While studying social pedagogy 31 years ago, I had the opportunity to work for three months on the Indian village development project SEVAI (Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement) in Trichy, Tamil Nadu—a wonderful, extremely successful project founded by K. Govindaraju. In addition to the house-building and watershed-project, I was mainly employed in a kindergarden (balvadi). From the very first moment, I took the sweet children with their big beautiful brown eyes and their childlike innocence into my heart. I was particularly taken with a child named Gandhi and his brother Sudakar from the small village of Veppangudi.
Overall, my time at SEVAI was one of the happiest times of my life. I was deeply impressed by the warmth of the people, their friendliness, their openness, their helpfulness, their cordiality, and their unbiased attitude toward strangers, and it had a lasting impact on my life.
For 30 years, I cherished the dream of finally returning there, but professional and family commitments meant that this wish was repeatedly put on the back burner. Now, at last, this dream has come true – and it really did feel like coming home. The welcome given to my husband and our younger son (our older son is currently also working at SEVAI for three months with his girlfriend) was indescribable and unsurpassed in terms of warmth and appreciation.
But by far the most emotionally moving experience was that, during our tour of the SEVAI villages in Veppangudi, I happened to bump into Gandhi, who was riding his bike through the village. He stopped immediately when he saw me, we recognized each other right away and fell into each other's arms. The joy on both sides was indescribable, but it was surpassed by the fact that the family had hung a picture in their house all these years, which I had taken of the brothers Gandhi and Sudakar and sent to them. I myself have also hung this picture up all these years, no matter where I was. And how often I had wondered how the brothers were doing. So it was all the more wonderful for me to see that, thanks to SEVAI, Gandhi is now doing very well as an electrician and part-time farmer and has a good income.
More than 30 years ago, during my three-month assignment with SEVAI, he and his brother Sudakar wore the same shirt and matching pants every day—yet they were always clean and neat, and the boys looked very well-groomed. During my second stay there, Gandhi was now in school, he still wore the same clothes, which were now of course bursting at the seams. So it was all the more wonderful to see that he and his family of four were obviously doing well. When asked, he reported that his brother Sudakar, who lives in another village, and his family are also doing well. His parents, who later joined our spontaneous meeting, also seem to be doing very well.
Continuation of this incredible story
34 years after my first encounter with Gandhi and Sudakar, I had another opportunity to travel to India with my husband as part of an educational trip. We took the opportunity to visit Gandhi again in Veppangudi—this time, however, with a firm plan. Thankfully, Devindran, K. Govindaraju's brother, had arranged this meeting in advance. Everything was excellently organized and planned down to the last detail.
This visit once again exceeded our wildest expectations and touched us deeply. Not only was Gandhi waiting for us with his entire family dressed in their finest festive attire, but his parents and his brother Sudakar and his family were also present. Sudakar has now built an extension to Gandhi's house – which, incidentally, is a SEVAI house – and lives there with his family. His parents live in the old part. This means that everyone is close by and can help each other. They are all doing very well.
The extended family proudly presented the old childhood photo of Gandhi and Sudakar again, as well as the photos from our last visit. They seem to all the pictures like real treasures. With Devindran's help as translator, we quickly became closer during our visit through pleasant, entertaining conversation.
I casually mentioned that during my very first stay in Veppangudi, I had always thought that the mother must have washed the boys' underwear and shirts at night. Otherwise, I couldn't explain the remarkable cleanliness of the clothes and the well-groomed appearance of the boys. The mother replied that yes, she had. And the father added, "And I ironed them!" whereupon the mother hurried into the house and fetched an antique iron. It was an emotional moment for everyone.
I couldn't help but tell Gandhi and Sudakar that they had wonderful parents who, despite their poverty, had paved the way for their boys to have a secure future with their big hearts and special dedication. The two of them then sat proudly with their iron for a souvenir photo. Shortly afterwards, the brothers' children came home from school and happily received their gift, a real "Steiff" teddy bear. I hope that, in addition to a small financial contribution, this cuddly gift will remind everyone of our current meeting and last until we see each other. ЁЯМЯ
