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I am in the final preparation stages of heading to India for 5 1/2 months. I will spend 3 months with the Hope Disability Centre in Wayil, Gandarbal, Kashmir. Kashmir is in the far north of India, and has been disputed territory ever since Partition, when Pakistan was created as a new homeland for India's Muslim community. Despite being predominantly Muslim, Kashmir was kept as part of India, because Nehru, who followed Mahatma Gandhi after his assasination, was born in Kashmir. Because of the conflict, it is considered extremely dangerous by the New Zealand and other governments, and I read recently is the most militarized place on earth. But Rob Buchanan of The MEND Trust goes nearly every year to help the disabled, and he has not been kidnapped nor bombed, so I guess I can go too! Also because of the conflict, there are thousands of disabled children and young adults who get no medical care for their disabilities. The Indian government has only enough money for their military presence there, apparently, and the Pakistanis, fellow Muslims who want Kashmir for Pakistan, are not in a position to help. Kashmiris fall between the cracks, and not even the big charitable organisations go there. I have yet to find one with an office in Kashmir. A recent survey of the Kupwara district alone revealed 37,000 physically disabled children from the ages of 0 to 14 - in just one part of the valley. And only one government hospital. So the need is great; greater than I realized when I first decided to go there to help out.
My main volunteer activities will be teaching the staff and students computer skills, and documenting the need and the work being done there with my digital camera and high definition video camera.
In preparation for the trip, I purchased or had donated 5 used laptops, and software. I have spent quite a bit of time making sure they all work, and have gone through 20 or so CDs of children's learning software to see what would be appropriate for the disabled students in this remote Muslim community in the Himalayas. As I look at these games, I am not sure any of it will be acceptable for this community. How can they related to all the materialism represented in these games? Circuses, zoos, and the Wiggly's? And so American, for the most part. It will be very interesting to see how the adults at the centre react to these learning tools. I will be sure to have the key staff take a look at all of them, and have them introduce them to the students. The last thing in the world that I want is to cause trouble!!! The same applies for the other student books and items I am bringing with me or shipping separately. If they will be given to the students, I want the teachers to decide if they are suitable, and give them out if so; not me.
In researching the import duties, I see that I may be in for some hefty fees, as the fee for importing electrical goods to India is 35% of the value. Since I did not buy them from a computer retailer, the Indian customs officials get to decide what the value of the laptops are. I have written to the Indian High Commission to ask if the duty could be waived on them, and if not, if I could have an advance ruling on their value. No answer. One of my friends suggested to have the laptops look beat up and scratched to reduce their value. Why not? They are just to be used as learning tools, after all! So I thought about this a bit, and decided to engrave or paint the name of the Hope Disability Centre on each laptop. At least this way, they customs officials will know I am not bringing them in to resell them! I remembered as a kid that woodburning tools were quite popular, and I thought one of those might work. Internet research revealed that an arts supply store in Takapuna had them, so I went there, and bought one, and it worked a treat!
I will let you know how it goes when I go through Customs in Delhi.
I also took a day of first aid training with the Red Cross.
I was inspired by the life of a cousin who recently was killed by a drunk driver in California. Patrick was a trained paramedic, and the people who came forward after his death and told stories of how he had saved their lives was amazing. I'm no paramedic, but at least now I can do CPR, and know what to do when I find someone unconscious.
