Tag: Guria

shuktara homes for disabled young people

Update on the documentary

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

shuktara celebrates Holi, festival of colours

Happy Holi from shuktara!

Holi is an Indian spring festival also known as the "festival of colours". As Wikipedia says: "It signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh."

As you can see from the photos, this is a favorite festival at shuktara, celebrated by everyone.

Happy Holi from all of us at shuktara!

shuktara home for disabled girls

A regular evening at Lula Bari

Our girls house tutor Priyanka (photo on right) is with the girls most evenings from about 6pm and sometimes stays the night.

Last Thursday night, 15th Feb, Guria and Moni were drawing (we particularly love her fish) while Lali was doing basic Bengali/English and Prity along with Muniya were doing their school homework.

It's great to see Guria taking part in all the activities and Priyanka makes sure that she is included in everything.

Read more about:
Guria
Moni
Lali
Prity
Muniya

2018 Saraswati Puja at shuktara

Saraswati Puja on the roof

Every year Saraswati Puja is celebrated on the roof of the shuktara boys' home. All of the young people at shuktara eagerly anticipate wearing new clothes and having kedgeree and prasad. Friends and family are invited to this puja and as you can see, there is always quite a crowd of people having a wonderful time.

shuktara homes

Old friends visit shuktara

In 1999, the very beginning of shuktara, Alison and Bryan stayed in an upstairs flat in the first shuktara home. Their door was almost always open to the first five boys - Anna, Sunil, Shantara, Bapi and Sanjay.

For the next few years they taught computer skills downstairs in David's flat, shared meals with everyone at shuktara, and even went on vacations to Goa and Puri with the boys. While they lived in Kolkata they were frequent visitors to the shuktara homes.

They recently returned to Kolkata for a visit and absolutely loved being back with the young people of shuktara. They took dozens of photos - here are a few of the best.

Day of the Dead at Lula Bari

Our friend Sunnie Nicklaus came back to Kolkata this weekend and she decided that celebrating the Day of the Dead at Lula Bari with the girls would be great fun. First she started off with a couple of hundred photos that she has taken over her previous visits and the girls pasted them all in photo albums and are able to keep their own copies.

Sunnie also brought Day of the Dead masks that everyone decorated. They all decorated each other with paper flowers and the day ended up with some of the biggest balloons we have ever seen.

Thank you Sunnie for coming back to Kolkata!

Please click here to see Sunnie's page supporting shuktara:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sunnie-niklaus