HFH,
Hi... Glad you liked the photos... This year getting ready for school has been somewhat busy time so i have been really late with the newsletter... I think we've managed to kit out over 100 children this year.. The latest newsletter is here - not yet sent via email due to slight technical difficulties (New email program), but here's a paragraph or two and the full thing is avialable on our website here
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Newsletter/2008-03.htm
HMS Illustrious
We were contacted earlier this year by Tim Denley, an Able Rate in the Royal Navy on board a British Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious. HMS Illustrious was making a trip to India and would be docking at Vasco in Goa for a few days shore leave. In the past Tim and the crew have done community projects in the Caribbean, Sultanate of Oman and Africa and he hoped that he could do a similar project here during their shore leave in Goa. Tim mentioned there might be 20 or 30 willing volunteers for the day.
The first job we thought of was the external wall of "The Mango House". Most of the property has been worked on in recent years but the wall, because of the amount of work involved never got off the ground.
The plan was to re-build the wall to make it an equal height throughout and cement it in place to make it solid and safe. Unfortunately, time was against us, and we didn't manage to get the required permissions in time.
Thankfully, there is always lots to do around the house (as any of our volunteers will tell you), so we decided an extension to the water tower, a bamboo tree house and clearing an area in the forest to set up a football pitch would be a good alternative.
As the agreed date got closer the number of sailors went up and up and in the end 50 HMS Illustrious crewmen and women arrived in two large coaches which caused a little traffic issue on the small road outside the house. The crew brought with them a huge amount of recyclable items for the children, most of which came from a little 'down time' the night before.
Lots of materials were required for the day; bamboo, sand, stones and cement. We ordered the big items, stones and sand well in advance, although as the day approached there was no sign of either. In the end we ordered two lots of each hoping that one supplier would deliver in time. Finally, stones were delivered by one merchant and sand by the other literally with an hour to spare.
The guys (and girls) were split into groups and started work, clearing, building and fixing. As well as man/lady power in the garden there was a dentist and medical staff who came to check the children's teeth and to patch up any sores or cuts.
The day was a huge success, the water tower grew by 5ft, a large football pitch was cleared at the back of the house and roof tiles were replaced and fixed. The main project and the children's favorite by far was the bamboo tree house which was named "HMS Mango".
During the day we were also host to the Granada TV crew who were shadowing the ship for a TV series called "Warship" which is being shown on Channel 5. The show will be split into 6 parts and shown on Monday evenings. The last episode on the 23rd June will include the visit to "The Mango House".
The volunteers were quite excited about the sailors coming so thought it would be great idea to teach the children a song to sing to the sailors. What song did they choose? - "What do you do with a drunken sailor", I wasn't too sure how it would go down but thankfully the crew thought it was great and asked the children to sing it again and again.
The day finished with the crew presenting a framed picture of "HMS Illustrious", the ships emblems and the children all received caps, key rings and magnets.
We would like to thank everyone who was involved in the day and made it such a great success.
Sounds fantastic! Cant wait to see it on Channel 5 on 23 June
Anyway I have updated some more photos from the same week, although it's taken a while to get them on the website. The volunteers decided that it would be a great idea to have pirates (to go along with the sailors) so we had a pirate party on the Friday. It was so much fun, please have a look at the pictures...
http://www.ChildrenWalkingTall.com/Pictures.htm"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="break-word">www.ChildrenWalkingTall.com/Pictures.htm
Thanks
ann
It's busy again out here and I'm way behind on the next newsletter - but that's just hw things are... I have managed to add a new set of photos though which everyone might like to see. One of the more strange items about this collection is the very pale european looking baby near the end of the collection, it was a suprise to see her in the slum....
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Pictures6.htm
Hope you enjoy...
Thanks
Rob
Yes Rob how odd about the little girl in the pictures. Anymore news on her?
Hi Gemma, Yes it was a little odd about the girl, we did inquire about the parents and apparently both are as Indian as they come, we had a few thoughts about how the mother explained it to the father.... You never know maybe she had an affair with a foriegner..., although I find it unlikely.. More likely it's just one of those things that happen... They have moved on now so we have lost contact. They were down in Mapusa making and selling religous items...
All the photos are smashing by the way, the children look brilliant, all all their little smiling faces is lovely to see.
Here are the pictures...
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Pictures7.htm
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Pictures8.htm
As well as the new pictures we have a few new webpages where supporters can copy our links from to use on their own websites/blogs... So don't feel shy... Link to us!
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Charity-Website-Links-S.htm
Anyway... Must go... I'm hoping to get the newsletter out this week, it's unsuprisingly late (again), oops....
Thanks
I like your new name 'The Monsoon House'
Lovey photos of the children, looking forward to visiting again in November
Just got back from a break away and was pleased to see all the new photo's you had added and then the cream on top of the cake was to find the news letter. Always love to hear what is happening with C.W.T. and the children and trying to spot faces we know in the photo's. This letter must have take you ages to write so many thanks for all the effort that you put into it.
We first got involed with C.W.T by reading on your website ,which I found by chance, of the children getting cut feet. You were unknown to us so we sent just £10 for flip flops. You managed to get 40 pairs and that started our involment with you. After reading this news letter I guess perhaps its time for more flip flops as the children seem to be suffering foot injuries again. Will be in touch. C.W.T. have come such a long way as in those days you just had the bike. Congratulations on all that has been achieved in that time.
Take care, HFH
Thank you for the lovely comments... Gemma33, Yeah I liked the new name "The Monsoon House", it fitted quite well just recently as the weather has been really bad, although the sun is out now...
HFH, I hope your holiday was nice.... I have to say I haven't had that much time this year, we just seem to be constantly busy with one thing or another... It was Independance day this week which was fun, we have some guys in doing a promotional video for us (and them) this week so been showing them what it's like during the monsoon. It does give a huge contrast between their home life and the life the children have at "The Mango House"... They're doing it for free which is really nice, we're one of the first for their new company so they need to have something up on their website to show the things they do...
Yeah, the newsletter takes ages, I'll have to start the next one straight away as I'm a little late with them this year and I'm sure things are just going to get busier as the season starts...
It was also Rakibandan (Is that how you spell it?) last week too... I got two of my 'sisters', one of my new sisters is our cook Saroja and the second one of the children...
Anyway, must go the children will be here shortly...
Thanks
The Children celebrated World Goa Day. Rene Barreto continues to champion World Goa Day and invited us to join i once again this year. The have been heavy rains in Goa over the last month and we were very lucky with no rain on the day. The young children were taken on a little outing to the park in the morning and then the children were split into three groups, which revolved around three different activities. Inside there were drawing World Goa Day posters and making friendship bracelets, outside there was 5 a side football / dodge ball (depending on how much energy the groups had and finally parachute games in the forest. The day saw a beautiful chicken curry lunch and fruit and ice cream in the evening. Thank you to all the volunteers and staff for all their help and I wish everyone a happy "World Goa Day"...
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Pictures9.htm
Hi all... It's been very quiet on here... Hope everyone is well... Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know I've upated a few of the pages on the website... There's an updated taxi price list, although the calangute one probably needs some attention. Also theres a handy price list for our volunteers which can give you an idea of how much things cost, although to be honest whenever the subject somes up on here, tourists always seem to be willing to spend 10x more than our volunteers...
I was quite touched after reading about CWT and Mango house, I am coming to Goa for the first time in 11 weeks.
I teach in the adult education sector and told my students and friends about the work you do for the children and they have decided to donate money for CWT.
The box is filling nicely and I hope to bring it with us when we come. I have tried to contact the charity directly with no joy, what is the best way to get the money to you? we would also like to spent an afternoon with the children, and perhaps do some art and crafts with them, how can this be arranged?
Kind Regards Trina
Is it Katrina Fr.... ? If so then I replied to you back in march - Did you not get the email. I will send it again - just in case, can you give me another email address to send it to... Just email me via the website with a different email address...
The best way to get the money to us is to donate it online through the CAF website (link avilable on our home page)
http://www.ChildrenWalkingTall.com
Coming to help.... We do allow visitors to come one afternoon a week to do activities with the children, although they are responsible for creating and managing that activity (with the help of the volunteers). The activity should be aimed at two groups of around 15 children each (age range from 5 to 14). All the items required should be organised by the visitor so that when they come then can start straight away. Even scissors, glue etc should be brought as we rarely have enough of these during the year. We do have sufficient pencil crayons, pencils, writing pens if these are required please let me know before hand so I can make sure they are ready for the activity.
Previous activities have included making sock puppets, painting large pictures on bedsheets, making photo frames, friendship bracelets, mask making etc.
Many Thanks
Not been on much recently.. But I thought I'd share the latest photos from Indepndance day...
Hope you enjoy, let me know...
http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/Pictures.htm
Thanks
Rob
ann&john
More brilliant pictures Rob Hope you are well and all the children are doing fine.
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