Rickshaw!

View from the top of the big dome as described in previous post. To the left Patna City and to the right, the Ganges. Definitely worth the 250 steps!

Very rural India! Walking towards the first village for the preliminary data collection; finding the names, ages, caste, marital status, no of children, father's name of the women who will be involved in the self-help groups. Very interesting to find that often we ended up asking these details from some of the men of the group. Still unsure as to the reason for this. Managed to ask the women if they found the self-help group useful - mostly yes, however, the response was mainly directed towards the loan that they get. Reach India aims to educate how to save this loan.

In one of the villages for data collection. We were always offered a seat, and food and chai. Results showed that it was quite common in these villages for women around 18 and 19 to have 2 or 3 children. Most women could not read or write and could not sign their name on the register, instead, they printed their inked thumbprint.

 

Visiting Sonu (Indian counterpart) at his home and meeting his friends and neighbours..and basically his whole village. Everyone was so welcoming and very keen to throw whatever English phrases they knew at us

Near to our accommodation in Banka there was a boy's hostel for orphans and street kids. Each day/evening we went along to play games, e.g. hokey-kokey and gave them English lessons. They were adorable, so eager to learn and very respectful of us as teachers.

With the women of the SHG. One women had ten children!

 

Group shot - very hot and sweaty!

Henna! By Mala and Anjali, the two female Indian volunteers. Very girly evening :)

A frequent visitor in our accommodation!