Outreach in Varanasi

Along side our regular work with Asha Deep Vydiashram  we have completed 4 outreach projects over the last month that have brought us in contact with some inspirational organisations and characters.

We ran 2 mornings of workshops at the Duniya school in Nagawa,Varanasi.  The director of the school had seen our performance and contacted us with such enthusiasm for our work we could not turn down the request.  It is a wonderful school that gives impoverished children care and education, feeding them daily and that is very keen to encourage creativity in their pupils.

We also performed to and taught at the Ashray school/clinic in Nagwa that is run by an inspirational character Father Francis who has made the area his home and the people his work since 1979.  Please look at the website for more information about the work of Ashray and Father Francis.

The second time for PWB we visited (and performed to) the Kiran center; a small village where children and youngsters with different abilities receive education, skills and vocational training and physical rehabilitation.

Finally we squeezed in one more project and went to the GuriaCenter, a non-formal education centre in the red light area (shivdaspur) for children of women in prostitution. It was possibly the most challenging of the organisations that we visited, the children most vulnerable and in real need of care and attention.

Both the children and the staff at these 4 centers have welcomed us and in some cases shown us overwhelming encouragement for our work.  A doctor commented what a powerful healer laughter is, and what an important job it is that we are doing.  Father Francis was inspired to try various circus tricks himself, from chair balancing to spinning Tom’s walking stick.  His ripe age was no obstacle for some circus fun.