16. mit Chris - Krischna

Whats your Name?

Krishna Dorairaj but most People call me Chris

How old are you?

26

Where do you come from?

I come from Madurai.

What is your family like?

I have a elder sister and a elder brother and my father and mother.

What is your profession?:

I studied Administration in Lancaster, England.

After that I start to work for Bank of New York. Before I worked in Manchester´s branch for 15 months. Recently I join the branch in Pune, India.

How has been your time in abroad and how you feel about India after coming back?

I had a great time in the UK. There I felt somehow different. I felt to belong to somewhere else. For 3 years I ended up in a small Indian community. Than I moved to Manchester to work and had a big cultural shock. I adapted a new lifestyle, found many new friends and had a very good time.

So how is India now?

Well, I feel respect to present life. It is good system for a person to life although a person has no space for him self in India. For my self I like to life more European and organized but as I am here I don´t mix my lives. So I follow all the Indian traditions in this place. I won´t westernize nor easternize again.

Definitely I want to go back to live in Europe.

Where did Lukas meet Rajen?

Some friends from Germany came to visit the Madurai Festival. That time Krishna hosted all of us via couchsurfing.org . So we all slept in house for 2 days.

15. mit Rajen

Whats your Name?

Nallathambi Rajendraprasad short Rajen

How old are you?

55

Where do you come from?

I come from a small village: South Thamaraekulam (it means, we had a lots ponds full of lotus in my village), in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. Now I live in Vembar.

What is your family like?

I have 7 siblings. I am fifth in family. My father is no more, but my mother is 85 years, living in my native place. Our families part of village is called kumbulankundu.

I met Lucy (my wife) in a place in northern Karnataka. We feel in love and got married. Than we got a daughter in 1987, who is a dentist in Bangalore now. Every year on 26 to 28 of December all family has a get together. (After a long time of calculating...) When all are gathered we are 37.

What is your profession?:

I am a social worker.

I studied Bachlor and Master of Social Work and Master of Administration.

I had founded with some more people. I had been director for 5 years 2002-2007, than executive director: 2007-2011. So now I am a only Volunteer in PAD, now I am honorary secretary of board.

PAD I support by bringing funds and networking with donors and bigger forums. For example I was evolved in a green manifesto for over all Tamil Nadu, which is to copy European green parties and developed a green movement on state level.

Furthermore I do consultancy work in different countries and and teach PRA-Tools. (PAR=Participatory Rural Appraisal = Community centred research tools)

What made found PAD and how is your vision in reality?

Well 3 people made me come into the buisness:

• My father
• Jesus Christ not as a religious leader but by his deeds
• And my elder brother Thambi (see interview nr. 7)

My father worked as a herbal doctor and for the poorest he worked for free.

After my MA I got employed by world vision (big international NGO). But I was not content, because I only implemented what the organization commended. People should own development projects. They must decide what happens. Than I learned PRA and found as as the correct tool for participation.

So that´s why I went for a new NGO

Regarding the progress we made I think a NGO has 5 phases:

Preparative stage, organizing stage, experimental, extension, fading out

PAD is in between extension and fading out phase. Within maximal 5 years ISLAND Trust will take over everything. (ISLAND is child NGO of PAD, fully working by locals, which is founded in order to overtake PAD´s work)

PAD is totally from bottom (in technical term grassroots-orientated).

All work took a lot longer than expected, because we do nothing without Community Participation and as PAD-members are mainly not from the place we face sometimes non cooperation. But anyhow what we do is more sustainable.

The local groups will go on: LG, VDC...

Some dynamics make that not everybody is keen on social ideas, some follow their own agendas. But I believe, peoples organization will and can take over.

That´s so different to my previous organization.

Where did Lukas meet Rajen?

Rajen is the boss of the organization I work with for 9 months.

14. mit einem VDC-President

Whats your Name?

Mariamanikam

How old are you?

50

Where do you come from?

Perisamipuram, Tamil Nadu, India

What is your family like?

Married, 4 women (25,23,21,19) two are married, one is conformed

What is your profession?:

I am Land-salesman. People of all casts come to me to buy properties in the village. And I am (was) VDC President. (The VDC- Village Development committee is a medium of PAD to organize a village. It consists of PAD group members and traditional officials of a village. Monthly it meets.) I work with VDC for 10 years.

Working for 10 years with PAD – what changes did you observe in Perisamitpuram?

In the beginnig PAD gave 45 houses to the village and a shorter time ago a water tank. All that is in use.

Than PAD supports 127 children in our village. The villagers are palm-trappers, fisher and salt kulis (Tagelöhner auf den Salzfarmen). That means our people are very poor.

The good change is, that now the study expenses for one child are not given to the family but sold by PAD. That includes our new boarding school.

In earlier times children could only attend school in off season. When the parents migrated for work they had to join, because there were no affordable way to keep the children study. Due to the help of PAD nowadays 450 children study in Perisamipuram. PAD is good!

Where did Lukas meet Mariamanikam?

I met him in Perisamipuram where I attended a annual school celebration to apreciate results of good pupils.

13. mit Sri

Whats your Name?

Sritharan or Sri

How old are you?

26

Where do you come from?

From Sri Lanka, now staying in Erode. Lastly I worked in Vembar.

What is your family like?

My family have 4 members. My junger brother, me and my parents. 2 others are married and life in Chennai. We migrated 6 years ago from Sri Lanka, because the Tamilien struggle with the Sri Lankan government. (More information)

So now we life in a Sri Lankan refuges camp in Tamil Nadu.

What is your profession?:

I successfully did my Master of Social Work in Madurai. For the last year I had worked in PAD. I was working for Kids in the surrounding of Vembar.

Now I search for a development-orientated Job in Chennai.

Why you want to do development work?

India is a developing country, thus it has big need of development activities and education for the poor. Not everybody is reached by our development yet.

I like the appreciation you get by working directly with people. Only in the social jobs you have it, as otherwise you work for salary. For you. I like the personal touch with people. They get happy, I am happy.

The date I decided to study social work was: 21^st May 2006 in Sri Lanka.

That day government forces broke an no fire agreement of 2002 with LTTE (Liberation for Tiger of Tamil Eelam). My village got totally bombed by flights and rockets. 600 people died in our area. 3 days we only searched for safety places. We moved 78 kilometers running from safe to safe place. I lost relatives and many friends, one died in front of me. Finally we went to Maanar and went by illegal boat (arround 1400€ for 11 people) to Tamil Nadu.

Why the social work? I don´t like the bloody war. Everybody is affected by body and mind. But Everybody is equal. I want to talk to people. Why we fight for land? I want a legal struggle. See what I can do in the I high position in field work and one day in the UN.

Where did Lukas meet Sri?

Sri has been my college. He just left PAD in the beginning of April. He has been very supportive and we became friends.

12. mit einem "government officer"

Whats your Name?

Mr. Imperumal

How old are you?

48 years

Where do you come from?

I come from Covilpatti, Tutticorin District, Tamil Nadu

What is your family like?

I have a wife and 2 daughters.

What is your profession?:

I had been a teacher. Now I am a government official. I supervise the scheme ” survashiksha abian”- this means education for all.

I am monitoring the quality of teaching in government supported primary school. Do kids get enough food? How are the facilities? Is the money used properly? I also do accounts.

What challenge exists in Indian education sector?

...Very difficult question. Ask something concretely.

What should be done for all primary schools?

Yes... (He stops nervously) What?

All schoolboy should have a Uniform.

And we have to many boards. Matriculation board, district board, state board. Less bureaucracy?

Less what? … (He is absolutely nervous)...

Do you think, there should be any change in the style of teaching?

...

No beating?

Please Sir, I have to go.

Where did Lukas meet Mr. Imperumal?

I met him in the mess of PAD. He and our Project Administration chief were eating together. He should control the quality of the teaching the teachers and I are doing in PAD boarding school. At the end he left towards another school. He did not visit our school and so he can´t get an impression of the quality of teaching in PAD-school...

11. mit Gisa

Whats your Name?

My name is Gisa Möllering

How old are you?

I am 20 years old.

Where do you come from?

I was born and raise up near Hildesheim. Since last summer I study in Göttingen.

What is your family like?

I have a mother, a father and an elder brother.

What is your profession?:

Well, I study forest economy, so I should be learning … but eh... life is busy.

Now you have spend 3 weeks in India traveling around. What was:

The most exiting for you?

To drive Rikscha in Bangalore on the first day.

The most romantic for you?

Sunrise in Hampi, surrounded by beautiful nature, Temples and spiritual songs.

And when you welcomed me on Bangalore Airport.

The most astonishing for you?

The food is amazing tasty. I liked everything. And no car hit me, the traffic is crazy!

The most nerving for you?

Walking on the streets people starred at me so much. I did not like at all.

Would you like to come back?

Maybe for some places, especially Hampi. And for Chai (indian tea) and the incredible cultural diversity, which is visible in day to day life.

What is your favorite indian tree?

Ficus religiosa (better known as Buddhas tree).

Where did Lukas meet Gisa?

I met her in Bangalore to travel to Mysore, Bylakuppe, Hampi, Pune, Shirde, Nasik, Bombay and Goa. We had three weeks full of India, full of relaxation, full of love.

II- Incredible India – IT- Incredible Time

10. mit Rampelsingh

Whats your Name?

Rampelsingh Siduhan

How old are you?

57

Where do you come from?

Karnal in Hariyana

What is your family like?

I have 2 sons and 2 daughters, all are married.

What is your profession?:

My last occupation was business and agriculture. Now I am totally centered to Dhamma. I voluntarily teach Vipassana-Meditation.

My children finance me to do so. 

What has been the benefit for you to practice Vipassana?

I can´t really explain.

When I first go in Dhamma I felt unfortuned to meet it sooo late.

You are so fortunate,

You are so fortunate,

You are so fortunate.

I met it beeing 45. It helps in all stages of live. I attented all kinds of courses (10/20/30/45-Days). My family also meditates, we are a Dhamma-family.

It gives so much benefits if you go the path of Dhamma, if you practice Vipassana!

Where did Lukas meet Rampelsingh Siduhan?

Gawan and I did a Vippassana 10 Days course in Hariyana in January 2012. He has been our teacher. For more details go to http://dhamma.org/

9. mit Julia

Whats your Name?

Julia Paetz

How old are you?

20

Where do you come from?

Bremen

What is your family like?

Ich habe Vater und Mutter, die noch zusammen leben und einen kleinen Bruder und eine Katze.

What is your profession?:

Im Moment leiste ich einen Freiwilligendienst, um mit ganz neuen Erfahrungen und Erkenntnissen in mein Studium zu gehen ( Geo und Englsich auf Lehramt).

Es macht mir Spaß, weil ich mit vielen jungen Leuten arbeite und ihnen Englisch beibringe. Gleichzeitig lebe ich bei einer indischen Familie und lerne das Alltagsleben kennen.

Was hast du in deiner Zeit in Indien schon gelernt?

Puh, Viel! Z.B, Fingern zu essen. Ich hab gelernt mit niedrigeren hygienischen Standards zu leben als in Deutschland: Auf den Toiletten gibt es kein Klopapier, nur fließend Wasser und die Dusche ist immer kalt. Auch übers Unterrichten habe ich sehr viel gelernt.

Indien ist halt ganz anders als Deutschland – Die Kultur im Umgang miteinander ist anders. Mal wieder habe ich eine Lektion darin bekommen mich anzupassen.

Die Menschen mit denen Du zusammen bist, sind das wichtigste. Die machen fast alles aus. Gleichzeitig ist Zuhause, wo deine Familie ist, wo Menschen sind die Du liebst und die dich lieben.

Hier muss man offen sein und die Inder akzeptieren, wie sie sind, sich drauf einlassen und dann eine gute Zeit haben.

Where did Lukas meet Julia?

Julia und ich haben 8 Jahre zusammen am ÖG die Schulbank gedrückt.

Wie es der Zufall so wollte, hat sie ihr 2 Monate dauernder Freiwilligen nach Puddokotai, Tamil Nadu, 100km von meinem Zuhause weg. Ich hatte sie am 20. und 21. August bei ihrer neuen Familie besucht. Zusammen besuchten wir einen Jaintempel., wo dies Bild entstand. Ich poste den Beitrag jetzt erst, weil ich die Aufzeichnungen zwischendurch verschlampt hatte.

Übrigens studiert Julia jetzt fröhlich und schickt mir bei Zeiten Berichte vom Studentenleben.

8. mit Ajith Kumar

Whats your Name?

Ajith Kumar

How old are you?

14

Where do you come from?

Bangalore

What is your family like?

I live with my father and mother and one jounger and one elder sister..

What is your profession?:

I attend Ajit-medium-school 8^th Standard. My school´s Name is St. Marry´s Higher Secondary School-Bangalore.

Why did you help me and where you have that historical knowledge from?

Well, I have been here several times, my mother used to tell me stories about this place. I saw you entering, so I followed you. Because I thought you may need help and I wanted to improve my English.

Where did Lukas meet Ajith Kumar?

I was totally misplaced in Bangalore, when I asked anybody for the way.

After explanation and the obligatory “thank you!” I went my way until I crushed into this huge gate, you can see in the background. It is a ancient gate of Bangalore and at the same time the beginning of a secret entrance to a tunnel-system connecting Bangalore with Mysore. Cause the door was simply left open and his dark atmosphere, due to bad maintenance, attracted me, I went inside. All I saw was incomprehensible to me.

While asking my self what was that, a voice inside my back rose and began to tell me the marvelous story of Mysore Kings digging a secret support-system for Bangalore. Furiously I turned around and there stood the same I had asked for the bus. A little school boy, looking intimidated but with a glance of interest in his eyes at men – Ajith Kumar. His brave and polite way how to achieve his goal – to speak English- has remained as a example for me.

By the way, from an other resource I verified the story of Bangalore tunnel-system.

7. mit Mr. Thambi

 

Whats your Name?

Premananb Thambi

How old are you?

59

Where do you come from?

I come from Kanyakumari. I live in Bangarapet, Karnataka.

What is your family like?

My father and mother got 7 children. My father had served in the army, worked for health and spiritual ministy. And finally became homeopathic doctor who did evangelist activities.

I am the third son of my parents. In 1980 I married for love a lady from Kerala. We arranged it our self. We have three maternal children, one boy and two girls.

My boy works in Delhi for “international animal welfare association”. He has a son. First daughter is also married, has a baby and works for “world vision india”, as a finance officer. Second one works as nurse in hospital. She is married but has no children yet.

Beside that we adopted 5 children in the 1990s. We took them, because they were orphans. We help them in there lives, provided food, education and all that. First girl is married, second girl finished studies in bible collage. Third girl was taken away on own interest by an uncle, after highschool. The fourth and fith study in 10^th supported by PAD in other place.

In the year of 2008 we have taken more children to our home. With the help of local church 24 children live in our home. Most children come from different places around Bangarapet, they are the category of orphans or semi orphans. (Er sagte tasächlich Kategorie)

What is your profession?:

Firstly I am fully involved in this childrens service. I was a teacher, but resigned to give children more input.

In Vembar I mostly facilitate in the financial system and teach life-skill- programs. ( Softskill trainings, die PAD ständig seinen Mitarbeitern gibt.)

Apart I work in food security program with local farmers: I arrange a platform for them. Sometimes I organ people who want to help and teach farmers, e.g. about organic farming. (providing facilties, organization, contact, etc)

(Unerwähnterweise hat er auch noch 2hektar Land die er mit Spenden in eine Modellfarm versucht zu verwandeln)

So what you do everyday with the children?

I do not do anything systematically, because I am not 100% with the children. That is why I would like to hire one or two children who will be fully with the children. And also I want children to do things by them self.

Where did Lukas meet Mr. Thambi?

Mr. Thambi is a college of mine. 3 to 4 times a month he stays at our office for two days. He is the brother of the head of organization and invited me to his own project thins a long time. So after I saw it I decided to make this interview. On the one hand his commitment and on the other the diversity of his work surprised me.

6. mit Jegan

                            Selvam, Andrew, Jegan, Manoj

Whats your Name?

Jegan Ignatius

How old are you?

23

Where do you come from?

Vembar, but mostly I am on a Ship or in Chennai (capital of Tamil Nadu) , near the harbor. Sometimes I live 7 to 10 days all around the world in port areas.

What is your family like?

Mother (58), Father, Sister who is (35, married), brother (29, married)

What is your profession?:

I am a ship-driver, I do navigation chart work for “Anglo Eastern” as well as I do the wheel driving of big container boats. I have a marine Diploma and 5 years working experiences. I work 9 months on the boat and than come back for three months to Vembar.

Where live your friends?

India, because on every Ship I make other friends. Many friends live in Vembar.

Where did Lukas meet Jegan?

Firstly I met Jegan while I crashed into a marriage celebration. The man, sitting in front of the house invited me to have a tea with them.

Second time I met him in the Regional government election. Again he was in a crowd of people, this time standing 100 m away from Election office. This crowd was organizing as many voters for one candidate as possible. Creating a half silent, half violent atmosphere on the street. I got to understand why a police patrol was always around the office.

Jegan impressed me by his open and nice way of being and with the story, that one political leader payed his train ticket from and to Chennai, so that he could vote in Vembar ( This is one night of travel each time.). He will now use his extraordinary time in Vembar to apply for a new company.

5. mit Nirmal

Whats your Name?

Nirmal Jayapaul

How old are you?

43

Where do you come from?

Born and brought up in Bangalore. I live in Kodaikanal. Till I am old I will be here. I travel, but this is my home now.

What is your family like?

2 sisters and a brother, each of them has one child. I don´t have children. I am single. I love my freedom. I have 2 dogs.

I am the jungest one. I always got the attention. I was like a toy for my siblings. My eldest sister always says “behave like the jungest one” - But I don´t. (laughing) I love my family, I do everything for my family.

What is your profession?

I´ve been very good in school, so I did a master in English. Than I worked as a English teacher in Japan.

But in a young age I retired.

Now I run a campsite. (A lodge in the mountains – in a sanctuary, where indian tourists come for hiking and enjoying a cold climate.)

And I am a farmer. (The area is big, so they agriculture fruits and vegetables).

Why you changed your life that entirely and how you feel with it?

First my mum became very sick. Than she did not want me to be alone abroad, but asked me to come back and take care of them. So I promised to be with them. I came back. I quit everything for my family.

After 20 days I lost my mother and after 1 ½ years I lost my dad too (tears in her eyes).

My mums dream was to have a campsite, to invite people to this place. Now I am still here to carry on her dream.

That was a hard decision, when you are single with all your freedom this was a big change. But I prayed a lot about the decision. Now I live a community live with other family members. We hold close together. I am happy.

Where did Lukas meet Nirmal?

I visited Nirmal in her Lodge near Kodaikanal, because my Organisation gave a workshop on Disaster Rescue Management there.

4. mit Aishish

Whats your Name?

Ashish Gosh

How old are you?

48

Where do you come from?

Kolkotta

What is your family like?

Wife, daughter, my mother, 2 older brothers

What is your profession?:

I am the national coordinator of Terres des Homes Suisses.

My qualification is a master in management. I am in charge for the indian head office in Kolkotta. I represent TdH in India and analyst policy.

My mayor task is the coordination between TdH and local NGOs. So I am in close contact to head office in Switzerland and visit, monitor and evaluate every project 2 or 3 times in a year.

How do you dot this job?

Management does not mean that you need to commerce.

A good Manager is a good achiever.

I also have a social backround – bachelor in history. Because history is also history where injustice come from.

After working 9 years in a company I was fed up with the profit sector. It is a rat trace. You always work for your advantage.

Here you don´t work only for your self. Your also work for others. This gives satisfaction which can not be given by money.

Where did Lukas meet Aishish?

He visited my Project in Rameswaram. We stayed for 2 days and had some program to get an impretion of what work was done in the last half year. He also gave new aims to the team and analised the level of project development.

3. Mit Mr. Chokulingam

Whats your Name?

Mr. Perumal Chokulingam

How old are you?

48

Where do you come from?

I come from Thiruchapalli (Trichi) and I live in Rameswaram.

What is your family like?

I have a woman (Selvi) and a son 15 years old, who studies in Trichi in 10 Standard.

What is your profession?:

My profession is socialworker. I am the project-coordinator of Rameswaram (Außenstelle von PAD). I join meetings of Livelihood Groups ( Mikro-Finanzgruppen), to assist Field Coordinators (Sozialarbeiter von PAD). 

Why do you like your work?

I started socialwork in 1993. I worked for 2 years as teacher in School with my woman. We researched about eye problems of Fishermen. They did not go to hospital. So we arranged Eye-camps to help them.

Than we joined other NGO in Sawagasi against child-labor, We worked for 15 years.

Dr. Rajen worked with me. He founded PAD in 2002. 2007 we joined PAD ( Peoples Actoin for Development - more infroamtion about the NGO: padgom.org)

I like PAD because we work with people, we join government Programs and help the poor people.

I see development. Between 2008 and 2011 we found 130 LG-Groups (men 63 and woman 62) in 35 villages. And 72 adolescent groups Lifeskill-Groups. (30 man, 42 female, age 13 -18) We train the leaders and accompany the groups.

Where did Lukas meet Mr. Chokulingam?

Now I live in Rameswaram. Mr Chokulingam is the coordinator of my office.I work with him during the meetings every working day.

2. Mit Haruka Osaki

Whats your Name?

Haruka Osaki

How old are you?

22

Where do you come from?

Nagoya city, Japan

What is your family like?

Father, Mother, Two little sisters, one little brother

What is your profession?:

Student for education (subject: japanese)

Why did you come to India?

First I want to have my experience about children, because I want to be a teacher. Secondly I want to know how to enjoy my life and third I want to eat Mango ( In Japan way to expensive and not that tasty!!!)

I am not sure if I stay 2 or 3 month. First I wanted to stay 2 month, but Depa, Indian girl told me, I can stay one more month in my teaching project. I don´t diced yet.

Where did Lukas meet Haruka?

I met Haruka at FSL orientation week. I interviewed her because of her nationality. Furthermore she has a very open-minded and funny personality.

1, Mit Danni

Whats your Name?

Danni

How old are you?

36

What is your family like?

single, mother, father, brother with wife and two children

Where do you come from?

Slovakia, Bratislava, house of my parents

What is your profession?:

I am IT-specialist.

Why did you come to India?

I did not want to work anymore as IT specialist. I want to switch my hemisphere form first to second inside my head!

One beautiful day i woke up and said to my self, I go to India. So now I am here. Hopefully this will help me to fulfill my target

Where did Lukas meet Danni?

After flying to Bangaluru all BMZ Members went to Fsl (my hosting Organization) Orientation for Long Term Volunteers in Kundapura, We spend one week with 45 international Volunteers who work for at least 1 month. Danni was one of them. His spirit and his age made me choice him for this interview. 

ps: Danni did not want any photo from him published in the web. Anyway he is a blond guy with white skin. He has atleast 40 kilo overweight, wears a shirt with caros and glasses.