To 501(c)(3) or not, that is the question.

"Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart,

and try to love the questions themselves...

The point is, to live everything.

Live the questions now.

Perhaps, then, you will gradually,

without even noticing it,

live your way into the answer."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

We are on the eve of something new in CLP: I have researched and discovered the path by which we can incorporate as a Non-Profit in California, and then become tax-exempt as a 501(c)(3) organization. This process, however, takes anywhere between $700-$1200, and I am beginning to realize that my physical, mental, and emotional investment in this project will be represented within this moment of financial need.

Where will this project go with 501(c)(3)? This project will go for grants to continue its work. This program would find a little office somewhere, or it would be the main source of income for a little apartment that belongs to Samantha Wilson (while she simultaneously does something else in order to live). This program would raise the money so that those individuals who can't afford to go to India CAN afford to go to India. This program would expand to Mali or Nigeria. This program would develop internships with the UC system to host university students to work at these schools across the globe. This program would bring international awareness into US classrooms. This program would develop a scholarship fund for its international participants.

This program would invest its life into relationships of mutuality and respect. This program is an "investment" program-- it are no concrete, measurable short-term effects, nor does it seek to achieve any.

CLP Short-Term Effects:
- Students are engaged with local and international peers through art, academia, and service
- International relationships and organizational partnerships and exchanges is established
- New ideas are discussed and new modes of learning are practiced by both parties
- Hope for the future is encouraged and given importance and legitimacy

Long term? We are developing a program that invests in everyone it comes into contact with. A program that writes letters to its student, that sends thank-you notes to its sponsors, that works diligently to place real directional power into the hands of those citizens it is trying to invest in. This program invests in its relationships. This program is about people in relationship with one another. This program is about whole-humanity and honoring all that is human within other individuals. I want a program that doesn't feel like a machine. I want a program that feels like a group of individuals working on behalf of the better good, in relationships of real exchange, of humility, of eagerness to serve human beings in their entirety.

Wholeness. Relationships. Investment.

THAT is social change.

And THAT is the Child Leader Project.

And thats why we're going after 501c3.

***Note: Italicized words are ideas that will be elaborated on later.

Update 3: August 30, 2008

Our first day

Hello everyone!

Just another update from India!

We finished our work at the school! The program went well and the kids enjoyed it: they described us as "kind of like teachers... but kind of like us!" And this is exactly what we wanted: something dialogue-based where the thinking and doing was in the hands of the students. They studied conflict resolution, values-based leadership, higher education, and a service project!

For their service project, we cleaned the steps of a temple on the top of this beautiful, green hill. The kids carried brooms and baskets and spent an hour in the sun cleaning the steps. It ended in a water-fight of sorts-- which was a blast! The kids were really taken back by the experience: many had never done a "service project" before, and many were talking about social work by the end of the week.

The Leadership Team: "LIGHT OF INDIA!"

I will return to the school in two or three weeks and do more planning with the students. They will be operating as a leadership organization until I return in December. The name of the organization (they voted) is "The Light of India." They will be focusing on environmental issues (planting trees and awareness programs on plastics), distributing free note books to poorer children in the area, and cleaning public spaces.

But, for now, we're going to the coast! We need a break! We will be spending three days in Pondicherry before Aniee and I return to help the bank and finish up our meetings. After Aniee leaves, I will be focusing entirely on my thesis research on micro finance as a platform for social change.

I love you all-- again, thank you for the emails! It is such a joy to open my account and see your names! Really-- thank you.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

With love,
Samantha

In our classroom, last day.

Update 2: August 27, 2008

Hey all,

We're still alive here out in Madupai, Tamil Nadu! Whoo-hoo!

The kids here are super polite. Too polite. British polite. When you ask, "How are you?" they stand up and say, "Fine, ma'am."

I've beaten that out of them. When I walk into the classroom and I ask, "How are you?" they stand up and say, "We're FANTASTIC!" I love it!

Anyways, a few useless updates:
1. The kids are beautiful. All 20 of them.
2. I'm in love with them.
3. I'm getting better learning all of their names, but only short names, because I'm terrible with names.
4. Today we did higher education planning-- the principal spoke for awhile, then we did some talk about service work. Tomorrow we do a community service project at a temple!
5. My co-coordinator in India, Mr. Arumugam, is amazing and I'm alittle in love with him, too. He studied social work, so you can see in his freakin' eyes that he loves doing this stuff.
6. I'm so thankful for Eamon Conklin. I'm glad he is on this trip. We've been taking film and photography like crazy-- lots of good photos to be seen when we return. He's sitting next to me now, singing Bright Eyes. Good traveling companion.
7. Internet is sketchy as hell. So is international calling.
8. Indian food is growing on me. So are saris.
9. Mosquitos are NOT growing on me. I'm really bitten up. C'est la vie.
10. Again, kids are incredible. So much to say.
11. We had an hour long prayer service this morning. It hurt to sit for that long. Felt frustrated that I couldn't do the cross-legged thing so well, but, c'est la vie to that, too.
12. They opened student canteen today! AND they let us be the "special guests" at the opening ceremony! AND they let me cut the ribbon!

Thanks for all the kind emails and "inspiration." I have so many pictures I want to show-- sometime soon, I hope.

Love and faith your way!

-Samantha

Update 1: August 23

Dear Friends, Family, and Mentors—

Hello from Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India!

The team (Eamon and Aniee) and I have arrived here safely—we spent a rather rushed day in New Delhi/Agra, and had the opportunity to see the Taj Mahal. It was incredible.

India is so different this time. This time, there is a feeling of being armed with purpose. Not only am I free of culture shock (how easy I slipped right back into my pseudo-Indian-accent and my head bobble), but I also feel like I’m here for a reason. Having purpose removes so many obstacles and fears. Furthermore, what else could the “divine” throw at me? Last time in India, I had a terrorist attack AND malaria! If I can handle that, I can handle this!

The bank we are working with is incredible. They have been so helpful and so kind—and very prepared. They have obviously read everything I have sent them, and they have placed it into report-form! Today was our first meeting at the bank: there were about 10 people total, including the Chairman of the bank, Mr. Devaraj. We had a three-hour briefing on the project and the programme for next week. Eamon was able to film the entire meeting for us to review later and take notes on.

We went to the Taj! (Click to enlarge to Taj size)

Mr. Devaraj has been working on this project for over 30 years—Activists for Social Alternatives (ASA) was the original program, based entirely on development programming (schools, public health, etc.) Devaraj then moved to North America to do schooling, learned about credit, and returned to India—right about the same time microfinance was happening in Bangladesh with Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Devaraj spent 10 days in Bangladesh studying this model of banking before he returned to institutionalize it here with ASA, thereby creating ASA-GV (Grama Vidiyal). (More here: http://www.gvmfl.com/)

Technically, the Child Leader Project falls under “ASA”—we are a development program, complimenting the work of the bank. The school we will be working at is forty minutes away from Trichy in a very rural area between here and Madurai (a big Hindu pilgrimage site). The school was built 10 years ago to accommodate the families there, and now has over 800 students. The school, however, operates at a deficit, and the chairman very excited to hear about the scholarship/tuition piece of our program (all money we raise in the USA will be given to the 20 students selected to work with us here).

On that note, they have selected 20 students! I saw the list of names and was so excited! They will arrive on Monday morning with their parents in tow, and we will do a one hour parent-student orientation. We planned an activity where students and parents will get up together and share the hopes and dreams they have for their children. What an exciting prospect! How wonderful it will be to hear these ideas!

On a personal note, they are very excited I will be here until September 20. They are enthusiastically willing to help me with my thesis research in whatever ways are needed—they even want me to interview recipients of loans in some of the most remote rural villages of the area, and are allowing me to follow them to bank meetings where they collect the loans given out to the women’s circles! They even told me about a special “women’s empowerment song” that they will help me sing at each meeting! I must of looked so excited when they told me I could come and be a part of that, because they all started laughing and smiling at one another! Their model is based nearly entirely on the Grameen Model—from the “14 decisions” to the meeting structure of the women, everything.

Yay! Microfinance!

I have much more to tell you all about, but the power in the bank has just gone out and this computer is operating on a special battery. I’m on a count down till it dies! However, we should have wireless when we move on to the campus from our hotel on Monday (isn’t that wonderful? We will be living on campus with the students!). Expect something long, excited, and slightly drawn out. :-)

On a personal note: Wow. I can’t believe I’m here. My heart feels like it may burst with gratitude for this opportunity: to be at this microfinance institution, in India, working with these women and their children. Everyone here is so excited about how we can work together-- it is obvious that we all feel so grateful for what we are offering to one another.

Thank you for your support and kindness—I love you all very much.

I look forward to emailing you again soon!

Samantha

(PS: I have blind-copied everyone on this email, but please feel free to send this along to anyone I may have left out-- I rather frantically put the email list together before the power died!)