INDIA
November 2025
Bingo! Connie was back at the Jhalak school just before Christmas, laden down with a case full of Christmas presents and another full of games she thought she’d try out.
Little did she know how popular those games would become. In the spirit of continuing on head teacher Susmita’s efforts to bring some English into their world, daily rounds of word and number bingo as well as a kind of scrabble game to make words in English became the routine.
A lot of fun and learning with the bingo games!
The school has a new computer teacher, who comes in for two hours each Saturday and Sunday. The first lesson everybody huddled around the newly purchased computer with some basic guidelines being shown to the kids. Now they have been split up into age groups and have one computer each and the teacher divides his time each visit between all stations. It’s a popular activity – none of the kids have access to computers of any form at home or the public school so learning basic skills is essential for their future.
During this trip, Connie went with Susmita and chief sewing team member Srabanti to Mumbai to hand deliver to world-famous musician Jacob Collier and his crew some special gifts, including two shirts for the big colour lover musician. His warmth and interest in the work of the school and the sewing room was wonderful and Susmita and Srabanti delighted in sharing photos of the meeting and their first trip on an airplane!
.jpeg)
April 2025
Easter 2025 saw Connie back at the Jhalak school for 10 days of sewing room and school activity.
The women had learned how to make beautiful Indian silk kimono wraps and a few had been requested by AidforAll members. The end results are lovely and in the photos you can see some of them modelled by the actual makers.
Connie also put together a day of what she called ‘mini Olympics’ for the students on Easter Saturday and then AidforAll offered a full meal for all students, staff and any parents who wished to join on the Sunday. The Olympics were highly anticipated and the talk of the school. The ladies in the sewing room made team t-shirts in three different team colours, the students signed up on a board for ‘athletic’ or ‘academic’ olympics - or both! Connie took trophies and medals to India as well as tape to mark a race route around the property and several batons and whistles (which were a huge hit with Ranjit and Nirmal).
The day went brilliantly. Early morning races, sack races, egg and spoon, then after lunch an afternoon of quizzes created by Susmita.
Sunday was prize giving day as well as the big group lunch. It was fascinating to see the local women come together to make this lunch in huge pots, using what looked like scythes to slice the onions and garlic.
No bicycles were awarded this time - lots of other opportunities to earn prizes! But advance notice was given to all - any big improvements in English speaking could be rewarded with maybe even a bike!
As for the toilet block renovation - wasn’t anywhere near completed. Tiling was ongoing, that would be followed by plumbing and fittings, then painting and external work.
Lets see if in November 2025, when Connie returns, the toilet block is finally finished !
November 2024
Connie returned to India in November to a bright new second room for the sewing activities. This room would be for cutting tables and other non-sewing machine activities. Previously AidforAll subscribers had the opportunity to order personalised washbags made by the women in the sewing room. The response was overwhelming and the ladies were kept busy right up until Connie’s departure day.
The sewing room extension was put to good use when it came to ironing on all the initials requested for each personalisation.
The women received a small amount of money for each bag they completed to order - for all of them it was the first time they had ever received money for work, and the excitement and feeling of satisfaction and gratitude was enormous. Teacher and school director Susmita had been giving of her time to supervise the work to ensure all bags were delivered as requested. This has inspired the women to go on to try to make other items.
Again four bicycles were offered - two for ‘top of the class/best marks’ students and two for the ones who are trying the most, regular attendance (but maybe not quite top of the class - but the important thing is to try your best!) Student and parent made their way to the little bike shop in Baruipur where they were faced with what looked like an impossible choice of styles and colour. Sadly, even though Connie tried her hardest, none of the students wanted helmets. It is a great pity as bicycle accidents are very frequent here.
Work on the floors was completed and paid for.
It was decided that the old toilet block for the students at the back of the property needed a total overhaul and roof renovation, which AidforAll committed to take care of, through the help of Susmita, headmaster Nirmal and accountant Ranjit. It was to be a multi step approach and would include the first ever shower with hot water! All should be ready by Connie’s return in April.
MARCH 2024
In March 2024, co-founder Connie was at the Jhalak school in Kolkata to inaugurate the new sewing room at the school. Beautifully finished with white tiles and walls, and equipped with two manual sewing machines and plenty of materials, the room is open to all who want to come to learn to sew. We have a teacher who comes for 3 hours every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The sewing classes are proving extremely popular, averaging 12 to 15 women each day.
UPDATE: Connie is returning in November 2024 to the school to expand the sewing room, and renovate the floors on other buildings!
INDIA video
March 2023
In March 2023 Connie returned for a short trip to Kolkata. The works on the junior classroom roof were finished the whole building and the adjoining library had a full re-paint. Based on the quality of work seen there, it was decided to have the senior classroom false ceiling replaced and a full re-paint of the building done.
We purchased two new computers for the computer room and did a good clearout of the library, removing old furniture and replacing it with solid metal cabinets, lots of new books and some fun new lighting. We have also ordered for some trestle tables to be made to measure so that in bad weather the kids can sit inside the library and read and in warmer weather they can easily be set up under the trees. In addition we are experimenting on a basic level with mini sewing kits for women in the villages to see if a) they are interested in them and b) they are useful.
UPCOMING WORKS
Now that the work on the junior classroom is finished, in March we finalised contracts for work on the seniors classroom. The false ceiling is falling down, the walls are cracking, the paint is in a terrible state.
Work is now ongoing (April 2023)
January 2023
In December 2022 and January 2023 AidforAll’s co-founder Connie and filmmaker Charlotte went, for the first time in 3 years, to Kolkata to the Jhalak school that AidforAll has been supporting for several years.
They were treated to a drawing competition (which revealed some serious talent in 3 or 4 students) and a beautiful dance show. They gave out gifts and prizes to the top students and urgently needed supplies to everybody.
After touring the property it became clear that a lot of urgent work needed to be done. But the kids are enthusiastic and keen to learn, the new teachers are dynamic and full of ideas. After touring the property it became clear that a lot of urgent work needed to be done. Take a look at the photos below of the condition of the ceiling and roof of the youngest kids’ classroom - it is completely falling down. We look forward to making a difference, with your support, to these kids’ lives.
Jhalak school, Kolkata
Visiting Kolkata for the first time in 2014, our main focus in India is helping the Jhalak school for Underprivileged Children in Baruipur. This school is owned and run by the De family, based in the US, offering classes in the morning before school, as well as a hot breakfast and after school computing classes to ~100 very poor children.
In 2014, AidforAll renovated a building that was to become the Computer Room and filled it with a range of computing equipment. The following year, a new library was built (Chris putting his excellent DIY skills to good use), painted and filled with books - rather than the estimated 6 weeks this took just over 1 week!
Some of the graduates of this school have gone on to college, with tuition kindly paid for by the De family. AidforAll also give backpacks and school supplies to whomever needs them and award special prizes to the top students from each year. Many have aspirations to become a teacher, some want to join the army and 'defend their country', others to become a female police officer or architect.
The Coronavirus pandemic meant that nobody from AidforAll was able to get in to India since early 2020. In fact co-founder Chris was just finishing a visit in Vietnam to one of AidforAll’s projects as the borders around him were closing.
January 2023,
Jhalak school kids get new backpacks
School founder Prof. Kaushik De and his son Nikhil distributing fruit and milk to the Jhalak school community
Dynamic new teacher (and also lawyer) Susmita, matching backpacks to boys - she knows them well!
Wonderful new Jhalak school teachers Sujan and Susmita look on as Connie gives out prizes for students with top marks over the year
Susmita one of the two new teachers, arranged a special dance performance from the children. They had never done it before, Mums worked hard on some beautiful outfits.
