David Fleck form Edinburgh, arrived in India three years ago. After six months of working with Anusaran, an NGO working with underprivileged children and women, he could see that John and Abha, the couple who had started Anusaran, needed help. David, a student of Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment in Aberdeen, Scotland, realised that he could help them realise the dream of building a school.
“We had approached the government many times, and been sent from one counter to another for days on end. We didn't get any help and the funds were very low. So we gave up, and then David came along,” said Abha, a chemistry teacher. David came back to Delhi on August 22, and this time, he persuaded five of his third year classmates to come along. The team plans to build a shelter for Anusaran that would serve as a school building, a hostel and an office for the NGO. “We have begun approaching a number of firms and sources for funds. We even hope that the Scottish government will be interested in lending a hand,” says David. Spending the three weeks of holiday in the dusty lanes of Nazafgarh, Delhi, the six youngsters look truly happy, defying the stereotype that students enjoy long unproductive holidays.
When I meet them, they are sitting with a group of girls who attend Anusaran. The group held an interactive session with the girls attending Anusaran who gave them inputs concerning the problems they had with their old building and the improvements they'd like to see in the new one. Neetu, one of the older girls who has also begun to teach and mentor younger students, said that she would like the new building to look like a proper school.
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“It would be nice to have colourful paintings on the wall and actual classrooms so we don't have to turn away anyone due to lack of space. I'd also like it to have some arrangement for water and toilets. “The previous building the NGO used had been small and cramped, with water leaking from the roofs and no arrangement for an actual toilet. Shweta further explained that during the rains, the walls would become damp and spoil the artwork and paintings the girls had made and hung on the walls. “Exposed wires were also a problem, and once during monsoon, I accidentally touched one and got a shock. It could have really hurt the younger children,” said Deepa.
Halls, counters, crèche, store rooms - the list of wishes is long, but David and his classmates take down every little detail. For now, the NGO has rented a small house for a makeshift school. The new building they intend to transform into the long awaited school is under construction and some work has already started, though any more would require more help, both as manpower and funds. So far, Abha admits that they haven't had any volunteer workers. “David and his friends are a first, but now, we hope that Delhi students and people will take out time to help”.The work is long and taxing, but looking at the eager faces of the Anusaran girls and then at those of David and his friends, it is hard to say which group looks more eager and impatient to beginThe team of students from Scotland have also begun posting videos and narratives of their experience online in their official blog, tesseractproject.wordpress.com, hoping to raise awareness and the need for humanitarian architecture in the world. He knows that the work he and his friends have taken on is a huge responsibility, for the place they design will become a key part of the lives of hundreds of children and women in the future. “I only hope we do them justice and bring their vision to life,” he said.
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