Journey ahead

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Experts and Killing........

I read this article and like this
“Experts” can be wrong, and say things that sound right – so build a habit of evaluating new information and check it against things you already accept as fact".
Read the article here http://www.zenmoments.org/my-favorite-liar/

hmmmmmmm.....................blindly we follow experts, already established thoughts  and we continue to teach the same...........and here we kill all the scope of …….

One person came to O-campus and said "plant only during rain" and he left..........Asa took it as final words.............She announced "no plantation will happen till rains?"

I questioned "people will come and go..........people with various experience will come to O-campus...................how about listening to all, learning from all and finally continue our spirit of experimentation? Let us explore and continue to plant, experiment with various treatment to the plants.......................observe, explore and experiment".

Many times I follow

Many times I do not follow

I am wondering whom I follow, whom I do not?

I think

I follow people who do not ask me to follow, people who challenge my thinking.

I do not follow people who think they know all.

I look forward to meet Dr Yogananad, Pramod and Subha who will keep telling “this is what I am telling you, you see what you want to do, how you want to do? Pramond openly tells me “I do not want to convince you to use mud blocks, you do your own homework, and then if you want I will give you the technology”.

Although he is assisting me as and when I need and have shared all the technology of making mud blocks but all the responsibility is on my head…………..he has not given me any readymade solutions………………I keep running here and there, understanding on my own, going back to him…………..The journey is not so smooth or ready for me to pick from the shelf …..but this is truly exploratory and leaning experience.

Making of O-campus has given me opportunity to explore many many options of looking at things...............as nothing is available with one phone or just dial :-).

Neem oil

Just when you think things are moving, you get new twist and we call it good news :)

Sriram is saying "I cannot make foundation, you may get a specialized team for the work". Prakash is working with him, understanding his perspective, and exploring.
Also we need to know urgently how to use neem oil for foundation for anti termite treatment.When I asked him earlier, he showed 200% confidence - now he is lost..............and so giving Prakash more opportunities to explore :).

What quantity?
How to apply?
How to source?

If someone knows - Let us know.

Pics of first mud block

The work continues

On Sunday we had five families at O-campus. All together, all busy in own work including 2yrs Samarth. – we worked, we laughed, we tried, ……………

It was strong community feeling as Vishal expressed.

I have come back to I-campus for two weeks – the preparation of O-campus session is on. I am back to another learning community at GK – enjoying meeting and planning together for session starting from 4^th June.

Consciously we are deciding to not to set up the place for children in advance – we will co-create it together with children

Looking back stay for a month at O-campus was like doing session preparation – this stay gave opportunity to explore the place, people and working.  

The work at O-campus continues, Prakash is working there. Foundation work has started.  Prakash will share his journey – he has been exploring and coordinating with  various teams working on the site. Many times each decision looks so small - Make mud blocks near the well, near the unit one………dig mud near the existing mud block unit or shift near the residential unit……………………..dig the mud from playground  or back boundary line…………….pump water from well or get a tanker…………and the list is long. I enjoyed exploring each detail with him.

Looking forward to starting session at O-campus on 4^th June.

Care Taker at O-campus

Venkattappa is ready to stay on O-campus. Day time he will work - take care of cow, agriculture on land, other land work, repair work etc.  He is asking for 8-9K per month. (@ rs 300 per day).
We may have other people also read to stay on site.

Prakash shared

Need: Yes, definitely we need one family to take care of campus - security during night time and on campus work during day time. 

Work description: Kitchen garden, house keeping, security.

Payment: I feel 8-9k is bit on higher side. 

We are paying 6k per month to Kashappa and family. He and his wife are quite receptive and to do things our way.

My brother-in-law said, one more family from Hema's place is ready to come. 

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Mina’s thoughts

Local person has certain advantages - Contacts, information on what where, past history etc.

Person from outside has certain advantages - Non political, may not have any other commitments, so will be focussed

Local person has some disadvantage -  may have own ideas and may need to be challenged, will have other priorities 

Person from outside will have some disadvantage - may not have network, depending on us. Might need to go back to hometown etc. etc.

Net net - if we have worked with person and we feel it will work for us, I think we should go with it.

Regarding wages - I think minimum wage per day  per person is 145 as fixed by govt. That works out to about 8500 per mont for family (assuming two workers)

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Share your thoughts on payment, need, and work description.

• Should we have someone from outside
• Should we have local person/ family

Internet at O-campus

My thoughts on requirement of internet at O-campus. We can re-look at the way we have been looking at internet as source of learning and information.

We were discussing about preparation of O-campus form 4^th June. The requirement of internet came – Later I was reflecting and thinking

We have Lantena at O-campus

We have villagers who have grown Lantana for boundary wall

Me and Asa called Rat to google “how t o grow Lantana”.

Well, this tell me a lot about

• how I have been shying away from experimenting
• Not staying with something
• Not trying enough
• Working with SPECIFIC goals and results

Reflecting back in Aarohi.

In O-campus – let us start without internet as a primary tool to find information or learn. Kids at Aarohi use internet extensively for finding information - reflecting back I feel “it has to start with me” – I have to bring in various resources before I rely on net to find any information. I have to experiment, I have to explore, I have to stay with the problem I have to interact and observe other people…………….it has to began with me.

Past one month I had minimum access of internet, i did not miss it. I had ample resources around me to learn :).

learning to make it a true O-campus

Ours is a O-Campus – open campus
Its not just open from all sides – it is open to all kinds of people

If we truly believe in o-campus – we have to be open people.
Open to embrace all kinds of people.
If O-campus has to be a campus of learning
We have to be open, infact eager and willing to LEARN from all.

Every person we meet, we have to meet with open mind, open heart and a desire to learn.
In fact we can learn so many things from each and every person we interact with – no matter how he or she comes across, whether he is helpful or not helpful, whether he is kind or hurtful, whether he is giving or taking, whether he is stealing from us or saving for us – each person to us is our neighbour / peer – who we look forward to learn from.

We understand that each person has made some choices in life. We need not adopt those choices, not necessarily like them also, but we need not be judgemental of those choices. We need to accept the choices they have made. We need to accept them as what they are, not as how we would like them to be.

This does not mean that we bend backwards; it only means we see with open eyes, hear with open ears and feel with open hearts. We also think with open minds.
It does not mean we succumb to their demands; It means we be empathetic to their desires. It means we still can be emphatic of our own rights.
It does not mean that we go with their decision; it only means we explore more options – which are win win.

If we really want  the campus to be O-campus, we need to open an account of relationship with every person we meet with – and have positive balance in each of those account.

To me the current boundary issue raised by neighbours, some overpriced transaction by contractors, some below quality work by workers – all are mere reflections of how each person is trying his or her best in the current situation to make his or her life happy.
If we think, that we have a better formula for happiness, then we need to be living examples of it. If we start behaving as per their formula - then we are reinforcing their formula.
However, if we in every interaction value the person, value his efforts and value what we are learning from them and value what we can learn from them (in future) – then that would be a new paradigm for us to grow in and for others to experience.

While we could push the surveyor to do without bribe, imagine how villagers are tossed around by these officials and often how they find themselves at wits end to figure out a way to live in this society that is contagiously corrupt.
Add to it the farmers plight because of nature’s vagaries, weather’s ruthlessness and a society that puts them in the lowest rung of respect and regard.

Lets discuss this most often and lets push ourselves to change our paradigm of how we look at everybody in and around O-campus and push each other amongst the aarohi team to be understanding, empathetic and kind.

This is the kind of curriculum that I would like the children to learn.
This is what I mean that let this be a “campus that teaches”.
Teaches US.

Ratnesh

First Mud block at O-campus

Making of first mud block at O-campus

We are using mud from the site, mixing cement and query dust. (7:2:5). The entire construction will be load bearing structure – no use of RCC, hence save steel. The blocks are hard press and baked in sun – no burning require.
We are still using cement – looking for option to make it without cement too :)

The making of mud block is labour intensive work – currently we have got machine on rent and the team has come from Vellore, they travel to places as per the need. We are to trying to make a team at O-campus, as if now the locals are not interested to get onto any labour intensive venture.

Buying machine and making own blocks involve its own challenges
1. Train people, get trained ourselves to be able to train them…….
2. Maintain the quality

Renting machine too has its own implications –
1. cost, hosting team,
2. Benefits – you get trained people, do not need to worry about the training, quality etc.

Looking forward to take it forward.

Action Pics

We play, we sleep, we work, we create and have fun at O-Campus. We go to our neighbour Ravi's farm to enjoy pool. 

Journey

When I do not know what is happening at site, when the behaviour of workers trouble me or rather I get troubled – I talk to Madhukar to understand his perspective and talk to Ratnesh to explore another perspective,  speaking to Pramod opens up new ideas and understanding, Thank you all for being partner in this journey.

This is what Ratnesh’ view

Good -feeling-low - to me is a good news. ;-)
I know you will step over it, rather jump over it.
I know you realise that is part of the deal.
I know you realise that people around us need not be perfect (nobody is);
rather they need people who respond very differently (as compared to how everybody responds)
I know you realise that people around us need a very different set of role models.
I know you realise that people do not need a new way of construction farming, but a new kind of approach. (and a new kind of teacher).

I think, We all need to continuously look into ourselves and work on ourselves so that when aarohi children, aarohi parents, neighbours, govt officials, farmers, construction workers all come to interact with us - they experience a more meaningful relationship with us. Relationship that help them grow and glow!

It has to begin with me. Let me work on me. Rest of the world is already perfect  the way it is.

This is what Pramod says

You have to work with workers, listen to them before you put your technology onto them, even if it is rural technology. There is lot of difference in what we read and what happens on the site  - we need to understand working, we need to work with them.

This is what Madhukar says

It takes time  - give then time. Also do  not use the same person for many things, Let Sriam work as mason only, involving him materail hunting will lead to complications ..............

So true – I started relying for everything on Sriram. From construction, to arranging for material to have a night guard at site……….or cook for us. Pulled myself – went for material hunting and started interacting with more people. Sriram is back to work.

I think, It will take time to make relationship for villagers to have faith in us and be honest with us or even look at us their partners. Currently they are looking at us “from Bangalore”. 

Enjoying the process and this journey.

Making of O-campus at home

O-Campus at home

While some of us who are on the site get the exposure in many different ways. The one who are not able to come to O-campus can still explore few things at home

WATER

As a family you can collect data how much water do you consume for various activities at home”.

When it rains measure how much it is raining in Bangalore

ENERGY

Experiment with cooking in sun

Generating energy with bicycle or any other manual energy

Pulling water from one place to another place with manual energy

PLANTAION

Collect seeds at home, plant them in small plastic bags or container and make your own nursery. As and when you come yo O-campus you can plant or give us we will plant.

Make your choice list of plants/ trees you want to grow

Experiment with growing kitchen garden with minimum water – use mulching etc etc.

CONSTRUCTION

Take a room of 12feet X 15feet, height 10 feet. Design interior for five kids to stay. Minimum one child should have is the space to sleep and keep one bag.

Design of window grill

Design of doors

Design of floor tiles

Design of steps

FUNDING and ACCOUNTING

Share the dream with your friends

Join the accounting team to enter all the expenses

Click pictures and send to us

If you are excited with any of the above – connect with us

Mina – Water

Vishal - Energy

Prakash and Ratnesh – Funding and accounting

Asawari and Ratnesh  - Plantation

Aditi – Construction

Water and hand work

Leela and Yashas joined me to explore material supply. We entered every factory, literally stopped many tractor trolley to took phone numbers and find material supplier. In the process also met business man from Gujrat and Rajasthan (Jalore). They are here for business – no big deal If we are in Hosour to make O-campus.

Well, it was fun.

Two granite factories have agreed to give scarp for free. Found direct suppliers of materials and willing to take cheque – this helps in accounting with less handling of cash.

The work at site is slow – less workers, water is far from the site.

Today I was thinking – I am playing the role of owner only – arranging material, payment, coordinating …………….I have stopped doing work with my hands at site. The feeling is not so good.

Looking forward to tomorrow to re-start work at site.

We started fetching water from well to the construction place. The speed of making sump is slow  - workers are less, fetching water takes time. We are using well water.

In the morning I was thinking - can we some way pump up the water to the construction place?
I have the feeling we can use water pump mechanism and pump up the water up - we can make a temporarily system.

Even if we install something like this near the well  - we save one step of taking water put of the well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHkEPx0hj4Y&feature=related

Shall we explore this sat/ sun making of water pumping system?

Else - once the sump is ready, workers are planning to get water tanker, they are in no mood to fetch water form the well.
If we can use this well water, we can also clean up the well and chk for further use.

Work with hands

Just wondering, my mother spent her first 15 yrs in village, chasing cows for cow dung to use for fuel, milking cows, grinding wheat for daily use, playing in fields………………………..I am yet to learn a lot of things to do by my hands.

If I have to nail a hole in the wall, I wait for the carpenter. I see myself handicapped when it comes to doing a lot of day to day chores………..O-campus is bringing me back to basics and asking me to use my hands to work. 

I planted trees – all my l life I waited for the gardener to plant in my garden, get the soil etc etc.:)

I saw the team of mud block, with so much ease they settled in new place – I am learning from them. They carry a bag full of utensils, one stove, few more essentials and one shoulder bag for clothes, As soon as they reached they made friends with locals, found places to eat, bath and ..................all set to work next day. They are young boys (14 to 25 yrs old). They cook, they work, they source essentials, they sue hands.

Concrete Blocks

I am not too happy with my decision to use concrete hollow blocks for temp structure.  I am also not sure about my decision to make shed towards the end of the site.

Labourer were not ready to stay in leaf structure – specified for a need of PUCCA place to ensure no animals come.

I am not happy to use

Cement blocks

Cement sheets to cover

I went by what locals are using, what mistry was comfortable with, what was fast for the shed.

If I logic out the decision looks fine

If I feel, it does not feel fine

Hmmmmmmm still not happy

Learning curve

Today O-campus was bursting with activities. Rat, Prakash, Leela and Yashas joined for Survey. Yashas planted his Papaya tree and spent three hours in decorating the pit, watering and digging around to store water for the tree.

One round of survey happened and hopefully we got our final boundaries.

My learning curve is taking its own turns. I am not very happy with depending on Sriram for the material, he has been telling various rates. Spoke to Maduhkar and he advised to look for more suppliers – this simple tip made so much of difference. The focus changed from “Sriram to stop cheating to finding more options” for the same work done J. Prakash and Leela were bog help in sorting all the accounts at the end of the week

Looking forward to Monday to look for more suppliers, connect with and find more options. 

Today one murder happened in Kelmanagala market in the day time, I was in that area with – it was scary to see that dead body – have heard in movies or newspaper, today saw it. The entire town was quite but had lot of hulchul in the market. Market was running as usual. I crossed the road and when I came back after 10min I saw dead body in blood. Exploring life and various aspects.

Yesterday some one from mud block team took money form petty cash and took away one music system. I informed about the loss and told them to return back if that can. Gave the house key again for them to stay in night.

It take s along to make relationship – guess, it will take time Sriram and others to start working with honesty – so the loss of money is also part of process. Loss of money is in various forms – taking extra than the bill amount, charge more and work less etc etc will settle as we grow in our relationship.

Pramod, young man doing his Phd in what he likes doing. He wants us to plant fruit trees all along the boundary wall. He says “preserve childhood, lets kids enjoy, I spent my summer holidays under a tree in my grandpa’s house”.  Also he thinks this will be a good way to make relationship with locals – “plant the tree and do not bother about who eats the fruits”.

He shared “most of the people who come to us are not in a hurry and hence do not pay any bribe for registering their site. He thinks we pay bribe because we are in a hurry J.

Action Day

Today was action day

Pramod came t o site to chk the foundation  - its all clear, we are ready to start the foundation – yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Mud block machine with 5 people came to the site, Sriram finally came in action……………….one wanted the shed to be ready, another wanted to know how will they get water, one was worried about the mesh, another for stay and electricity……..the list was longgggggggggggg.

The shed is not yet ready, labourers will stay in the guest house. My first thought “I am alone today, will I be ok with them”. Well, I am fine, I see no danger, I see no apprehensions.

Dandpani called to know if everything is ready on the site I said "its not ready, but you come, things will be ready". When he reached the site, he was hyper “nothing is ready, the size of the shed is note enough, no water, no query dust etc etc………”

By the evening he settled, made friends with Sriram and eager to start the work tomorrow.

The sump is not ready, have done temporary arrangements, bought a water drum - simple!
We need water, have arranged for two ladies to fetch the water to make mud blocks - simple!
We have no electricity, Vishal has arranged for two solar lights - simple!
The shed is nt ready, the team will stay for two days at the guest house - simple!
Enjoying things happening from nothing to everything.

It will good exploration for kids to visit O-campus during next week, they can be part of making mud blocks.

The team of mud block has five boys – These young entrepreneurs form village travel to different places. Yet to explore their working - something we can reach out to people thru O-campus.

Venkatppa was too eager to show me govt hospital. I visited the hospital with him, it is 5 kms from O-campus, have all the first-aid facilities. First I was taken as an officer to check, so initially there was hulchal, soon they got settled and told me “see, we have all the first aid facilities, when something happens bring the child us”. They say it is 24hrs. All rooms were empty but as soon as I requested to meet the doctor, one lady doctor appeared – so I have the hope 24hrs will work. The ambulance driver gave his mobile to me. Next level hospital is in Hosur (GH  - generl hospital), in Kelmangala we have PH (primary health centre).

Ambulance - 1056

Driver's no - 90252 81274 (Ganesh)

Venkatappa was not too eager to tell that the area has snakes "I will get afraid".  He just said "they co-exist, do nothing to you. no worry, no Kardu (bear), may be wild boar, elephants do nothing.........all is well. Just keep a dog for your safety, make boundary with thorny bushes and that all".  Will get more info as he will get more confidence in me :). He was back to boundary wall :)

Looking forward to tomorrow for more action.

Communication is fun

For some reasons Venkattap is toooooooo eager to make boundary with the thorny plants and clear all the thorny plants from the site. I explained to him we cannot yet finally put boundary as survey is pending – in a day 4-5 times he will tell me “sara pak ker dalta ho and sab kanta boundary pe dal data ho”. Yesterday, I told him “LISTEN………”. And after some time like a child he again repeated the same. Asa exploded with laughter seeing my face after all this LISTEN.  Now I just listen to him and say “no, not now”. More than me, he is waiting for survey J

Sriram, our mason is learning to deal with my inability to understand his language. Sometimes he literally pulls his hairs on the site, when I give him blank looks after he explains to me the whole ramayan of his work. First he will pull his hairs, then look for someone who can converse with me in some broken English, Kannada…………..He thinks I still know a bit of Kannada with my sawlpa and erdu knowledge. Yesterday finally he drew on the ground and explained to me J We both are exploring many ways of communicating.

100 trees planted

Car puncture seems to be part of learning at O-campus. Today I had fifth time puncture in my car. We were waiting for the tyre to come, as spare tyre was also punctured, two people came and said “edi”, I guessed this to be “sidi (ladder in Hindi)”. I said “we do not have Sidi”.

After some rounds with Hindi, English and mixed Kannada , Tamil words they managed to convey to us that they have come from forest dept and wanted to see the tree pits. After inspecting few they were convinced with our intentions. We all together went to forest nursery to get tree saplings, Asa was very excited and managing with her knowledge of Kannada counting – she selected 100 tress and we planted ALL – yippee !!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile the work on shed also started. Workers have some marriage in village, Sriram’s workers are busy, he brought few kids who helped him in fetching water etc and also he trained them in mixing mortar etc. I was thinking “should I talk about child labour or leave to real life learning for these kids, I left it”.

Today we were on the site whole day, noon sun did not feel too harsh with all the excitement of tress. Venkattappa’s team helped us to plant the trees.

For today to happen a lot of people worked. Suchi and Prakash went hunting for forets dept and nursery, Asa and Mina identified tree spots, Mina went in rounds to get the workers in place. Finally today Venkattappa brought his workers in the morning and action started.

Venkattapaa is interested in cleaning the site and making boundary wall. He uses the word “I will make the whole site pak (means pure, but he uses as clean). I like it “pura site pak bana dalega”. Lets see how this decision goes, have given him contract on Rs 11,000/- to clean all the thorny bushes on the site and make a boundary with the same.

Our first Solar lights have come, Vishal is on his journey of exploring energy on the site.

The fun at O-campus began with few village kids coming to the site. They announced themselves as cricketers – Suresh Raina, Yuvraj, Sachin………..All jumping in sump pit and Dhrupad exploring with them. Asa was rolling with laughter with the kids fun. One of them said “I am joke man”. Looking forward to explore with village kids.

To go or not

Mina has some work at home, so she is not coming this week. I was alone today, kids also wanted to be at home. Today I left half hearted – not sure what will happen on the site. When I reached I saw nothing happening – somebody died in labourer family, no work on shed started no work on sump started, few pits were digged at 5-7 feet apart.

Hmmmmmmmm Just when I was thinking Venkatappa approached and started talking about his willingness to work. Together with Sriram we marked the tree pits.

After every break of Sunday and stay at Bangalore the entu to go to site on mon/ tue varies.   No burning decisions to be taken, even if one does not go not much will suffer or rather not much will also happen. One has to be there to get the work going or rather keep the flame alive.

So going tomorrow with kids to stay for next two days –  Sriram is hopeful to start the work tomorrow. Travelling up and down was tiring but I felt nice that I went.

Hope meter

On Sunday I went to O-campus to personally understand the digging of playground.  As we were digging we realized that there are rocks and things will not go the way we had planned. I needed time to think and re-plan, we stopped the work.

I realized that when I go specially for one work and my another leg is in Bangalore, my reactions were different – I was regretting “why did I come on Sunday, My kids wanted to go for shopping, anyway Sriram knew the work………….I was in a hurry to come back. The work also did not happen the way I had planned…….the rocks on the site really looked like a road block.

When I am staying at the O-campus and getting the work done, I have no ifs and buts. I am just there and such ups and downs, no rocks are road blocks…………..everything is fine and moving, Ah! I enjoy staying at the site.

Sriram asked me what work you do at Bangalore. When I told I work for this trust, he wanted to know “what benefit you get”  I said no benefit, I just work. He was surprised…………………I too :)

On Friday the action of material procuring for construction started. We also mobilized labourer for tree plantation. Asa expressed “my hope has again come back, I have been hearing we will do this, that but not much happening on the site, I see the action now. When I saw the mud road on the site I had hope, then for two weeks not much happened now again actions is happening. Hope has come back”. So now we keep checking Asa's hope meter :)

I was just thinking, If I was in her place I would have been thinking the same. But to be part of mobilizing action has taught me to see every step as action. For me last two weeks were not dull period, things were happening in the background………..for things to start now. 

Looking forward

Interctaion and learning

The day started with heavy rain on the  land, so we could not start the foundation work. Rest of the day was spent in Hosur – found out about the hospital and facilities. Children had  lots of questions – do they have anti vemon? What If one has heart attack, once one dies, how will ambulance will come ………………

AT the land Asa was excited to plant trees from her nursery. Dhup, Anu and Pranav enjoyed the mud road.

Yesterday meeting with Shubha  for RWH was interesting. Six of us landed at her home, all willing to explore more.

Meeting with Pramod was enlightening as many thoughts are churning, too many threads to tie together to take construction ahead. Every interaction is useful for Pramod is young boy, doing his Phd in mud construction, doing what he likes doing and happy with his parents support,

We are planning to buy mad block making machine.

Yesterday Madhukar came to the site – I had my list of doubts to clarify on how to interact with masons and labours. Exploring this filed from a different perspective.  Every interaction is a leaning experience.

Kids are asleep after a tiring and travelling day – they have been quite a support and involved in the whole process.  Boomer continues to add flavour and excitement in our village life.

Looking forward to tomorrow.