Namaskar Wendy Didi, lovely Maa,Papa, and everybody. Many many thanks for your efforts towards Monalisa project on behalf of our indian daughters association. Really I am very much happy to know about your sincerity and love towards us.
 

We love you all so much.  Thank you.  See you soon.
Yours Jyoti, Mona, and all.  Namaskar.  Love and loveeeeeeee.

Hello everyone.  Last day of spring today; first of summer tomorrow.  News from Muzaffarpur that I don't think I've told you yet.  Jyoti has a few extra worries right now.  Monalisa had an operation on her foot and luckily it was not serious.  She has to rest it for a week or two.  Little Baboo has measles, making it harder still for Jyoti to get away to do her chores at the bank and post office.  

Hopefully we've got a much better payment system set up for Jyoti and she will not need to go through the awful stress of the past month.  Westpac has been charging us $20 to send Jyoti's money to her online.  And then, Westpac has charged us $30 to bring the last 3 transfers back from India.  Angela was never notified that Westpac had changed the International Services Bank in India and the new bank required more information about Jyoti.  Until the first transfer returned 2 weeks later, we had no idea.  By this stage we'd sent off 2 further sums.  When the money did get to Jyoti it took 9 days, which is too long when you have 8 children to feed and 2 are not well.  Even here in Australia we would have problems if our payments did not turn up for 9 days beyond the expected date.

We are now sending the money through Western Union - which operates on a much better exchange rate, giving us more INR for our AUD, with the added bonus that it costs less than Westpac over the counter service.  Right now 3 transfers would eventually have cost us $20 to send online; $30 for Westpac to track it down (where is it?); $30 to return to our account ; $20 to send again.  For EACH of 3 transfers!  Angela is applying to Westpac for a large refund and hopefully that will happen.  At these charges we are supplying more money to fund Westpac's bungles than to feeding and educating our Indian children. 

This way, the money will be available to Jyoti within minutes of sending it - available when she needs it most - immediately!  None  of us have been impressed by the delay - and then the high fee returns when Angela was not notified of Westpac's changed procedures.  Angela has been sending money to India almost every month since early 2003.  And it has often been very stressful.  Here's hoping the stress is now gone and we can do this without ridiculous fees and charges, at the proper exchange rate, and within minutes.  Yes!

Love and thanks to all of our sponsors and donors.   We really do insist upon getting every cent that you've donated, across to Jyoti and the children without unnecessary costs or delays. 

Wendy

<angelamay@dodo.com.au> wrote:
Dear Jyoti and Monalisa and everyone. Namaskar teachers and children and parents. Love to you all from us here in Australia.
 
Today we have more good news. My real brother Peter has donated $1000AUD to the Monalisa project.  I am very grateful and hope you can now finish plastering four more rooms upstairs to complete that part of the building and also to finish painting those rooms. What is the next part of the project, Jyoti and how much do we need?  I hope you have looked up the blog page and typed in the address on the world wide web.

www.blogtext.org/monalisaproject/  

you can read all about things on there and also add your own messages and updated information.  I don't know how to do that but Wendy does and she can tell you how if you write to her.
 
Papa is away for one week doing some car detailing work in Hobart, Tasmania' s Capital city, three hours drive south from here.
 
We are planning to leave Australia on the 12 or 13th March to fly to Singapore then New Delhi. We might hire a 4 wheel drive with driver in Delhi and drive to Muzaffurpur.  How many hours drive from there Jyoti do you know? or how many kilometers?  maybe 3 or 4 days driving do you think?
 
We need some more photos of the children and the building with roof on Jyoti if you can. Also should now be showing the doors and windows in the upstairs.
 
How is your health Jyoti and Monalisa?  We are quite well here.
Must go now as it is very late here.  Love you all very much and pray for the completion of your home school very soon.  God Bless you both and all the children living there. Love to Pinki.  Is she a relation of Monalisa. Same name Sarkar?
 
Bye for now.
Maa Angela (Anjeli) and papa  xxxxxxxhug hug hug 

From: jyoti jahnvi
To: Angela May
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 2:02 AM
Subject: namaskar


Hello and namasaskar to all of you.  Today I came back from Pundag. Every body are fine here. hope you all are carring well.  I have received your 30,400 (thirty thousand four hundred) today.

I shall pay the loan 18,000 (eighteen thousand) and rest amount I shall complete  some room plastering work. Before 3 rooms completed + one room, means 4 rooms plastering will be completed very soon.

Maa If you send some amount then I shall continue the plastering work. I shall send the photographs of all the doors and windows. Shall i send through scaning or photos by post. which will be more useful for you.

we have to plaster 4 more rooms, front coridor, complete back sides and stair case and stair case room.painting.

realy maa its a very courageous step what you taken over. I shall always pray GOD to keep you more healthy and energetic to do such a noble task. I think you also enjoying some times when people are coming forewards to complete this project and extending hand towards you. I am very hurry to complete the rest job before you come here. But every thing on HIM and you.

I love you very much maa. please mail me, I shall ring you, Convey our regards to every body. paapa, wendy didi, Elisa. rheet.

I mail you very soon. thank you very much, namaskar loveeeeeee. kisssssss.......kisssssssssss. yours all Indian lovely daughters.


 

Good News From Jyoti

Hi everyone. Jyoti and Angela talked on the phone right now. We've been sending money almost every week because we want the home and school fully operational as soon as possible. The plastering inside is now complete and they are starting the stairs this week. We now have 90 students and 6 teachers at our school.   Jyoti has been trying to send photos to us but the email host that she uses has not been working properly.  As soon as the photos come through, I'll post them here.

Jyoti said that the next priority will be to get desks and chairs for each classroom.  Angela was speaking with a person who is involved in the Edu Compass project between schools and individuals here and in South Africa.  We'd also been trying to work out the cheapest and best way to send clothing, shoes, books, pens, paper, pencils and all kinds of useful things that are being discarded here but would be treasured there.  We'd talked about the possibility of getting a shipping container to be filled and shipped over.  This person has given Angela the information we needed to get this happening.  We're hoping to set up a similar program  between us here and Jyoti and the children in Muzaffarpur so that we can ship goods over to them cheaply.

We need everyone's input for this.   Perhaps you know someone who runs a warehouse that distributes factory seconds.  Furnishings for the house and school are needed.  Blankets, rugs or doonas are needed for the children living upstairs.  Winter will soon be upon them.  Non perishable food items may also be a possibility. 

Once the major construction, fixtures and fittings are complete, we can concentrate on the day to day funding of the children, their lives and their education.  We'd like all the children at the school to have a good and nutritious breakfast or lunch.  Maybe both.  

Whenever we speak of Jyoti we're filled with admiration for her continued struggle to improve the lives of many children in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India.  Without Jyoti the Monalisa Project of building a home and school would never have been possible.  Providing a loving home is one part of the quest.  To provide school community, love, support and education are other branches of this quest.  All are vital to the overall success of the entire project.  So, THANKYOU JYOTI.  Our project succeeds because of you.

Jyoti is all things to all people in her life.  She's a mother, a father, a nurse, a teacher, a guide to the children she lives with.  Jyoti is a colleague and friend to the teachers she employs to teach in her school.  Jyoti is a buiding designer and builder.  She sets herself a challenge and she goes out and confronts that challenge without giving up until it is met.  When her children are afraid at night because of a burglar's intrusion, Jyoti reevaluates her priorities so that she can not only make their home safe, but she can make the children feel safe again.

Our fear of course is that Jyoti will neglect herself whilst doing so much.  Jyoti, we all need you to take extra good care of yourself.  We appreciate the dedication with which you put our funds to the best possible use.  The children are very lucky to have you for their parent-guide.  And we are very lucky that you take such good care of these special children.  You must make certain that you take extra good care of yourself too.

Thankyou from all of us in Tasmania, and other parts of Australia, who travel with you on this amazing journey.

This email is written to Angela but it speaks to all of us.

From: jyoti jahnvi
To: Angela May
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 2:23 AM
Subject: thanks a lot maa,and god

Love to all of you.hello, deep namaskar and thanks to your own brother Peter, love to pappa, rheet, Elisa, Wendy didi. Realy your dedication towards Monalisa project is uncompareble, Our heartist love, respect,to all the members those who are involve direct or indirectly in this project.Many many thanks to GOD.
 
 
Its a great  JOY of all the children of our HOME , teaching staffs, and parents of the school that you are coming here.You all are heartily most WELCOME TO YOUR OWN DREAM MONALISA PROJECT. I am realy very very delighted to have this news. I started counting the day. I shall meet you along with your team. Please guide me maa what I shall keep ready to make everybody happy, regarding food, sight seeing, art, paintings, dance, songs,  and so on .....
 
I become very happy, to get you all here. We all are fine here. I have received your 10,000 (ten thousand) 2 days back. I  used for more one room plastering. Maa I think you you forgot that last mail I had mention that grill and plastering all together  there is a loan of 18,000 (eighteen thousand).  I shall pay the loan and rest amount i shall use for more two rooms plastering . Please go to the last mail.regarding that website I shall keep touch to Wendy DIDI. I shall mail you next from Delhi to muzzaffarpur distance and how many hour car drive or train journey. I am going to Pundag for a week.  I dont have digital camera to take photographs, I have some children photographs, I think after coming back from Pundag I shall send all the photographs. l may take help from some studio.
 
Pinky  Sarkar, Mona Sarkar and Anupa Sarkar.  3 are Sarkar.  We all fine by God's grace and your deep love. Love to all and kiss to you. yours lovely daughters Mona and Jyoti and everybody,kisssssss.lovvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee.huggggggg.
 

Thanks to Sue MacAulay, Jyoti, Monalisa and the children now have secure windows and doors.  The children were very frightened and it became the highest priority.  Thankyou Sue.  It is hoped that some of the inner walls can be plastered also.  And after these essential things for safety and a little warmth indoors, we can work towards the beds and bedding for the children living upstairs.

Maa, last mail (Sub-questions and answers) I send the details for schooling requirements uniforms, some disposal items 500 not including food and medicine . Including all it is 1500 Fifteen hundred. Just you check the last mail again. 500 means Rs17(seventeen) per day each child, how I can manage maa. Please dont mistake me. Many many thanks to Sue McCaulay for her great contribution. I shall use for door and windows first , If surplus amount I shall go for bedding. We are getting fear at night because of no doors and windows. Maa your glass business is good, is not it?

1.  FOR MEMBERS and others interested in the Monalisa Project.  

Go to the photos site to see the progress of Monalisa from a rather nervous young 10 y.o. in February, 2002 to the bright, confident young woman of 14 year old today.

You are welcome to make contributions, suggestions and provide information and photos that have come to you.  Or you may have questions about where your gift has been spent.  I am hoping that this page will take on its own life as we interact with it, with each other, and with our children, teachers and the dedicated Jyoti overseer of the entire project in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India.  

Information that comes to the Monalisa Project via email will be uploaded here.  Any especially personal content will be edited out, retaining all content of interest to all of us.

GERMINATION of the seed which later gestated into the Monalisa Project is Angela's story.  You will find it on the personal introductions page.

EMAIL OF QUESTIONS TO JYOTI and JYOTI'S RESPONSE:

24th August, 2006

Answers have been put into the original text. 

 
The Monalisa Project <monalisa.project@aapt.net.au> wrote:

Hello Jyoti.  We have three new women sponsors and some who are interested and would like more information about your school. So, Jyoti, here are some of our questions:

1. How much money will it take to complete the home-school and garden, inside and outside?

Answer:  After completing of 1st floor roof work,we need to do flooring, plastering of the first floor and back side of the complete building,grills for doors and windows, electrification (Now temporarily arranged) Water connection,Toilet bathrooms sanitary fittings, And finally painting...

Total cost Rs 300,000(three hundred thousand only approx,)  
Rs 300,000 = AUD$8437


2. Can you tell us what you expect your monthly costs to be for running the school - including teachers salaries, disposable school materials like paper, pens, pencils, paints, books, chalk. And also for school equipment and permanent fittings like desks, tables,
chairs, blackboards/whiteboards - do you need these?

(I know that you've answered some of these questions previously but we need to let our sponsors know that their donations are going to a very worthy cause.)


Answer:  Teachers Salary-Rs7,500.Each 1500 of 5 teachers.  Disposable items Rs500/month.  Desks and tables for 4 class rooms Rs 80,000 (eighty thousand only aprox.) 2o,ooo/class room.

Rs7,500 = AUD$211 (Rs1500 each for 5 teachers); Rs500/month for disposables = AUD$14; Rs80,000 = AUD$2251 (Rs 20,000 per classroom)

3. Who is supplying the school uniforms? Why are some children wearing blue and white uniforms, while most are wearing red and black?


Answer:  Our uniform is black and red, those who are wearing blue and red they are new admited.they are allowed to come with civil dress for one week from the admission date,because most of our parents are poor. Parents are  providing  uniform to their children.


4. Are the children all members of Ananda Marga or do you accept children who are not members?


Answer..No all the children are not members of Ananda Marga. Most of them are from outside.  We teach without discriminating caste, creed, and religion,  Purpose of Education is to Liberation of self through yoga and meditation and service to humanity through practical volunteers training.


5. Is the cost of school lunches covered by school fees?


Answer:  No.  Children are getting their own lunch box.  As our school fees also very nominal like Rs 50/child/month. There are some free students too. School fees use for teacher salary.

Rs50/child/month = AUD$1.40

6. When the school is finished and you have 150 students, how many children will live there permanently?


Answer:  Nine children, including Mona are living permanently. So, many children like mona are there in the society and coming to us but due to lack of financial condition we are un able to keep them. Our planing to keep to accomodate up to 25 children (parentless) in future.

 
7. What facilities are available for you, Monalisa and the other children living upstairs? For example what bedding arrangements do you have? What cooking and bathroom facilities do you have?


Answer:  There is no bedding facility so far for mona and other chilren, Sleeping on ground.  Kitchen facility is available but no dining tables, dining space is available. Right now bath rooms of up stairs are not completed, only one is completed  for emergency and during night. children are using ground floor toilets.


8. Do you get financial assistance from Ananda Marga headquarters or any other western people, like us? Are we expected to fulfil all the needs here or do you have other assistance?


Answer:  No ,we are not getting any financial assistance from Ananda Marga Head quarters,because Ananda Marga world wide socio-Spiritual organisation Developed and managed by local Followers,and units.  Any very much emergency we can approach to centre. We dont have any other western people to assist except you. You are all and all for us. We are expecting Every thing from you periodically. suggest and advice me to develope and complete this Monalisa Project.  Please visit to this project physically. You all are most welcome.


9. What are the monthly costs for feeding, clothing and educating our permanent residents?


Answer:  Rs 1500/month/child is the monthly cost. Right now 9 children are living. Thank you very much .. Namaskar with deep regards.
Rs 1500 = AUD$47