When she was a little girl listening to me tell “her story” at bedtime, I promised her that when she was a teenager I would take her back to her native country of China to see the orphanage at which she spent her first nine months of life before being adopted. Last month that promised […]
A Dream Called AVANI
June 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hal Edwards has traveled to India and Egypt where he became personally involved with Arun and his family. In addition to being a pastoral psychotherapist and spiritual director, he is involved with Contemplative Outreach, Ltd, a worldwide movement that teaches the ancient meditation method of centering prayer. He has four children and ten grandkids. Gardening, […]
AVANI’s First Graduate: Sunil Kamble’s Story
June 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Sunil Kamble was the first in his family to graduate from school. The SSC exam (Secondary School Certificate) is a state board final exam all students must pass out of their 10th grade of secondary school education. Once a student passes the exam, they are eligible to enroll in junior college for the next […]
Remembering ‘Bapu’ on Father’s Day!
June 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The concept of celebrating Father’s Day is relatively new in India. The idea of celebrating Father’s Day has been imported from western countries mainly US, barely a decade ago. However, it is remarkable to note that the idea of observing a day in honor of fathers has been appreciated by Indians to a large extent. […]
Rescued Child, Symbol of Hope, urges parents to ‘Stop And Think’
June 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The NCPCR, International Labour Organisation and UNICEF have called the world’s attention to the plight of millions of children around the world who are exploited as child labour, including in domestic work. “Children in domestic work are especially vulnerable to exploitation. Their work is often hidden from the public eye, they are isolated and very […]
AVANI Impacts Children’s Lives, Please Help
June 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Akanksha’s Story The Avani organization provides a home for displaced children where all the basic necessities are delivered for 38 children. Each child has a compelling story that pulls at the heart strings.* ……..*See: Gandhi Sponsor the Children Fund As an example, Akanksha was only five years old when her father died as a consequence […]
World Day Against Child Labor: Just Say NO!
June 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
No to child labor in domestic work! GENEVA (ILO News) – An estimated 10.5 million children worldwide – most of them under age – are working as domestic workers in people’s homes, in hazardous and sometimes slavery-like conditions, says the ILO. Six and a half million of these child labourers are aged between five and […]
Superadobe Shelters Rising in Kolhapur!
June 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
To commemorate the 120th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s first act of non-violent civil resistance we are happy to make the following exciting announcement… After three years of intensive research, architectural programming, design, development and budgeting by GWEI, Mahatma Gandhi Foundation and AVANI (see Catalyst House October 22 2012 and GWEI January 5 2013) the first two of up to 16 Superadobe earthen-based […]
Summer Camp is a Special Time
May 29, 2013 by 5 Comments
Every year in the month of May, AVANI organizes summer camp for the children. The duration of the camp is 10 days. The objectives of this “camp” are to help children to develop a variety of different skills, as well as to make each of them aware of their own special talents, potentials and uniqueness. […]
Sunanda Gandhi: A Mothers’ Day Tribute
May 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
When he introduced himself as the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi to his nurse, her instantaneous response that she was the queen of England! This began a courtship that led to their marriage and a life filled with love, laughter and song which my brother, Tushar and I have had the privilege to share in with […]
Just Imagine: Is this too much to ask?
May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
“Imagine what we can do if 100,000 people decide to donate $3 a month (just 10 cents per day) for 12 months? It could transform the lives of thousands of children and their families. Is this too much to ask?” It is a sad commentary on our civilization that millions of children all over the world are […]
A Trusteeship of Intention
April 30, 2013 by Leave a Comment
AVANI, Gandhi Worldwide Education Institute and Mahatma Gandhi Foundation came together with an intention to serve the children and in doing so serve whom Bapu (Gandhi) held dearest, ‘Poorest of poor and weakest of weak’. ‘Child trafficking’ is a newly coined fancy term for the age old practice of exploiting and abusing the weak and […]
Anuradha Bhosale to Speak at Vanguard University!
April 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Anti Child Labor and Women’s Rights Hero from India, Anuradha Bhosale, to Speak at Vanguard University Open to the public, renowned grassroots women’s rights and anti-child labor activist based in the Kolhapur district of India will speak Monday April 15th at 7:30 at Vanguard University Heath Building Room 100 Orange County CA – April 14, 2013: Anuradha […]
CalEarth Apprentice Arrives in Kolhapur to build (and teach) Super-Adobe Structures
January 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Excerpt from Whitey Flagg’s ShelterSpace blog In September I returned to Southern California to begin my long-term apprenticeship at Cal-Earth. I learned Super-adobe and many different types of foundations, flooring, plastering, waterproofing, and much more. I have been studying Permaculture for some time but was also able to participate in a PDC course and finally receive […]
Thank you for your support!
December 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Let’s make 2014 the year that helps lift children out of poverty. Working together we can do this! We thank you for your support throughout the year! “Children should be making sandcastles not bricks” photo credit: UNICEF #notochildlabour