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!!

Boardmember Therese

Therese grew up in Våler (in the Solør district), a small village close to the boarder between Norway and Sweden. During her studies and early career she lived in Oslo, Fredrikstad and Myre (in Vesterålen) . She now lives in Våler again, with her boyfriend (Stein Roger) and their two daughters. She is a physical therapist as well as a trained acupuncturist and runs her own clinic. Before they had children, she and her boyfriend worked as a fosterhome for teenagers with drugs and behavior problems, and took part in their treatment/rehabilitation.

Therese's big passion is horses. As a mum to two small girls she rarely finds the time to go horseriding on her own, but she takes her children to the stable as often as she can.Therese has traveled quite a bit, but has not been to India (yet!). Together with her sister (Cathrine) and her parents, she helped Aryan's family in 2005 and 2011 and is therefore an important part of Ganpati Norway's background story.

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

The work Ganpati Norway does in Tikri is something I know my sister has been dreaming of doing for a very long time, and I know how important this is to her. I have heard stories of Aryan* and his family since 2003 so they have been a part of my reality for many years. This is one of the reasons why I chose to get involved. 

But - I also think the work Ganpati Norway does is both good and important. And we decide and control everything! We decide what we want to do, after advise from our partner Friends in Khajuraho Association, and we know exactly how our money is spend down there. We are also able to see the direct link between the money we spend and the impact is has, and this is the best part of the organisation in my mind. We are small, and so are our projects. We can follow the kids in our project up close. We know their names, how old they are, and their background and their living conditions. We also know a bit about their dreams and hopes for the future. And then we try to help them with what they need to get there in the long run. I really like that part too.

Meet our boardmember Espen!

In the coming weeks, we will introduce our boardmembers, and for our first blog entry on this topic, we chose Espen. Espen is Cathrine's boyfriend since 2009 and they have two small children together (Cathrine is head of the board). Espen was born and raised in Lofoten, but has lived in Oslo since 2003. He works with IT security in Cyberon Security (he also owns a small part of this firm). Espen likes to work out, doing heavy weightlifting several times a week, and is also a certified personal trainer. He is really passionate about his favorite soccerteam, the norwegian team Rosenborg from Trondheim.

Espen has been to India once, and also visited Khajuraho and Tikri (he went to visit Aryan's* family who lived in Tikri). Further down in this blog entry you will find pictures from his travel experience in India.When Aryan's* children contacted Cathrine, he was the first to suggest that he and Cathrine should support them longterm in cooperation with Vio and Vijay. Without his initiative, Ganpati Norway would never have been founded.

What do you like the most about Ganpati Norway?

I have been to Tikri and visited the family we support there and I know how different their lives are compared to mine. When Aryan's children contacted my girlfriend and it became clear to us how severe their situation was, it was obvious to me that we should do something for them long term so that they have a chance at a better life. And then it grew to become more thant just about this family! I really like our literacy project where we give children and young adults a chance to learn how to read and write in their native language, to do basic math and even some english. I hope we can support underprivileged children through secondary highschool and/or other kinds of formal education too in the future. That would be amazing!

Most people are so busy with their own "stuff" that it would never occur to them to step up for strangers far away. So was I. But suddenly we had this amazing opportunity more or less handed to us. To be involved in work like this was a new experience for me when we started, but I really enjoy it. Knowing that my small contribution can change lives on the other side of the planet.... it is nice to think about. 

Dreams for the future

Before the literacy project took a break, we asked our students to write and/or draw what they think about the literacy project and/or what they dream of for their future. This is not an easy task for most indian children. They are more about "here and now" and what "is", and it is not easy to get them to talk about the future and what "could be".

To speak openly and honest with authority figures and open their hearts and mind are not something they are used to either. In our mind, it is important to encourage them to do so  - so we asked them, knowing this would be difficult for them. And they did their best. Here is what we got back from them (translated to english by Vio);

Dipika* (girl approx 16-17 years old, goes to school): I like the class very much. To be teacher is my dream. Like to study and I like the teacher who teaches very well and explaines very well. What he teaches I understand. That’s what I think about my dream. I want to study enough to stand on my feet and to prove the worth of my mother and father’s name. And I want to learn music and dance and henna tattoo. Thank you.

Ishaan* (boy, approx. 16 years old. Finished class 8, currently out of school/no job):  I want to go to school, work in Khajuraho and support my family.

Roshni* (girl, approx. 17 years old. Finished class 8. Currently taking sewingclass, sponsored by us): I want to study. I like study. I am learning English and Hindi also. I want to learn painting. I want to learn sewing and I will learn well.

Amrita* (girl, approx. 16 years old. Finished class 8. Currently taken sewingclasses together with Roshi*): I like sewing and painting.

Naveen* (boy, approx. 15 years old. Dropped out of school at class 2/3. Currently looking after goats during the day): I want to go to school and study.

Prakash* (boy, approx 21 years old. Dropped out of school at class 2/3. Currently no job): I want to get a job. I want to go to school. 

Suma* (girl, approx.13 years old, goes to school): I like very much, I like very much going to school. I like to do painting. I also like to learn music. I want to learn henna tattoo. I want to go to sewing school. I like sewing very much.

Priya* (girl, approx 13 years old, goes to school): I like to school and I like to study.

Raju* (boy, approx 17 years old. Currently out of school/no job): I like to study. I like to go to school. I want to learn reading. I will do job.

The two yougest in class this afternoon chose to draw. They are young and are still just practising letters and how to hold a pencil. One of them wants to be an artist, which shows in his painting. The other one drew a man watering som plants, so we guess he wants to be a farmer.

*All the names have been changed to protect their identity