Austrian Civil Servant Niklas’ last contribution – prettying the back of our riverside DO NOT THROW GARBAGE INTO THE RIVER signs! Thank you for your valuable service Niklas!

Over 220 single women attended the block meetings organised by our single women activists last week. Women who have problems can ask a panel of invited exerts for their advice and receive help immediately. Questions about disability pensions, domestic violence cases and medical problems were all addressed. The women appreciate the opportunity to get together, learn how to apply for help and stand up for themselves. Good work Nishtha single Women activists!

Nishtha activists have been presenting calendars to officials in the offices in Dharamshala and in the local areas, appreciating their help and co-operation. Have you received your copy yet? If not, please contact us!

Shalini and Kanishka, our students who are taking the Nishtha tuition classes this year signed up to do an online course called “Maths Matters” run through Aaviskar NGO. They are learning how to present maths in an exciting and tangible way so that the children learn the basic concepts of maths in a very direct and fun way. They immediately use what they learn on line in the classroom with the children with tremendously positive results!

Two additional schools on the hillside have asked us to supplement their midday meals. Kaswarkhas has 14 children while Kirku, which is even higher up the mountain has only 7. These are very poor labour families, some of whom are mine workers. Our team is keen to deliver food to these schools despite the distance it has to be carried from the nearest road head.

Austrian volunteer Florian uses these bright clear winter days to help Vinod give the playground equipment a fresh coat of paint.

Sajhe Sapne team from Aavishkar NGO visited Nishtha to talk about their one year residential course. Their program develops the girls potential and ensures them work opportunities as educators, social workers or IT operators. 14 of the girls sponsored by Nishtha to go to college, attended this workshop in which they discussed the meanings of career and Job. The girls talked about the objective of their academic courses and what their studies will enable them to do in the future. It was a very thought provoking and interesting meeting. Thank you to the Sajhe Sapne team!

We are pleased to have been able to respond to the needs of the villagers by fitting a much larger water filtration system so that sufficient clean water is available for all the families living in the area.

Bright blue but chilly November days are perfect for getting the cycles out on the ground. The children are thrilled and very happy to learn how to ride properly.