Malighat School and Orphanage Project: Photos from Malighat

Malighat School and Orphanage Project: Photos from Malighat

This project began in 2003 with one woman, a ten year old girl and twenty children coming to school in their home.   There are now about 20 children living at the ashram full time and about 150 children attending school.  They are now accommodated in a 3 storey building that has been built up around them all over the years.

Photos from Malighat

It's always a happy surprise to find an email from Jyoti.  How this household has grown over the last 9 years.  The very latest were received this morning, Saturday 7th April, 2012.  A lot to cook and clean for.  And a lot of Happy Young Helpers.

Well done, Jyoti.  In 2003 when you were taking care of ten year old Monalisa, you said that you wanted to be able to make a home for twenty.  I think that you have more than fulfilled your hopes and dreams.  I am sure that your school is also achieving its goals.

Baba's Birth Day celebrations

Didi Jyoti wrote: We shall celebrate Happy birth day of our most beloved Baba tomorrow 6.07 a.m. All children are given new dresses and our entire building is well decorated with light and flowers. All are very happy to observe this auspicious day for all of us.

Everyone looks really beautiful and you made delicious food to celebrate the occasion.  I think there are some new additions to our family, am I right?

Is that Baba, in the pictures against the wall?  Would someone please tell me about Baba?

You can all write to everyone in Australia and in your lives.  Just click on "comments" below this and you can type in the box that comes up.  If you want to add a picture, click on the picture icon, choose your pictures and click.  The next thing you know, all the pictures will be beneath your typing.

Monalisa, what year have you reached in your school life?

Who is that hiding there behind the doorway on the left ... and who is that peeking from the doorway on the right.

Ah ... now I see you.

Oh, how delicious!

Let's make friends

Who is in this picture?

1.  I see a part of someone's head at the middle top of the picture.  Who could that be?

2.  A shorter person is in front of that person.  I see your face clearly.  What is your name?

3.  Whose fingers are on the keyboard?  I see your profile.

4.  Who is at the very front of the photo? 

There are four children closest to the computer.  There are two children behind them.

5.  Who has hands crossed in front of her?

6.  Whose face is beside the girl with crossed hands?

NEW COMPUTER

Namaskar everyone.

How exciting this is!   Thanks Jyoti, didi.  And thanks to you, Giovi.

Please make a comment in the comments part so that I can add you to the settings on this blog.  That means that you can add new posts to the blog yourselves.  

 

FRONT PAGE: Assi and Swati

Front page of Tasmanian local newspaper

MEANDER VALLEY NEWS, September 2010

shows a picture of two 10 year olds at the Malighat School and Orphanage Project in the city of Muzaffarpur, state of Bihar, India.

,

Assi and Swati 

 

A group of girls welcome some Australian volunteer visitors.

The following text is from the September, 2010 issue of Meander Valley News:

Giovi DiMatteo of Longford, Tasmania, was inspired to visit the Malighat School and Orphanage in March, 2010, after meeting Angela May and hearing the story of how it all began.  Giovi lived at the orphanage for three weeks, working with the teachers on learning programs, using her own teaching background.

Giovi said the children work together peacefully and helped out where they could.

"They are extremely well organised, with each child washing their own clothes and their plate - even the three and four year olds - by hand," she said.

"Every morning they wash under a cold water tap outside, even on chilly mornings and everyone helped with the cleaning.

Mr and Mrs DiMatteo donated a significant amount of money which Jyoti, the house mother, supervisor, teacher and manager, put towards building a third storey.

"You don't need to get council approval," said Giovi.  "If you've got the money, you just build."

Mrs DiMatteo's daughter also raised $500 at her school and another $200 was raised by a school in Hobart.

The funds will be used to buy a computer for the orphanage.

Malighat has one laptop which it uses to communicate via webcam with Tasmanian schools, and Mrs DiMatteo said another computer would allow for further communication and education opportunities for the children.

Mrs DiMatteo said that Didi Jyoti is like a mother to all of the children - pupils and home children alike.  

"Women are not heard or seen (in India)," Jyoti said, adding that if she was not a nun, she would not be working at the orphanage.  She said, "I would like to marry and I would like to have children but that would be the end of being a useful, independent woman."  Giovi noted that Jyoti has sacrificed her own personal life to improve the lives of the children in her care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And finally - here is Monalisa, whose name was given to the original project, and who has grown up in the home and the school and under Jyoti's excellent love and supervision.

Jyoti's photos of children and teachers

I'm sorry but I have no names for the teachers, nor for the 2 who are missing.  But there is our didi right there in the middle.  Namaskar didi and teachers, all.

Boys stay in the Ashram until they are 10 years old and then they must live elsewhere.  They continue to attend school.

Our beautiful children.

Again...

  Imagine the cooking, cleaning, laundry, laughing, giggling and singing!

Jyoti Introduces Our Latest Arrivals

Priti: Seven years old girl. Studying in STD-1. She is very sincere in her study. Very silent in nature. She likes all types of in door games. Ludo, chess and carom board. She is basically from Dharmapur in Muzzaffar district. Her parents are very poor and unable to provide any types of education. She came here through Harsh (one of the older children) father.
Her favorite subject is Mathematics.

Ritu: Ritu is the sister of Priti.  Her nature is completely opposite to Priti. She is not interested in study rather likes to play, making noise. She is six years and studying in UKG.

Prince: Six years old and reading in Nursery.  He is physically as well as mentally very weak. He is unable to speak very clearly.  He shouts more to express his feeling. He is from Meenapur, this is another block of Muzzaffar district. We all take more care. He is passing his time happily with all of us.

Neha: She is seven years old. Reading in LKG. She does not like to play more. She likes to study more. Her nature and attitude is very good. She came here through her uncle who is living in Malighat.

Manish: Six years and studying in Nursery. He is a good manner and obedient one. Every body loves him. He is silently pass his time without disturbing others.

Total number of old students in Home - 14
Total number of new students in Home– 5 (stories given above)
At present total number of students in School- 135
At present total number of teachers in school – 9 ( Pinky, Mona, and Jaya, from our Home)

More Room

It is wonderful to see that our ashram is growing all the time.  Thank you to each person who contributes to the Monalisa Project.  This is the third level which has created a larger space for the children to sleep and prepare for school next day.  Jyoti sent these pictures today.  Thanks Jyoti.

Pinky Says Goodbye

With very heavy heart I am trying to write you this message. I don't know what to write and how to express my feeling. Any how I am trying few lines.

Sonali's short life with me is one unforgettable memory in my life.  I love her so much, took care of her motherly.  She was looking very beautiful before she left us.  I was present there when she left physically all of us. Still I can't believe she is not with us now.  Immediately after Sonali's birth, she became a member of our family.  This was a great experience for all of us within very short span of time.  It's a co-incident in the cosmic drama.

"Thank you SONALI very very much for your presence with all of us.  God knows His drama. But hope you will come soon."

Sonali's short life

Sonali born 2nd August 2009, died 5th July 2010.

Jyoti's email telling how Sonali came into our lives:

On 02nd August, 2009 one of the nurses came to our Ashram and requested that I come to the general hospital. We went to the hospital and met the doctor. They told me, "This is a new born baby of this night. Some body left her in front of the hospital gate. You please keep her in your ashram with you.

 

I brought her to our Home. She is laughing, playing, and drinking milk, everything is fine. But her weight is only 1.5 k.g. We kept her name “SONALI’’. Yesterday I took her to hospital and checked up everything. Doctor’s advice not to worry about her health only to take proper care of her food. She will be alright and gain weight as well.

Myself and Shanti are looking after Sonali. The children are also happy to see her. 

Wishing her all the best. Please bless her for all round development. I shall send her photograph to you.
Is it not a good step on behalf of our ashram?

And Jyoti's email last night:
 Namaskar to all.

Sonali left us all physically today evening at 6.30 p.m.She was admitted in the hospital since six days ago. She was suffering from  heart problem. She was very weak but looking fresh at her last period of life.She was buried at 7.30 p.m. after collective meditation and prayer to God.

"May God take her in His holy lap and give her eternal peace".

Yours
Jyoti & everybody.

Wendy's note:  Namaskar to Jyoti and all.   Yes, Jyoti.  It was an excellent step on behalf of our Ashram.  We have all learned a lot from loving and caring for Sonali from the day she was born.  Sharing Sonali's life was a gift to everybody.  You were able to fill her little life with love and laughter.  And she did the same for you.  Blessings.