July is the month when local schools have their summer holidays. This year Ravinder Kaur, a retired teacher who had been helping out in the school during her visit to family in Rakkar joined us and held a wonderfully interesting daily class for a steady group of 20-25 children each morning. Most stayed on or were complemented by others who came to our play sessions and computer classes every afternoon.

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In order to increase the skills of our organic farming team, five of us visited the organic farm at Bir run by Spero Lacthis, our homeopathic outreach clinic doctor.  We were full of curiosity and enthusiasm as we were shown the fields made in small circles surrounded by water channels, so that in the rainy season water can’t waterlog the plot and in summer water can seep into the fields. The channels stop insects from reaching the plants and the circular plots are easy to work.

We saw Spero’s very effective composting pits which we are emulating on our Nishtha farm and learned about micro organisms, looking at samples of clay and compost under the microscope learning to identify good and bad bacteria and fungus  with the help of a chart.

200 women from Nishtha’s Single Women’s group marked International Widow’s Day by organising a rally and march in Dharamsala to alert officials and the public to the needs of Single Women.  Their lusty songs and shouted slogans echoed around the hills as they marched through the streets and ADC Rakesh Sharma met them and accepted their list of demands, assuring them that the Government is ready to hear and help them.

In a joint venture, Nishtha and Aviskaar organised a 2 day science fair at the Govt. School in Rakkar. The Aaviskar team arrived on day 1 with brilliantly prepared materials and taught the 7th and 8th class kids basic science concepts using very clear,  practical illustrations. The following day the 2 classes split into small groups who each displayed and with growing confidence and delight explained the models and concepts to the numerous other students and visitors who came to see what was going on. What a wonderful event.! Thank you Aaviskar for your input

A glimpse of what goes on everyday in Nishtha clinic from our long term friend and photographer Nurith Wagner-Strauss who joined us for 3 weeks to take photographs for our forthcoming calenders and train our staff in photography. Look forward to a spectacular 2017!

Nishtha staff and Trustees chose Baba Baroh, a famous white marble Radha Krishna temple situated high on the hills South of us for their staff picnic.  Traveling through winding back roads to get there, Vijay Bhardwaj and our women staff filled the bus with their singing.  After visiting the magnificent temple we all sang and danced and then enjoyed a delicious lunch offered by the temple staff. It was a great day relaxing all together and everyone enjoyed taking lots of trendy selfies!