And here is our latest addition to shuktara - Aakash arrived not long ago but he's already showing his very own radiant shuktarasmile.
#shuktarasmiles
Author: shuktara
Suellen Dainty visits Lula Bari
Posted on by shuktara
We had a visit last week from Suellen Dainty who is an author and was in Kolkata researching for a new book! Suellen was a friend of Lula Gibson; the girls' home Lula Bari is named in her memory.
This is a photo from her visit to Lula Bari, sitting with Lali (left) and Guria (right). We're so pleased she came to see shuktara and hope she enjoyed her time with us as much as we enjoyed having her!
Studying at Lula Bari
Posted on by shuktara
We have a lot of fun at shuktara but we can also be serious.
None of the young people at our homes have ever been forced to go to school. We believe in letting them settle at home before enrolling them at school.
In India, home tuitions are an integral part of education. Below are some photos of Moni and Muniya studying at Lula Bari. Don't let their smiles fool you - they are intently doing their lessons!
Filming at REACH school
Posted on by shuktara
Last week the Shuktara Documentary Film crew spent some time filming at REACH school where the girls from Lula Bari go. Phoebe Brown and Raegan Hodge were invited to film Guria and Prity in their physiotherapy sessions at REACH and were able to get some great shots of their day in school.
We thank Phoebe and Raegan for coming and look forward when they return to Kolkata to film more of shuktara.
You can see updates, film clips and photos here: https://www.gofundme.com/shuktarafilm
Aakash has a new home at shuktara
Posted on by shuktara
Wednesday, 28th March, was an exciting day for shuktara because a new boy arrived. His name is Aakash, which means "sky". Since he was a baby Aakash has lived in a nursing home, surrounded by staff who have clearly given him lots of attention and love. You can see in the photos below how emotional it was for the women who had cared for Aakash all his life to say goodbye.
Unfortunately the nursing home is closing and although Aakash has been loved, he has not really been around young people his own age. As Phoebe Brown (who is currently filming a documentary about shuktara) says - "It is time for Aakash to be in a real home."
We welcome Aakash to his new home at shuktara!
(Click here for an email from David about Aakash coming to shuktara)
2018 March - Nursing home staff saying goodbye to Aakash
2018 March - Aakash says goodbye to the staff and leaves with Pappu
2018 March - Aakash at shuktara
2018 March - Aakash with Minudi
Subhash moving to a favourite Bollywood song
Posted on by shuktara
There is nothing Subhash likes more than listening to Hindi music from Bollywood films and this song is one of his favourites.
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To by Kumar Sanu from the film 1942: A Love Story
It’s all about being independent
Posted on by shuktara
At shuktara we have always encouraged everyone to be as independent as they can be. Prity has found her very own unique way of comfortably getting around Lula Bari.
She has cerebral palsy and cannot walk, so she devised this way of getting upstairs with Lali's help.
Each of the young people who live at shuktara have their own ways of getting around and some need more help than others.
Please click on the link below to see the trailer for the shuktara Documentary Film and donate to help tell more of their stories:
https://www.gofundme.com/shuktarafilm
Update on the documentary
Posted on by shuktara
Phoebe (one of the filmmakers) says:
"I wanted to share this small bit of video that didn't make the trailer cut -- because the sentiment is very important to David and also to us as filmmakers...
On this next trip, cameras will be shared and I'm working on ideas that will allow the kids who don't have the motor control to hold a camera to shoot differently. Or to let that movement be part of the making. The shuktara community's eyes are as important - if not more important than - our eyes."
To be part of this amazing documentary about shuktara please click here:
https://www.gofundme.com/shuktarafilm
"True generosity consists precisely in fighting to destroy the causes which nourish false charity.
False charity constrains the fearful and subdued, the 'rejects of life' to extend their trembling hands.
True generosity lies in striving so that these hands — whether of individuals or entire peoples — need be extended less and less in supplication, so that more and more they become human hands which work and, working, transform the world."
Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed
A documentary on shuktara
Posted on by shuktara
Filmmakers Phoebe Brown and Elizabeth Strickler were in Kolkata working on a video training programme for girls called The Cross Stitch Project when they first came across shuktara and began to think about making a documentary.
In August last year cinematographer Raegan Hodge came here to shoot some footage for this documentary. What she shot has been edited and is here for you to see. Phoebe and Raegan would like to come back and continue filming this Spring. Please take a look and see if you can be part of it by supporting their journey in the making of this documentary.
Please take a look - this is what Phoebe said about shuktara:
"We want to make this film because shuktara is home to an amazing group of young people - wonderful, glowing and complex young people - who have rich, full lives - because they have love, attention and care in their lives."
This is their story:
https://www.gofundme.com/shuktarafilm
