Our most enthustiastic boardmember - Torlaug!

This week we will tell you about our boardmember Torlaug. She is from Melbu in Vesterålen (in northern Norway), but has lived in Våler i Solør since 1978. She and her husband have two daughers (Cathrine and Therese) and four grandchildren. Torlaug is an educated social worker and coach and has worked with teenagers with drug addiction and behaviour problems (and their families) for many years. She is currently also working with children placed in foster care for other reasons. Torlaug worked with children and teenagers in the local church for many years, but has not been active in church for a long time now. There are of course many differences between social work in India and Norway, but it is beneficial to our work to have an experienced social worker and coach on our board. Torlaug is an very active woman, and holds pilates- and zumbaclasses at the local gym (which she owns and runs together with her husband).

Torlaug supported Aryan's* family back in 2005 and 2011, and she is our most enthustiastic boardmember, always ready to share what she can on social media. When she heard that Aryan* had died, she immediately offered to support the family long term - which she does together with her husband and Cathrine. Torlaug wanted to do this back in 2003, but it was not possible then. It has been very important to her to do something for other children in Tikri, not just Aryan's children and to create an organisation to make sure everything is properly handled. Torlaug has never been to India herself, but this is about to change as she will travel to Khajuraho/Tikri with Cathrine and Linn the coming winter. She is excited about this trip, but she is also a bit anxious about it all.

What do you think is the best part about Ganpati Norway and the work you do?

Everything!!!!!! I really like the opportunity I have to get involved,  to make a difference and actually see the results of my effort. It does not take much money to make a difference, so just about everyone can be part of "team Ganpati" if they want to. Vio, Vijay and Ravi document everyting and keep Cathrine informed - and she informs the board as she hears from them. It is quite fun to be on the board and see everything that goes on.

I really feel for Aryan's* widow, being left alone with nine kids and no income. What a horrible situation to be in! I have helped the family before through Cathrine, and I have heard so much about them that I feel I know them. It will be very exciting, and emotional, to finally meet them myself in a few months time. I will probably cry, not just once but several times during this trip - I am sure of it! But it will be worth the emotional turmoil! I just hope I don't get sick while I'm there - I am a bit worried about that....

It is also very important to me that Ganpati is not primarily about Aryan's* family, but about children and young adults in Tikir. The literacy project is therefore the most important project in my mind. I would love it if there was something we could do so that the kids learn what they are supposed to at the village school and don't need extra tuition to become literate. That way we could spend more money helping kids with their education passed 8th grade instead. But that is not an easy problem to solve I'm afraid. The clothbag project is important too, and might become very important in the long run - giving women an income and a network  - and it is also an ecofriendly project. This project is not "ours" though, as it is initiated by Friends in Khajuraho Association, but we support the project and we're involved. And it is great that we can bring clothes with us when we come to visit - and that Vio/Vijay distribute the clothes to underprivileged families in the area. So... I said "everything" is the best part - and it is not far from the truth!!