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Looking, Listening And Lifting

LOOKING, LISTENING & LIFTING

A Movie About Hope By Our Older Students

Inspired by the video production skills acquired in our creative video class, some of our older girls have taken on the greater challenge of telling the story of their roots, family life and home environment, in the hope it will help other children escape the heritage of poverty. We always tell the children that where they have come from does not define what they are capable of accomplishing in this world. What many of them long for is to be is agents of change for their many young relations, parents, and neglected children everywhere, leading them to a better life. They see this film as a good beginning.

GANGA: When we went to the village in Bangalore, we told the people what we were doing and then we started filming the place and the tents. It was hard to get people together and tell them where to be and what to do. Children were shouting so loudly that at first we couldn't hear the people talking on the camera. We interviewed some of them, asking about their lives, how they live and what are their circumstances with their children. At first some people were shy to talk in front of the camera and express their feelings. But we tried to explain to them, "There's no need to be shy, we just want to film this place so we can send it to other parts of the world so that people can see how you live. May be they will be willing to help you all and improve your lives."

Over the last several months the girls have visited their homes with teachers, staff and on their own, taping interviews and gathering daily life footage for the project. Much of the footage, while being alarming evidence of destitution, also shows the familial love and community feeling of the people.

The majority of our current children come from what is loosely called the "tent villages" around Bangalore and outlying areas of Puttaparthi. Generations ago the tent villagers, who belong to what the Indian government calls BCs (Backward Classes) somehow became refugees from their home villages. Whether due to lack of available work, droughts or family squabbles, none of them know. They subsist now by gathering human hair to sell to hair brokers for wigs, making small paper mache toys and often, begging. Abuse of some form is part of daily life for virtually 100% of the children who are raised there.

ALIVELI: I hope all the kids who live in the tents would go to school and get love and proper basic things.

One of the most dramatic things the film will show is the almost uniform desire of the parents to have their children come to our school. In fact, on a recent visit our project director, Michael Galligan, reported that he found himself at the hub of a throng of parents begging him to take their children. The children themselves were dirty, many had boils and sores from poor nutrition. Boys played with sticks and other makeshift toys or ran wildly around in gangs, while girls, as young as age 5, cooked and looked after even young siblings. Without help, schooling is truly beyond their grasp. Even with government schools nearby, parents lack the basic social skills to go through the admissions procedure.

ALIVELI: It was sad to see most of the kids not going to school. Even if they are in school, it's hard for them to get proper books, other school materials and learn. And they don't have basic needs like food, water and shelter. They don't have proper nutrients and they don't eat three times a day. They have to buy water from other people and their tents leak when it rains.

Over the last months, children from 7th Standard up produced video short shorts, a few of which may be seen in our VIDEO GALLERY. They learned much about using the camera, sound recording, interviewing techniques and storytelling with images. The movies were edited on iMovie and some children became quite skillful. We are developing a special class to complete the production of this film, which we anticipate will also include on-camera interviews with other children as well as voiceover stories written by the children themselves.

ALIVELI: The first day we were in Bangalore, all we did was think of questions for the people whom we were going to film. Ganga and I interviewed each other for practice. And the next day we went to film with our camera and questions. I really enjoyed filming. Ganga asked the people questions like what they do for their living, their conditions, about their children, etc. and I operated the camera. It was fun to watch all the little kids jumping in front of the camera to have their pictures taken and they were eager to see their pictures back. They didn't talk in front of the camera because they were shy and a little scared but were excited to see a camera. The adults were shy too. I think a few more times of filming them and they will all get used to it.

This is an empowering project for the children for many reasons. On the most basic level, they deepen their knowledge of computer and video technology and thereby increase their capacity to make a good living in this information hunger world. What is even more heartening is that their ability to deal with this subject material objectively has shown us just how much they have transcended the difficult circumstances of their birth, and grown in the kind of love and compassion that will help them to create fulfilling and happy lives.

All beings are beautiful seen through the eyes of love.

~ SATHYA SAI BABA

The reality of the Lord is ever fresh. Every life is a new chance, a fresh opportunity for realizing the Truth. Yesterday is gone; today is a fresh chance, the new opportunity is now. Every minute is to be welcomed as unique and as valuable, precious, in fact. Do not pine over the chunks of time you have wasted; seize the moment that has come within your grasp.

~ SATHYA SAI BABA

MY LOVE FOR THE HOMELESS CHILDREN

Oh babies, my babies
How I longed to shelter you
Under my arms
My heart aches when I see
You on the street with nobody
Looking after you
I always wanted to rush to your aid
But I couldn't
When I see you being treated badly by the people
I wanted to beat them up
And let them know that you have
A right to live
I wanted you to know that there's somebody
In the world for you
I am always there for you
It's just taking me time to emerge forward
It's gonna change someday
I can't wait to see your eyes filled with happiness

~ MAHESWARI, Age 15