NalandaWay was started with a staunch belief in art as a healing and learning medium. Through dance, music, visual arts, theater and films we work with children to find their voice, express through art and think for themselves. Our interventions have helped the kids to develop self confidence to be masters of their lives. Follow our chronicles and be a part of this amazing journey.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Sarah
Sarah by Sriram V Ayer
Lyrics:
My name is Sarah, I am but three,
My eyes are swollen, I cannot see,
I must be stupid, I must be bad,
What else could have made my daddy so mad?
I wish I were better, I wish I weren't ugly;
Then maybe my Mommy would still want to hug me.
I can't speak at all, I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up all the day long.
When I awake, I'm all alone
The house is dark, my folks aren't home.
When my Mommy does come, I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just one whipping tonight.
Don't make a sound!! I just heard a car
My daddy is back from Charlie's Bar.
I hear him curse, my name he calls
I press myself against the wall.
I try and hide from his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now, I'm starting to cry.
He finds me weeping, he shouts ugly words,
He says it’s my fault that he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me and yells at me more,
I finally get free and I run for the door.
He's already locked it and I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor with my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues with more bad words spoken.
"I'm sorry!", I scream but it’s now much too late
His face has been twisted into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain again and again
Oh please God, have mercy! Oh please let it end!
And he finally stops and heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless sprawled on the floor.
My name is Sarah and I am but three,
Tonight my daddy murdered me.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Can you be angry for the cause of a girl child?
Mahakavi Bharathi wanted us to practice anger (ரௌதரம் பழகு). It is difficult not to be angry looking at the suffering of girl children in our country.
Girls are denied access to health services and education, and also face extremely high levels of violence, abuse, and harassment.
At NalandaWay Foundation we made a choice. We chose to be angry for the cause of our girls. Thus was born the Kannama Project. A campaign to make our girls creative, independent and empowered. To give them hope that they can do it.
Last year’s between December 2010 and April 2011, twenty five champions joined our fight. 648 donors helped raise Rs. 13,24,551/- (US $ 26,490/-) that was used towards arts based rehabilitation programmes for 270 marginalised girl children across Tamil Nadu. Click on this link to read about the activities that were conducted and their outcomes.
Today with Bharathi’s blessings we begin our campaign once again. We are extremely privileged to have the support of 25 of our friends who would champion the cause this year.
Our champions;
• Akhila Krishnamurthy, Chennai
• Anil Srinivasan, Chennai
• Anuradha Iqbal and Iqbal Mohammad, Lovedale, Ooty
• Derek Jose, Bangalore
• Harriet Richards, Australia
• Hemalatha Chakrapani
• ISoft, Chennai
• Jaideep, Mumbai
• Janaki Sabesh, Chennai
• Krishnan, UK
• Kirthi Valliur, Hyderabad
• Murlidhar, Chennai
• Ram Ganesan, USA
• Reema Rajan, Hyderabad
• Patrick Matthews, Chennai
• Sandhya Bhaskar, Canada
• Shilpa Kannan, New Delhi
• Sonal Nair, Chennai
• Sudhakar, Chennai
• Sriram Ayer, Chennai
• Ramya Ragavan, USA
• Varsha Narasimhan, Chennai
• Vidya Rajaram, USA
Join us in our fight. Show your anger by contributing to the Kannama Project.
Visit www.nalandaway.org/kannama2011 to make a donation today.
Sincerely,
Sriram
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