My Personal Experience with
SAS (Jana Jagaran)
From November 2005 to June 2006
29 June 2006

Be careful when you go to India, you will get a cultural shock?

This sentence and many similar ones have been told to me before I left Luxembourg. This message is also given in numerous books by Western Authors who have come to visit a third world country.
Anyway, until this day, there has been no such a shock therapy for me. I can only say I was shocked in a very positive way by the friendliness of people and little shocked to realize how poor we people from the west are, from a cultural point of view.

Before coming I knew that poverty would exist in different dimensions from what I
experienced in Europe. As I said, I had the knowledge of it, but not yet lived it.
In the first weeks and even months, I had to face a couple of challenges: language for instance. But the moment I stopped trying to understand the meaning of everything and trusted the people, another level of communication was possible.

Like one girl in Makelmaradi village, who cannot talk nor hear, I suppose I also had my own way of communication, mainly with sign language and lots of laughter. After these six months I have picked up little Kannada and Hindi, which has given me a lot of pleasure.

So many new languages, religions, habits and of course people I have had the chance to relish. Naturally, I was attracted to all these new things and saw the beauty in everything.

India is a country of diversity in all its means. Just look at all the different religions. What God do I believe in? Where is my place in all this bazaar? Such questions were coming to my mind until I just accepted all the different names that people give to god , as one. It doesnt matter which God you pray upon, unless this God is making you a good person, respecting all living beings.
I also had to adapt to social behaviour. Here, I was not to walk in the streets like in Europe.Especially in the villages, women are very decent and rather shy. So I learned how to sit, eat and dress properly according to their style.

Furthermore, I had to realize quickly about the status of women in Indian society and about their hard and though lives. I highly respect their strength, every women in Europe would complain dawn to duck and would fall sick when she had to get up at 5.00 Oclock in the morning to cook, wash, collect firewood and at the same time looking after the children. I do not want to point out that men are lazy, but it is certainly the woman who keeps the household and family running. In addition, drinking and violent husbands are rather common here. The women have to be very courageous to continue with their lives. The surprise is that
hardly anybody complains; they accept their lives and try to make the best out of it.

Its astonishing how happy women are (I am referring to Makelmaradi village) when they come to work and they have all reason to be proud of themselves.
Personally, I also like the close relationship in between families. In Europe, we all tend to become individualists, leaving our family home as soon as possible and trying to become independent, whereas here the parents are worshipped and looked after by the children.

The sense of community is very strong, whether in family life, hostel life or religious life. This is one of the most beautiful things I could experience. Whether I was with the brothers and fathers or with the village people, I never felt alone or missed my family badly.Life is tough here. I think nobody can deny this. India is also a country of big contrasts. Look at the prosperity in the cities and the primitivism and poverty of village life. Differences are tremendous! And politics are not likely to change this situation in the near future. Like in so many other parts of the world, the rich only become richer and the poor remain poor. There
will always be people who dominate others and those who are dominated by others.

Fortunately, many good-hearted people devote their lives and time to the ones who are in need. Jana Jagaran is a very good example for such work. JJ is focusing on the people who are living on the borders of our social system, people who live below poverty line; especially women. I have never seen people work so hard for the well being of the poor. A lot of determination, patience and courage is required. I am very touched by this behaviour.

Awakening of the masses. That is exactly what is happening here. Shramik™s staff are making the marginalized aware of their situation helping them in developing their personality and giving them the opportunity to be active and creative.
It is simple and very effective. More and more people from outside, foreigners and local people are getting interested in the work of SAS.

I can only encourage other young people like me, to come for an experience with SAS. For me, it was a once in a life time opportunity to get this experience of social work at a grass root level. I am very thankful for that and to all the people that I could stay with.

Your work has certainly inspired me. And it is unimaginable how much affection the village people are able to give. They filled my heart with so much joy and love without even being aware of it. This has been the greatest gift: simply being with all of you! Now I can say that I know what friendship, love and affection is. Before, I also thought I knew. But what I knew has been transformed. I am very happy about this and will carry this with me wherever I may go.
If I was to give advice on how to prepare for such an experience, I find it essential to be open for everything new and be ready to leave everything you learned and has been taught to you behind you, even the things and values you considered important.