Blogs » Comments
29 TH March, 2009
My Visit To Salaam Baalak , Delhi
Vikram, Iqbal, Kiran and myself picked up Angelina Grin and her young friend Alina from the hotel.Angelina and I, met like long lost friends. It felt like just yesterday, when I travel led to New York to give a presentation to her husband Eugene Grin. I was a wee bit nervous...when I presented the HOH vision of an"advanced Computer Lab" in the slum area of Delhi for the street kids.HOH wanted this to be a partnership venture with the Grin Family Foundation (Yaakov Light)........ since we both share the same VISION of upliftment and Empowerment of underprivileged kids.
Eugene was a wee bit skeptical.....but his generous heart gave HOH a Grant for this Venture.
HOH WAS NOW UNDER THE GUN !...to prove to this kind , generous donor...that his donation will be MAXED ..to its MAX Potential !
Thanks to the amazing A+++ Team of Salaam Baalak,NIIT, HOH and Vikram Dutt.... with the grace of HP( Higher Power) ....we DID IT ! !
THE COMPUTER LAB
I could not recognize this place....what happened??In my last visit there was just a bare empty dilapidated space. Today a COMPUTER LAB stands proudly there...with a Shining Board that says....Hope Computer Lab supported by Yaakov Light . Next to the Board was another BOLD sign that said
Remove your shoes and sandals before entering the lab.,,,,,This sign conveyed a deep sense of PRIDE !...and Pride it was......This tiny lab with about 12 computers was the hub of activity ! Every person was glued to the computer!
It was a very colorful scene.Each computer screen showed different graphic designs and colors. The faces of the kids were animated...
Words cant describe how I felt. Angelina Grin was also very moved..
This advanced Computer Lab is truly a miracle.....completed in 6 weeks. The Inauguration was in Nov2008 and the courses have started on Jan 15. In just 3 months the kids seemed to have learned allot. Angelina and myself interviewed some of the kids...who all showed great ambition.. and LOVED being there. They all thanked YAAKOV Light from the bottom of their heart !
ABOUT THIS COURSE
This is a one year course in Multi media , which includes photo shop adobe flash animation website designing advertisement documentary Movies Add Films video editing graphic design photo editing...etc etc ..the list goes on and on ...
There are 2 shifts 12-30 to 2-30 3pm to 5 pm
At the end of the year, the kids will receive a certificate from NIIT ( National Institute of Information Technology ). This certificate will be their ticket ... to a respectable job......to become self productive citizens ..... fulfilling the dream/vision of HOH+ Yaakov Light .... a TRUE PARTNERSHIP ! The kids that graduate will leave behind a legacy of HOPE and will be a guiding LIGHT for future students...for generations to come !
Angelina and myself felt like proud parents..interviewing the kids...who were showing us some amazing work !
Who would believe that these kids were "street kids"?. Each kid was so special..that it would take me for ever to describe each one.
I have to mention the STAR KID !
Rahul, 12yrs old..is a rag picker, who would sell balloons in the evening. One fateful evening. he saw some "shady characters"( who were terrorists) putting a black bag in the dust bin on Baara Khamba Road....where 2 bomb blasts had already happened and there was..PANIC !
Rahul, immediately called the police, who defused the bomb.....which prevented a major BOMB BLAST !.....and SAVED...many many lives !
In addition, Rahul helped identify the Terrorists by sketching them. One of the terrorists has been arrested. What a hero ! A Brave Kid ! He was awarded the National Award for Bravery from the All India Terrorist Front..along with a handsome monitory reward towards his higher education .
We left the lab and entered the crowded market place...with congested traffic and peaceful cows .(.in a meditative trance)..sitting right in the middle of the road. The scene was totally chaotic and dysfunctional !
Who would believe?..that within this dysfunctional chaos...there lies an "oasis".....a very functional/productive lab....with a bright future called
THE HOPE/YAAKOV LIGHT COMPUTER LAB !
--- O
Posted by Nilima Sabharwal at 11:39:06 PM, EST
Vikram, Iqbal, Kiran and myself picked up Angelina Grin and her young friend Alina from the hotel.Angelina and I, met like long lost friends. It felt like just yesterday, when I travel led to New York to give a presentation to her husband Eugene Grin. I was a wee bit nervous...when I presented the HOH vision of an"advanced Computer Lab" in the slum area of Delhi for the street kids.HOH wanted this to be a partnership venture with the Grin Family Foundation (Yaakov Light)........ since we both share the same VISION of upliftment and Empowerment of underprivileged kids.
Eugene was a wee bit skeptical.....but his generous heart gave HOH a Grant for this Venture.
HOH WAS NOW UNDER THE GUN !...to prove to this kind , generous donor...that his donation will be MAXED ..to its MAX Potential !
Thanks to the amazing A+++ Team of Salaam Baalak,NIIT, HOH and Vikram Dutt.... with the grace of HP( Higher Power) ....we DID IT ! !
THE COMPUTER LAB
I could not recognize this place....what happened??In my last visit there was just a bare empty dilapidated space. Today a COMPUTER LAB stands proudly there...with a Shining Board that says....Hope Computer Lab supported by Yaakov Light . Next to the Board was another BOLD sign that said
Remove your shoes and sandals before entering the lab.,,,,,This sign conveyed a deep sense of PRIDE !...and Pride it was......This tiny lab with about 12 computers was the hub of activity ! Every person was glued to the computer!
It was a very colorful scene.Each computer screen showed different graphic designs and colors. The faces of the kids were animated...
Words cant describe how I felt. Angelina Grin was also very moved..
This advanced Computer Lab is truly a miracle.....completed in 6 weeks. The Inauguration was in Nov2008 and the courses have started on Jan 15. In just 3 months the kids seemed to have learned allot. Angelina and myself interviewed some of the kids...who all showed great ambition.. and LOVED being there. They all thanked YAAKOV Light from the bottom of their heart !
ABOUT THIS COURSE
This is a one year course in Multi media , which includes photo shop adobe flash animation website designing advertisement documentary Movies Add Films video editing graphic design photo editing...etc etc ..the list goes on and on ...
There are 2 shifts 12-30 to 2-30 3pm to 5 pm
At the end of the year, the kids will receive a certificate from NIIT ( National Institute of Information Technology ). This certificate will be their ticket ... to a respectable job......to become self productive citizens ..... fulfilling the dream/vision of HOH+ Yaakov Light .... a TRUE PARTNERSHIP ! The kids that graduate will leave behind a legacy of HOPE and will be a guiding LIGHT for future students...for generations to come !
Angelina and myself felt like proud parents..interviewing the kids...who were showing us some amazing work !
Who would believe that these kids were "street kids"?. Each kid was so special..that it would take me for ever to describe each one.
I have to mention the STAR KID !
Rahul, 12yrs old..is a rag picker, who would sell balloons in the evening. One fateful evening. he saw some "shady characters"( who were terrorists) putting a black bag in the dust bin on Baara Khamba Road....where 2 bomb blasts had already happened and there was..PANIC !
Rahul, immediately called the police, who defused the bomb.....which prevented a major BOMB BLAST !.....and SAVED...many many lives !
In addition, Rahul helped identify the Terrorists by sketching them. One of the terrorists has been arrested. What a hero ! A Brave Kid ! He was awarded the National Award for Bravery from the All India Terrorist Front..along with a handsome monitory reward towards his higher education .
We left the lab and entered the crowded market place...with congested traffic and peaceful cows .(.in a meditative trance)..sitting right in the middle of the road. The scene was totally chaotic and dysfunctional !
Who would believe?..that within this dysfunctional chaos...there lies an "oasis".....a very functional/productive lab....with a bright future called
THE HOPE/YAAKOV LIGHT COMPUTER LAB !
--- O
Posted by Nilima Sabharwal at 11:39:06 PM, EST
Comments
