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Newsletter May 2019

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Sonik is one of SOLWW’s 2019-2020 scholarship program recipients. This letter was written before he got accepted into the program. His letter reads as follow:

Dear SOLWW,

I’am very fortunate that I had been selected for short listing me for scholarship. I’am very thankful to the “Seed of Love Worldwide.” I really hope that I can change my life and achieve my goal.

I like to render social service and help the needy and the destitutes. My father’s name is Sanatta Chakma and he is very kind and caring. He work hard for the family and earn money for my studies. My father doesn’t have any government job. My father is a cultivator. I have two younger brother ”Ujon Chakma” and Rishi Kapoor Chakma who studies in cl-VIII and III respectively. My mother name is Nirgo Ioda Chakma who is a housewife. I love my mom who is very caring.

My dream in life is to get a government job and make my parents happy and proud. I want to become a teacher because teacher is a good and gentle profession. Moreover, teachers are the nation builders and backbone of society.

In the past I had render many social and religious services by participating in various social and religious programmes. And also I helping the small kids in village like English, Hindi, S.S. According to me services to men is services to God. Helping others also make my mind happy and fresh. I would like to take Arts stream in class 11^th in Aryan Junior College, Silchar. If I get scholarship, I promise that I will study hard, I will maintain good behavior. I will get good marks. And I will get obey the roles of SOLWW.

Your obediently

Name- Sonik Kumar

Village- Matrisora

Event Description

Seeds of Love Worldwide is hosting its 2nd annual Donor Appreciation Picnic Event to celebrate the amazing accomplishments SOLWW have achieved this year from the generous support of our fabulous donors! 

Come learn about how you have helped our scholarship recipients with your donations and SOLWW’s plan for the rest of the year over good company, fun activities, entertainment, delicious food and drinks!

RSVP @ Eventbrite!

Event Name: Picnic Sunday

Last November during the annual site visit to Tuichawng, India, Dana and Tony‘s schedule coincided with the Sports Day at MBRS. The event was held after the term 3 exams and lasted several days to help students de-stress after the exams. Dana and Tony had tremendous fun watching the students participate in the event and capturing memorable moments on their electronic devices.

The students were divided into four different teams–Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow–and competed in various sports activities such as long jump, high jump, volleyball, 100m and 200m races. They also had fun sack racing, dead-dropping (a form of dodge ball) and spoon racing with their fellow classmates.

Since there are no tracks and sports fields at school, the event was held at a cleared area maintained by a road crew. The students had to build their own high jump stands using bamboo sticks and strings and dug up dirt to create a soft landing for the high and long jumps. Many students also played in socks or simply went barefoot to connect with Mother Earth.

Dana and Tony expressed that it was humbling to see what they made do with what they have and the simple joy they exhibited despite having so little. They felt extremely lucky to be at Sports Day, sharing laughs and cheering for teams! It was one of the highlights of their 2018 Tuichawng trip.

This is a letter from Arkhaw to Dana before Dana and Tony return home to California in December 2017.

At the time, Dana and Tony brought 162 books (including encyclopedias, dictionaries, grammar and math formula books, fictions, and picture books), one laptop, and one touch pad with them on a 16-hour bus trip to the village. They were on the mission to build the village’s first library. In four days time, Tony and the villagers built a bookshelf, two benches and a podium for the village library. Although small and humble, the library has become an important source of knowledge enjoyed and utilized by 130 students at MBRS every day.

Glossy from Class 5 loves to spend her time at the library reading books. Her letter to Dana reads as follows:

To my dearest mom,

I’m very glad that you respond my letter. I have read your letter it was really touched on my heart. I’am really lucky that I have got chance to read books from your donated library. I’am learning new knowledge new wisdom I want to ask a question from you mom. How old is our earth? This question is from my books which I read from Max Well Encyclopedia of Questions & Answers, I can give the answer in my next letter please don’t mind mom

Mom I’am from New Khojoyswry village and it is 45 km from MBRS and we are only father mother and me and one brother. I’am good in study and my best subjects are science, mathematic, English

Sometimes take rest for your works mom. Love you mom, keep healthy. Keep smiling all to your family.

Love,
Glossy

The Story of Sanjika Chakma

Sanjika is in Class 11 currently studying Arts at Aryan Junior College. She has one older brother, two younger brothers and two older sisters (one passed away, another is married and received only four years of schooling.)

Sanjika has a very loving and supportive family. Her mother is in charge of the household and her father does not drink nor smoke. As cultivators with no education, Sanjika’s parents wish their children are educated so they can return to the village and help others. Her parents borrowed money (micro loan) from relatives and friends to send Sanjika to school, and they intent to pay back the amount at harvest time.

Sanjika comes from Nunsury II, a village located nearby a river. Commuting to school is not easy; it takes hours–first by bus and then one hour by boat. As a young girl, there was no Class 5 in her village. Sanjika had to walk two hours each way to attend school. During rainy season, part of the road was flooded and she had to walk with water up to her chest for 10 minutes, holding the backpack above her head. She arrived at the school soaking wet but it didn’t stop her from attending school.

Last June, Sanjika’s home area was severely flooded after a huge storm hit. At the time, she was at Mahabodhi Residential School (MBRS) with other scholarship students, discussing and planning for Class 11 in Silchar. As she was ready to travel back home to prepare for the school year, she found out all transportation services were shut down due to heavy rain and flood.

“I was wet Mom. I didn’t know the road home, the night was coming soon and I wanted to cry but I know crying does not help. So, I prayed instead. I keep thinking “how do I solve this problem?”.  I see a man with a big umbrella. He is also Chakma. He lives in the nearby village next to Nunsunry II,” she recalled how anxious she felt being stuck on the road.

After hours of searching, Sanjika and the man found a boat to Nunsunry II, but they were asked to pay 100 rupees for the ride. Sanjika had to plead the helmsman to take her home first and pay him later.

When Sanjika reached home, she found half of her house was under water. Her family had migrated to the hillside to stay temporarily with their relatives. Sanjika was struck with another bad news when her mother told her to give up on her dream of education as they would need the money to rebuild their house. She cried desperately, but she understood that this was best for the family. The following week, things took a turn when one of her relatives visited Sanjika’s parents. They agreed to lend her family a loan if they could pay it back in three months. Without any hesitation, her parents borrowed the small amount of money despite their condition because they believed their financial hardship should not be their daughter’s reason to abandon her educational dream.

On the day Sanjika left home for Silchar, the area was still flooded. Her mom helped her with the luggage, and they went to the bus station an hour away from her village by boat. Sanjika still remembers clearly her worried but proud mother in the distance as she set off on her new educational journey. She felt immensely grateful for the opportunity and was determined to defy any challenges that comes her way.

When asked “If you could be granted one wish, what would that be?” Sanjika answered, “To have more knowledge quickly, so I can return to the village and help.”