Welcome to Our Travel Blog

We have returned to India after 2 years to meet our good friends at the Pardada Pardadi School for Girls in Anupshahar, Uttar Pradesh and work to establish a Health Center there! This Blog documents and shares our experiences as we arrive in Delhi on October 22, 2012 and continues through our 5 week stay. There has been incredible progress at the school since our last visit that we are anxious to see. Thank you everyone for your support in making this dream become a reality for 1200 of our world's poorest girls.

The Pardada Pardadi Girls School is located in the village of Anupshahar, 120 km (a 4 hour drive) from Delhi. Pardada Pardadi provides a wonderful opportunity for the poorest girls from the community to learn academic, vocational and life skills, leading to a productive and happy life. The school is very well run and was founded 10 years ago by the ex-CEO of Dupont India in his home village. Each girl is provided 10 ruppes (25 cents) per day for attending, amounting to $750 (equivalent to India's per capita income) for perfect attendance, which they can access only after graduating. They also learn textile skills and make products that help fund some of the operating costs of the school. This also provides them with job opportunties after graduating. I encourage you to visit the school Website at
http://www.education4change.org/



Sunday, November 7, 2010

Chilling News in this Part of the World

These stories can be found in the news here almost daily.  Many women are murdered by spouses and inlaws, starved and treated like slaves. Old ways die here very slowly.  In the Uttar Pradesh state where we live there are only 883 women living for every 1000 men. 

Many murders are called "honor killings".  An honor killing or shame killing] is the homicide of a member of a family by other members, due to the perpetrators' belief that the victim has brought shame or dishonor upon the family, or has violated the principles of a community or a religion, usually for reasons such as refusing to enter an arranged marriage, being in a relationship that is disapproved by their family, having sex outside marriage, becoming the victim of rape, dressing in ways which are deemed inappropriate, engaging in non-heterosexual relations or renouncing a faith.

"Beating wife OK, but can't leave marks"
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/UAE-court-says-okay-to-wife-beating/articleshow/6771422.cms

"Possessed Kids", tortured and killed by parents and grandparents
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Possessed-kids-killed-by-parents-grandparents-/articleshow/6761533.cms

"Husband, In-laws Booked for Women's Suicide
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Husband-in-laws-booked-for-womans-suicide/articleshow/6876833.cms

"Bride found hanging at inlaws"
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/bride-found-hanging-at-in-laws/articleshow/56091817.cms

"Woman murdered by husband, inlaws for lack of dowry"
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-woman-allegedly-murdered-by-husband-in-laws-for-dowry-2085174

The attitudes and laws must be changed in order for these horrific crimes, which are often justified, as a wife is considered to be her husband's property. Hence, he is entitled to do what he wants to her.



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