SUCHI

Dr. Shelia Benjamin of SCINDeA (previous post) wanted us to experience one of the 15 NGOs that comprise the SCINDeA network.  Therefore, we left the wonderful Yelagiri Hills and state of Tami Nadu for a short visit in villages outside of Chittoor in the state of Andhra Pradesh. 

We visited the NGO called SUCHI - Social Unit for Community Health Improvement.  Once again we were visited with a musical welcome pictured below.

After our wonderful welcome, we went inside to learn about the NGO.  SUCHI is a mixed group of women and men (mostly women)  that designs activities to promote quality life in marginalized communities in three areas:  health, education, and socioeconomic needs.  Since we were a group of teachers, SUCHI wanted us to witness their dedication to education by visiting several of their village schools.  We were then divided into three groups and were off to three different villages.  Pictures of my experience are below:

This is the school that my group visited.

We were amazed at the creatively low-cost objects they used for manipulative activities.  Here, students learned hands-on to identify fruit by placing painted bottle caps around a chalk outline until a shape emerged.

Fulbrighter Connie connects with some some of the local students.

It's amazing how one large room can server as a classroom, gym, cafeteria, and napping place.  Here a student climbs a rope hanging from the ceiling for a little kinesthetic activity.

Here, perhaps one of the cutest children ever, naps in a sheet hanging from the ceiling.