Still no cycle rickshaw…

The logistics of my proect still need to bee nailed down. This is what is keeping me back from moving on. Personally, I just want to start! I thought that at least we’d have the safai project by now, but we are not even in possession of the cycle rickshaw!

Lakshmi told me last week to work on developing back-up plans. I knew it was a good idea, but did not really think about it until later last week. Various things have finally made me realize that I need this back-up options ASAP:

I’m looking for people to help me with assessments. One option is a group from Bangalore. But they’re not the best at calling me back. Plus, they’re far. So I have less control. another option is EI in Ahmedabad. I need to do a better job of following up on that. My other option, which I’m leaning towards, is a professor at a college in Jhunjhunu. He is very ready to help me out PLUS his wife is a sociologist with a focus on teachers! If they were to help me out, however, I still need to figure out who could implement. I have a few ideas.

I wanted to speak to Shivbhagvanji about how trainers who conuct DPEP trainings are trained. I called him, he told me to go to the teacher trainings the next day because he would be there. He was in Surajgardh. It was a waste of time. I called him, he told me to come to his house the next day. He had not come home yet. I’m still determined to find him, especially because I’m thinking of asking DPEP to implement the school assessment

Some positive things: I spoke to someone from the Piramal Girls’ school. They seemed very interested in the ranking, surprisingly. I need to do a better job of explaining the teacher training course, though. They think it’s only an English class. Anyway, they want to continue the conversation when the trust manager from Mumbai comes in tomorrow. AND they are offering me use of the rooms in one of the schools.

I also went to a seminar in Delhi on Friday. The hosting organization was SARD (Society for All Round Development). They were talking about their education projects in the Mewat region. I did not get a chance to ask them the questions I had, but I did run into people from Digantar. They’ve told me that they can help me out and I’m going there on Friday to see what we can do in terms of curriculum development.

So those were the major events of the past week. I don’t know where the time goes! It’s too hot. Where are the rains??

–
Preeti Balakrishnan
9982815904