Category: Kaveri

New thing… learning.

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I shared this joke as I’m currently working out how to help children think (creatively, divergently and critically) as part of my new thing. (Contemplating working with kaveri’s school, if they’ll have me) I’m looking into Kohlberg’s Stages Of Moral Development after starting to read this book ….

Postscript

I’ve also been reading Ken Robinson’s books. Great insights about how our education systems are designed for the Industrial Revolution preparing children to slot into jobs that will not exist. So we need to help them to have the competencies associated with adaptability, effective communication and developing relationships. I agree but there seems to be an added problem in achieving that. We don’t help them to think for themselves, to be innovative, we suppress it and expect them to know their place. That is an even older approach, it’s medieval and wrong.

wonderful images from Manjula’s Birthday event

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on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday we held a creativity day for the 100 students at Kaliyuva Mane School

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Why do we do it?

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To remember and celebrate Manjula by continuing her good kindness.

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Please check the wonderful photographs of our latest event

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Faizan is the official photographer and film maker of Manjula’s Mysore. A great friend of both Manjula and Stephen

He often presents us with a problem. His still shots are too good — we want to see them all.

So here they are — of the day we worked with the team at Kaliyuva Mane on the 21st August, on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday — to help support their work with these wonderful children.

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More info and links below.

More information about this day can be found here:

Faizan’s videos for Manjula’s Mysore are:

Introducing Manjula on a previous birthday

Our event on Manjula’s Birthday in 2022 for visually impaired young women

Our web sites

Kaliyuva Mane School

Manjulas’s Mysore for details of what we do (our services)

MeandMycycle for more about us and who we are (the blog)

For more information about Faizan

Our thanks to our supporters: The school itself Kaliyuvamane and its great team, Polar Bear Ice Creams their fab team, Faizan and our wonderful volunteers: the artist/teachers Anjali, Rena and Shubhash with help from Australia: Ina, Ali and Miai and Mysore Bed and Breakfast: Sowbaghya.

We all had fun and it made a difference in the children’s lives

Thank you, from Manjula and Stephen

Did we get the timing wrong?

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First Sunday after returning home.

When Kaveri visits we’ve started going to swimming pool Sunday morning but we’ve got timing wrong or they’ve changed the rules.

Women and children only.

How is that possible with an old man and in India?

As you can see it’s a bit empty.

But this being India, I managed to get in for half the session.

I’m not altogether sure what’s the biggest attraction. Swimming or bakery.

I think we know.

Catching up with Kaveri

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I’ve missed not seeing her for almost six weeks followed by a flurry

On the drive home she spelt words after giving me a series of drawings, at least one for each week we missed seeing each other.

I’ve visited the school twice already this week. As a ‘family’ visit with scotaussie Ina and to attend the Independence Day celebrations with French Paul.

Does anything ever go smoothly, anywhere?

This weekend we’ve started with skating, she worried that she may have forgotten it, (no chance) a monsoon landing and hilarious walk home

Followed by opening the giant parcel I brought on the plane and Kaveri’s first Lego build.

I was so impressed by Kaveri quickly getting into following and implementing the Lego instructions. She clearly has never experienced anything like it before. I must also admit that I’ve cracked it, and have successfully bought clothes for a nine-year old. We all know it’ll not last.

Ina’s patient tolerance, knows no bounds.

Grandad poo

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Lady at corner shop complained about Kaveri not calling me uncle. Honestly it’s ok!

If only she knew what my granddaughter Poppy called me🤔🤭🫣

I’ve found this Birthday card from two years ago.

Kaveri’s Summer camp

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It’s been a gas.

A challenge.

Kaveri stayed with me, for the summer school holiday, almost two months. We were ably assisted by the wonderful Ilaria, our workawayer from Italy

The idea was to engage her with a whole series of activities to see which worked.

They all did

With her sister aka auntie

Our second time in 2023

Arty Tarty

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We piloted an idea to introduce young dynamic artists to children at Kaliyuvamane who remained at school during the summer holiday.

Young people doing fab things.

In August 2023 on what would have been Manjula’s 50th birthday, the artists will return to the school with all the young people there for a full day of creativity.

Who knows where it might lead

Footnote

Kaveri is now attending Kaliyuvamane and living there most of the year.

Missing

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… her, as she’s back at school

A nine year old and a sixty six year old being together for over two months is a wonderful mix of experiences and emotions.

At times it’s been a challenge but wouldn’t change it…

On the way to school she asked if I’d visit this Sunday; within minutes — after being greeted by friends — it had changed to ‘a’ Sunday.

I will visit this Sunday and exchange pictures.

Here’s mine.

Thank you Kaveri for being you and invading my life.

Post Brexit

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I would joke that there was life after Brexit in the U.K. as an island old people’s home.

I take it back — there’s not enough people to staff it or tomatoes to feed the residents. .

But it’s worse: the inhumanity: commodification of people care, indifference of the owners, ignorance and inaction of the families, callousness of a privatised only-care-for-the-rich system, means you’re dumped into concentrated carelessness.

This article illuminates

We shouldn’t be surprised but why should we or how can we care?

Just make sure you,’re not feeble and alive to have to enjoy the mouldy fruits of the system

I sometimes scoff about extended supportive family networks. I shouldn’t but I do question whether they shouldn’t also be on life support. The fact is it’s the compassion and care amplified through people connections to each other we sorely need injecting to revitalise our communities

Me as a 66 year old am about to go care for an eight year old that helps blow life into this bundle of walking cobwebs.

I feel young again. Ha ha