Restoring the year.

 

The story of 2020 has to be written in a language that has never been deciphered before. What we knew of and that what we now know may have a common continuum thread, it may seem familiar but to say it is what it was may be misleading.

Every boundary & every limitation that we had constructed around us has been questioned. Each contraption that the ego had built is in the process of being dismantled. We could not drive the big cars to announce we have arrived, travel to fancy locations to feel good, our offices may not be big and sprawling anymore & our support system cannot be just a presence in a big social gathering. We had to be honest. Delve deep within to see how we can cope. Be in closed doors with people & relationships that could not be left unresolved. Be with our own selves to work on the transformation that had been long impending.

Why did we reach where we did? Where to go from here? And how to find the way when no one has really been here before? It is different yet much seems familiar.

To be able to withstand the year and to continue to face what today brings- We have had to get real. And in many ways go back home. To where it all started.

At Lotus Petal we came at the crossroads of where to go from where we were in March 2020. There were no books written, no search engines devised to solve what we were facing- the need to keep the organization alive & going, to ensure jobs are secure, children in the education system and to be of service at the most critical time. Before the external, the internal had to be nourished. Each fear addressed and allowed to pass until it was surrendered to the ocean of service. Everything that we were- had to be re-looked to remain who are.

Without wasting a single day, each of us went deep within ourselves. Into the values that were common while growing up in middle class homes. The values that built the foundation of Lotus Petal.

Service to the nation and humanity before Self- as a team we came from different homes, faiths and background but our spiritual calling remained aligned. Service.

The stepping stones were- sharing, conserving, listening to one another, reaching out to what needed most attention, trust the intuition, faith in the leadership- reassuring each other that we are together & will get through this- Our faith in the intrinsic goodness of people strengthened and the belief of One World One Community reassured; all this while we stared at the common vision, a common goal that really has no finishing line. Child in the centre. Dignity to all.

Everything that we were doing was reinvented- finding novel ways to ensure that the student is able to attend their classes every day. Even in the slums of India. Under the hot tin roofs of those shanty`s where there was not electric supply & no running water. We ensured that a device was in their hand, a data pack, a noise cancelling head phone was available to them & most importantly food in their kitchen. The emotional wellbeing was looked after, the jobs of their parents restored, monthly allowance instated & healthcare extended.

This was possible because we went home. To those familiar inclusive values that we grew up with. Of simplicity and of care; of building a community and not a wall. Where food always tasted better when shared & where there was always enough. In the values that restored communities there was little competition and more support. Where there was patience, wisdom and a steady pace.

The values that we left behind in the decade before 2020 needed to be restored. For us 2020 healed, transformed & continues to mend.

We relook, innovate and improve so we can grow. And we grow together, with each other within thriving communities of hope & courage based on the web of resilience.

We welcome you to be a part of our restorative journey of building flourishing communities where there is dignity for all.

Zero Hunger Food Bank - An initiative of Lotus Petal Foundation for underprivileged

 

As Lotus Petal delved deeper towards the education of the underprivileged in 2013, a striking learning emerged- Food before Education. An empty stomach, sick body or a hungry-dehydrated child- made for no classroom learning in spite of the child being present for the tutorial. Over the years, we forayed into providing two, freshly cooked balanced meals- supplemented by protein & DHA enriched milk & fruit for breakfast. The pre-primary children were served fortified meals, with higher iron content to make them ready for a rigorous classroom experience. The use of seasonal produce, less spice content & high protein made for better immunity which ensured better attendance & better cognition. All this was supported by training the children to wash hands, an in-house medical OPD for primary care and regular orientation to parents & children about nutrition and hydration.

Over the years, as the reach of the organization expanded through Sahyog (An initiative of Lotus Petal Foundation that provides education & infrastructural support to Government Schools), the tragedy of everyday hunger in the remote locations of Gurgaon became stark. Poverty, unemployment, lack of primary healthcare and low level farm incomes stared at us. What we knew of & had read was visible in the everyday.

The Covid Crisis gave Lotus Petal an unfortunate opportunity to serve similar nutritious meals across various locations to the displaced work force across Gurgaon during the lockdown. The meals were diligently packed in the kitchen of Lotus Petal Foundation by women workers. As the lockdown lifted, the hope that the need for food boxes may shrink did no see the light of day. Hunger & unemployment persists & continues to rage, merging effortlessly with the new normal.

India stands at 102nd position out of 117 countries on Global Hunger Index 2019. Unable to match the steps of Pakistan, Bangladesh & Nepal, we fall below them as the second lowest-ranked among the South Asian countries. 90.4% children between the age of 6 and 23 months in India do not receive adequate, acceptable nutrition that results in stunting, wasting, anaemia resulting to poor cognition and lifelong learning delays.

The Covid Crisis has only magnified the dismal alimentary situation. A substantial part of the underprivileged population around us is still severely malnourished, poorly fed every day and many go to sleep hungry. During the crisis, the Central government of India, under its Atmanirbhar Bharat economic package, sanctioned 8 lakh metric tonnes of free food grains to 8 crore migrant workers who were displaced during the lockdown- 2020. The families were offered 5 kg of grain per person and 1 kg of pulses per family every month- even to those who did not have ration cards and were not covered by the Public Distribution System. The execution of the same has not been easy and the present data reveals only 13% of the 8lakh metric tonnes of food grains have reached migrant workers so far, benefitting approximately 2.13 crore workers. 5.87crore are still in dire need.

The epidemic of Hunger continues. 

To satiate hunger and it`s various unseen dimensions, aligned with the SDG #2 Lotus Petal Foundation has launched the Zero Hunger Food Bank. The learning of deep engagement with the beneficiary forms an integral part of building the Food Bank. Food, nutrition and hunger cannot be seen without- the availability of potable water, employment opportunities, women’s empowerment, increasing farm level incomes & providing sustainable local level incomes. The various facets of Hunger will be the building blocks of the Zero Hunger Food Bank.

As ambitious as it may seem- the intent continues to be the same, a life of dignity to the underprivileged- Hope to a family that will ensure education to their children.

As a team we resolve to provide an individual the comfort of being able to earn a living that would enable them to organise a safe shelter for their family, have access to a basic medical facility & the availability of clean drinking water. This would in turn provide them the luxury of being able to cook themselves a meal which over rides the provision of boxed food from the kitchen of Lotus Petal. 

Objectives of the Zero Hunger Food Bank-

• Provide immediate relief of food supply & essentials during calamities and humanitarian crises.
•  Identify areas of extreme poverty & deliver cooked boxed food.
• Continuous provision of nutritious meals to children in non-profit schools.
• Run age- appropriate, supplementary nutrition programs in Government schools.
• Fortified Supplementary nutrition to address long term malnutrition issues in children from 0 to 5 years in various government schools, anganwaadis, slum areas, identified low income cluster & non-profit schools.

Extensive use of technology, consultation with a nutritionist & support of local administration will ensure the right kind of food delivered to the areas in dire need.

In the design of solutions and to provide a stable delivery mechanism for the above, imperative supplementary issues will get addressed as well which include:

•  Sustainable local income sources
•  Improving farm level incomes
• Women's empowerment
• WASH
• Primary health care
• Nutrition for women during pregnancy

The attempt to provide better life to many in the underprivileged community continues to find novel ways at Lotus Petal. Be a part of the timeless journey of paving a path of hope through wholesome meals & ensuring a life of dignity to all in need.

Magic into reality by Haimanti Mitra

On a blistering, June afternoon, this year, I received the eagerly anticipated news. All six Lotus Petal aspirants for the Class 10^th Board examinations had passed and performed exceedingly well too! Initially I could not believe my ears when my colleague called up and I asked immediately to see the scorecard.  Within a few seconds the scores arrived on my phone via the modern miracle we call ‘whatsapp’ and there they were...magic translated into reality. The numbers were not scores. They were individual stories of battles fought and won with grit and determination.

I was transported back to the summer of 2014 when I stepped into Lotus Petal to teach English and Social Studies. Kushal- founder of Lotus Petal and visionary extraordinaire told me on my first day of work, “When you think positive, the outcome is invariably positive.” The scorecard of the students, the evolution of Lotus Petal and the flourishing institution that I see now, is a tangible validation of those words.

As a teacher, mentor and guide I had to wear multiple hats...of a counsellor, a singing teacher and it’s difficult to believe but yes, the director of an English play! Each event was a learning experience and I have grown along with my students. Their milestones have been my milestones.  In fact the entire team has evolved with the children.

While the senior children of Pratishthan Learning Centre prepared for the ‘battle of the boards’ Vidyananda students were emerging from the chrysalis. I was privileged to mentor Vidyananda for a while and it was an adventure every step of the way. The exact time of a special moment is always difficult to pinpoint and it so happened that one day we looked out and saw neat well-groomed students studying maths, carving intricate clay models, standing in a queue-  perfect models of decorum and grace. The butterflies were out! Vidyananda evolved as only children can with their infinite capacity of hope, joy and energy.

Challenges are a part of the lives of each Lotus Petal student and individual anecdotes  would fill a book. Often in our country, circumstances and not heredity is what hinders the growth and development of a child. What makes Lotus Petal unique is that, children are given tools to chip away at the obstacles around them. There are organisations which take care of children...plenty of them. But how many extend support to the entire family of that child, consequently guaranteeing an ambience at home where the student can study and pursue his or her career plans in peace? Nutrition, health, confidence building skills and exposure to the current corporate system are just a few of these tools. I like to think of them as hammers and chisels chipping away at invisible barriers empowering a child to dream big, go forward.

I wrote of ‘magic’ at the start. Magic does not happen without hard work and when it yields a moment of wonder, we define it as magical. A perfectly formed answer, a confident morning assembly pledge, an intelligent and thoughtful discussion, Vidyananda students outdoing their seniors in multiplication tables...just a few instances of hours of hard work transformed into ‘magic’-the intangible rewards of every teacher.

The ever evolving story of Lotus Petal can be summed up in the words of a beloved poet, Maya Angelou: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

Haimanti Mitra is a teacher at the Pratishthan Learning Center, the secondary school of Lotus Petal Foundation. She teaches English and Social Studies.

The Everyday Hero by Saloni Bhardwaj

“Every morning I wake up feeling inspired about the opportunities that lay ahead of me to serve more” Says Kushal Raj Chakravorty, Founder Lotus Petal Foundation.

The innate desire to serve others became so strong that at the age of 38 Kushal started the Lotus Petal Foundation, an organization that provides free food, education and healthcare to the children living in the urban slums of Gurgaon. A regular IIM graduate, working full time for IKEA, a stable career with excessive international business travel, a simple family man with two daughters and a dog, really isn`t enough to some up Kushal. In the mundane he imagined the extra ordinary. In the cracks of living life in India, he saw opportunity to serve.

After forming the Lotus Petal Foundation in 2011, Kushal started doing small, organized acts of charity. 

He used his skills and business acumen to make the life of boys in Mother Teresa`s Deepashram more comfortable. Deepashram is mother`s home for the destitute. It houses orphaned and abandoned boys who have cerebral palsy or are from various special needs background. Kushal, introduced technology and new age systems to the home to make daily operations more efficient and life for the boys comfortable. He still considers the boys at Deepashram his friends and runs an art therapy program for them twice a week.

As his path progressed, Kushal considered serving the people living in the slums around his home his personal responsibility. He wanted to provide the children on the streets similar opportunity of education and better life like he did to his own daughters. It became increasingly difficult for him to realize that there were quite a few children around him going to sleep without having eaten a single morsel during the day.

Kushal modestly sums up the first few years of Lotus Petal as ‘random acts of charity’ but in the scheme of things there was very little left to chance. Every step taken was thought out, each project was meticulously executed, events were documented and what did not work, was reflected upon and redone. In his pursuit to reach out to many for doing good, he also unknowingly laid a strong foundation for a transparent organization where each system was meticulously put in place after a lot of thinking.

Soon Kushal had developed a strong rapport with neighboring NGO`s and was running some kind of programs with most to benefit the underprivileged. In his interaction with the organizations running primary schools he identified a gap that he felt was the cause that most children were unable to break the poverty ceiling. Free education in most schools is until grade 5. He often times wondered what happened to the students after that? For the fear of loitering on streets or doing their parents job, most children stayed in grade 5 for a few more years until they eventually dropped out to earn a living at a very tender age. Once this golden period of education was lost, the child would always be a menial worker and be stuck in the cycle of poverty and hardship.

This need gave birth to the Pratishthan Learning Center. This program helped students to complete their grade 10 and enter a vocational course depending upon their aptitude. While working with the teenagers he realized the degree of unrealized abuse that was meted out to these teenagers in their younger years. He wished if Lotus Petal could take care of children from the start. Two years later, Lotus Petal started the junior section called Vidyananda School. A Kindergarten to grade 5 primary school for children living in the slums.  

All education, stationery and uniforms provided in the school are free. Besides education, Lotus Petal Foundation provides children with fresh breakfast and lunch every day. An in house doctor takes care of all their primary healthcare needs and various community doctors facilitate secondary healthcare as well. The organization is a surrogate family to the students.

Kushal was born and raised in a simple Bengali home in Ranchi, Jharkhand. His humble roots, modest family lifestyle and a shoe string budget of a single salaried household left an indelible impact on his youth. The lessons learnt while growing up of managing in little and being grateful for the abundance are carefully incorporated in Lotus Petal Foundation. He ensures that the requirements within the school are kept low and constant and should be met strictly with donations. His team is very fastidious about cost cutting and managing the systems that are laid down by him. Accountability, transparency and integrity are the cornerstones of Lotus Petal Foundation.

“Service helps me to do everything better, whether it’s my job or family responsibilities or just managing my personal time. It has completely transformed my life towards the better. I am more aware that I have to make every minute count. I need to keep my focus on the most important things in my life for which I have to prioritize judicially” says Kushal on being repeatedly asked about how he manages his life and keeps a sane balance. He`s a man of few words, vegetarian & a tea totaller, Kushal leads a disciplined and regimented life.

To most of us he`s unique, to him it comes naturally. He`s not the only one but for sure he`s a special one. Some call him a torch bearer others address him as the beacon of light- but to the ones who know him or have met him, he`s really the nicest guy who was born to do what he`s doing- and that too very well. 

Written by Saloni Bhardwaj, writer,  journalist & Trustee at Lotus Petal Foundation