Little Drops
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