If in India, tradition and the past are incredibly powerful forces, the future is making a strong bid for attention. We witnessed that at a village private school that is funded by Grand Circle Foundation, and at a Non Governmental Organization that is creating sustainable job opportunities for the local villagers through art and crafts. Both are in the Ranthambore, Rajasthan area.

This is 4 year-old Tina. She sang “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” for us at the Ram Singh Pura School. The school and village improvements are supported by the Grand Circle Foundation which was started by the owners of Overseas Adventure Travel, Harriet and Alan Lewis. Just another good reason to travel with O.A.T.  You can check them out at http://www.grandcirclefoundation.org

Here you see the children trying to wiggle their fingers like Mitch.

Teachers at the Ram Singh Pura School.

Classroom

A young student wearing his green gingham shirt, the school uniform.

The school administrators.

Today was exam day. These kids seem confident.

Dhonk is a craft cooperative developed by Divya Khandal (seen below). It is designed to provide skills and employment to the wives of the semi-nomadic Mogya and Bawariya tribesmen, who for generations were hunters and gatherers. In recent times the men became poachers of the endangered tigers, and many have been arrested and inprisoned. The tribes also damaged the forests through the clearing of trees, grass cutting, and cattle grazing. This project is designed to provide families with a sustainable alternative economic existence, and to provide education to their girl children. More than 150 villagers have been trained to date. Fine quality handcrafts produced are sold to support the enterprise.

Women are taught embroidery, patchwork, hand block printing, and beadwork.

Divya Khandal, the founder of Dhonk, a project of the Tiger Conservation NGO, Tiger Watch. You can check them out at http://www.tigerwatch.net

This pretty much shows the extent of the current operation. They are looking to relocate to a larger space.

These women are embroidering and making children’s’ toys: an elephant, a tiger etc. We were happy to make our purchases.