Submitted by Board members Richard Cuadra and Carmen Hussein
Kids in Nature Program (KIN) has been a program at The Hope (in Nazamuddin Basti, Delhi, India) for seventeen years. Years ago we rented a bus with forty children and ten staff and toured different areas of India all the way to the ocean. There, some students became the first person in their family to see the ocean. Some of our goals were to observe diversity, experience life outside of the city, encounter a diversity of animals and foods, and to spend time understanding ego systems — what threatens and supports these fragile systems.
Our tour visited farm country as well as different religious communities. The children collected flowers, and made science projects about everything they saw.
Cities like Delhi with 23 million people have very few parks available to the poor. Most parks are gated and the poor are kept out. In different parts of India parks where kids can camp is a very new idea because it is expensive and a very industrious venture to find such accommodations. However, it is also a very inspired idea. Many schools want their children to be connected to a park or natural area. We believe that the poor can use this new park to connect to nature and to connect to other communities. Some will be able to help support the project and some not, but all are welcome.
Our goals include: creating systems of clean water, solar energy, organic food, animal care, growing trees and vegetables, and camping under the stars. All the while we are supporting the children as they connect to each other and different communities, so they may grow a larger life and a larger world view.
We invite you to watch this 3-minute video of the Kids in Nature program to share the inspiration and joy of its unfoldment.
If so moved, you can make a contribution:
Online Donation in USA:
http://childrensashramfund.org/index.html
USA checks to:
The Hope Project
P.O. Box 657
New Lebanon, NY 12125 USA
Email: ingrid.wisswaesser@gmail.com
Germany and Europe:
Lebenshilfe für notleidende Menschen in Indien e.V
Volksbank Bielefeld –
Gütersloh e.G.
IBAN DE25478601251444730500 BIC GENODEM1GTL
Germany
Switzerland:
Förderverein “Hope Projekt”,
CH11 8009 7000 0064 8430 7
Raiffeisenbank Laufental-Thierstein, 4242 Laufen, Switzerland
Email: brunoknobel@web.de