Visit to Delhi – Yes, we can!

Dear friends of the SANNI Foundation

Your donations have had a great impact – and this within just a few months. During my last visit to the slums of Delhi in April, I was able to see how women and children in particular gratefully seized the opportunity offered to them and took their lives into their own hands.

Read more about my time in Delhi in this newsletter.

Yours sincerely,
Susanne Schroff

150 children on the way to a better future

150 children from a slum in the south of Delhi were accepted into our program around 18 months ago. The progress they have made in this short time is amazing! Above all, I am delighted to see that they have become more self-confident and are taking the opportunity offered to them by our project with great seriousness. In honor of our visit, the children rehearsed various dances and role plays and performed them for us with great pride.

Passing on knowledge

The daily visit to the community center is a central element of our project. Not only does this give the children a daily structure and teach them English and practical things for everyday life, they also take their newly acquired knowledge home to their mothers and their neighborhood at the end of the day. At the center, we have initiated a “Neighborhood Children’s Parliament” in which the children discuss important issues such as sustainable water use and hygiene.

Creating prospects for the future

Our program also includes excursions into the surrounding area. This allows the children, who have often never left their slum before, to broaden their horizons. In the daily lessons, the teachers observe the children closely to ensure that we can later tailor their education to their talent and aptitude. Every month, meetings are organized with the parents so that they understand how important it is for their children to come to school and the care center every day.

Women empowerment in the slums

I was particularly pleased to present the first nine graduates of our cosmetics courses with their certificates. These courses last six months each and, in addition to the sewing training courses, are an opportunity for young women to take their first steps towards a self-determined future.

Improving hygiene through education

Improving hygiene in the slums remains a major challenge, partly due to religious and cultural practices. We focus on education and training, especially for children, as they play a crucial role in bringing about change in their community. Their commitment to waste separation and other hygiene measures is already bringing about a positive change in behavior in their immediate environment.

Discovering Delhi and the world

The highlight of my trip was a day trip with the children to see the sights of Delhi. For most of them, it was the first time they had been able to leave their slum! The joy in their eyes was indescribable. We visited the Railway Museum, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial and the Gateway of India. At the end of a long day, when they discovered an open meadow in a park, there was no stopping them. They rolled down the hill a dozen times, laughing heartily. It takes so little to bring joy to these children and make a lasting difference to their lives.