Max Bupa Walk for Health - October 20,2013 - Delhi and Mumbai.

Esha is very very happy to be a partner in this initiative:

Max Bupa Walk for Health is a first of its kind initiative brought to you by Max Bupa Health Insurance Company. In its second year now, the Walk for Health will take place simultaneously across Delhi and Mumbai on the 20th of October 2013. The event invites people across all walks of life and age groups to participate in the 5km or the 2km Walk, which will also feature a plethora of entertainment and fitness activities for the participants. The event will also see celebrities, large communities, corporates and schools participating in large groups. 

Here is your chance to initiate a long term sustainable change in your lifestyle to keep yourself and your loved ones well. See your city information pages for the latest happenings and updates of the walk in your city and register now to participate.

Max Bupa Walk for Health 2013 is focused on Delhi and Mumbai, as owing to a sedentary lifestyle, people living in these metros are more prone to stress and lead an unhealthy life. Prominent as the IT/Telecom and BFSI hubs of India, the people in these cities work long hours which leaves them with hardly any spare time to exercise. Bupa's global research in 13 countries has revealed that high stress level, unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyle has high negative impact on people's health.

You can register here:

http://bit.ly/wfh2013m

 

Joy of Giving

The following is a guest post from one of the students of the School of Inspired Leadership on her experience attending the Read-a-fest event conducted by the Student coordinators of Esha. Have a read.

“The giving of love is an education in itself” - Eleanor Roosevelt

The joy of giving is a feeling that could be felt only by the true benevolent soul and heart. If sometime in my life I ask myself a question “who is the person that means the most to me”, I would count on the people who shared my pain and caress my wound with warmth of care and console rather than who gave me solutions, advices or showed the ways to cure it.  So it’s not about how we give but it’s about how much love and compassion we put in while giving to others. I feel proud to say this festival of philanthropy was celebrated by the “GO-GIVERS” batch at School of Inspired Leadership.  Esha, a NGO that works for the blind, organized a Read-A-Fest event to celebrate the Joy of Giving Week. Our batch of students recorded voices for audio books which are meant for the visually impaired children.  This will go to the online library CLABIL(Central library for Audio books in Indian Language) which already has over 1000 audio files recorded by Friends of Esha. Furthermore we are also planning to audio record some mini case studies on general management and finance which would help these students in their entrance exams and management institutes. This is an initiative taken up by BLP program Chair- Ms. Neetika Batra. It gives me immense pleasure to say that amidst such tight schedules we got a good number of volunteers to work on this project. This is the joy of giving that our “GO-GIVERS” enjoy by contributing to such a noble cause. These are the people that get more joy out of giving to others by putting a good deal of thought into happiness. 

Stuti Srivastava,

Business Leadership Program at the School of Inspired Leadership

Audio Files for case studies and poetry

Have added some amazing assorted content to the library today.

Space Quiz for chidren

Quotations for Mothers - Part 1

And this one is beautiful.. an anonymous letter written to Erma Bombeck by a mother. I have loved this letter for years and am happy to convert it to audio today.

Assorted poetry - Punjabi
Lohri

Tu mere naal bai ke haan deya

Hindi poetry
Tere Jhooth

For those of you looking for Case studies for MBA Entrance prep, have added a good 3 part case study today.
The link is only to part 1.
 

Enhancing the Tactile Intelligence of children

 Have you ever wondered why, from the age of 5 months or so, children reach out to TOUCH everything? I have wondered about it a lot. What is it that makes all children, irrespective of where they are, do certain things at a certain age, instinctively. They automatically know that chewing on something will help with the teething process and put everything in their mouth.

Sure, we keep stopping them from doing it, we child proof the house. But the question is, WHY do they do it?

And i think, the answer is, that at that age, children are instinctively trying to enhance their tactile intelligence - the ability to touch a thing and understand it.
How do we respond to this very natural, very important need to develop a kind of intelligence? By child proofing the house and running around with, "dont touch this, dont touch that. stay away from that."

What happens to our children when they are deprived of this very important learning? While doing research on this post, i read up a few studies on the link between tactile learning and intelligence. What i found was SHOCKING, to say the least. There is significant correlation between tactile learning and cognitive ability of a child.

Quote from FamilyEducation:
Most of the school population excels through kinesthetic means: touching, feeling, experiencing the material at hand. "Children enter kindergarten as kinesthetic and tactual learners, moving and touching everything as they learn. By second or third grade, some students have become visual learners. During the late elementary years some students, primarily females, become auditory learners. Yet, many adults, especially males, maintain kinesthetic and tactual strengths throughout their lives."(Teaching Secondary Students Through Their Individual Learning Styles, Rita Stafford and Kenneth J. Dunn; Allyn and Bacon, 1993)



And again from a study by Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, USA.

Factor analytic results suggest tactile measures have a significant relationship with measures of cognitive ability.

For more, please see this:
https://www.google.co.in/?gws_rd=cr&ei=Lts7Uv-pIKapiALPtoHIDw#q=studies+on+the+importance+of+tactile+intelligence

Why was i doing this research? Because last night, i was making these tactile mazes again. And wondered how children will really benefit from these toys? So i googled to find out if there is any linkage between tactile learning tools and a child's intelligence?

The evidence was so overwhelming that i had to pause whatever i was doing and call a friend who is an educational advisor, and share this with her.

YOUR CHILDREN NEED TACTILE LEARNING. Please, please, provide it to them.

I am going to write a post on how you can do this at home - Enhance Tactile learning in your children.

You can also use Esha's new toys in that segment. But please remember, its not necessary to use Esha toys for tactile learning. These are just tools. Tactile learning is all around us. 

3D touch maze for 4-5 year olds. You cannot solve this maze easily by looking at it. Tracing your finger makes it much easier. Try it!



This tactile learning tool has 5 different textures you can teach a child with. The red crystals mark "corners" - very important lesson for 2 year olds. The pearl finish, the stones, the 3D color and the outline of a fish that can be felt by a child. In this maze, you have to reach all the raised elements of the puzzle using only the raised lines as your "highway" Try it!


 

Esha Achiever of the Month - Mamta

Question :  “Tell me the story of your life in your own Words.”
Answer :
I am a visually handicapped girl, aged 29 years. I was born premature with no vision on July 27, 1984. This barrier did not stop my growth & development in any way as I am a person of strong will power, determination & positive attitude. Right from childhood I have been very independent learning swimming, music, Casio & making new friends. I follow the example of Helen Keller who overcame all the barriers in life in spite of her disabilities.

I am a topper in B.A. Education from Mumbai University & have completed my M.A. in Education. I have thorough knowledge of computer & computer software with JAWS. With the help of JAWS I use the computer independently although there are some barriers as JAWS is not compatible with graphics, images & codes.  I undertook training for Medical Transcription, Reiki, Typing, Music & at present am working in the State Bank of India, Andheri (West) branch. I look forward to the responsibilities given & accept challenges & don't give up until I succeed.  I have an immense thirst for knowledge. I am always looking for more exposure to learn and grow personally. I would like to bring into the mainstream the knowledge possessed by myself for the benefit of the Blind & the common man working in society.

In spite of my disability I travel independently using all modes of public transportation. I always arrives before time and am very punctual. I independently handle the inquiries of the customers at the branch efficiently. I am very helpful, kind natured, hard  working, ambitious, thoughtful & efficient in my work.  Always open to learn for growth & able to handle all the responsibilities given, I am truthful, trust worthy and honest.

 
Question : How do you motivate yourself to face the world every morning?
Answer :
I am very courageous, confident and motivated.My family has taught me to be self dependent since from childhood. I enjoy tackling any and all challenges head on.


Question : The kudos palls after a while – so why go on?
Answer : I believe that success is achieved when I am happy with myself, not when people appreciate me and show me pity. I will only be happy when I have achieved my full potential.

Question : It is so easier to accept the pity you are offered than to soldier on at an equal footing. What makes you choose the tougher route, and where do you get the energy to do it?
Answer :
 I do not like anyone showing me pity. Given my belief in my self and self dependence, I know I can achieve anything and everything. I continue to work hard, fight, and grow on a personal level. I want to be the best I can be and this thought continues to motivate me daily.

Question : Do you not often encounter cynicism (external as well as internal)and if yes, how do you cope with it?
Answer :  Yes often people may not wish me well, but that doesn't bother me. As is the case with everything in life, there is the good and the bad. I choose to ignore the bad and solider on with all good thoughts pushing me forward.

Question : What is your current goal? Where are you headed?
Answer : I am aspiring to grow more and more in the banking industry and reach the top of the corporate ladder.

Question : What is your preferred pastime?
Answer :  Watching T. V. Listening to music. reading books. surfing the net, and helping others.

Question  : What kind of music do you like to listen to?
Answer : Hindi songs, especially from the 90's and marathi also clasical as well.

Question : who has been the one significant influence on your life and how,
Answer : I Believe in God and he will do the best for me.

Question : Do you feel loss of vision has been a debilitating factor, in your personal or professional life? If yes,
how do you deal with / overcome the shortcomings?"
Answer : I do not feel so as I can cope with everything or do anything my sighted counterparts can.

Question :How does it feel to encounter blind students?
Answer : They are all like family. We support each other and help each other grow. Often, we serve as motivators for each other as we are all having to deal with similar issues on a daily basis.

Question : Can you say something motivational for our audience, to wrap things up?
Answer : Disabilities create barriers but determination breaks them.

 

Life Taken for granted - Guest post by Vipul Murarka

Vipul is  a student from SOIL - School of Inspired Leadership. He joined Rosemary, Sabarish and Sahil this week for the Esha project. On Sep 13th, was his first ever visit to the Blind School. I requested him to write what he felt.
This is his experience, in his own words, unedited.
******************************************************
I am not sure how many avatars have we taken or will take after the present life ends. But what I know is that we tend to take things that come to us easily for granted. Blessed are we for having functional sensory organs which makes are lives easier on this Earth. But what about those who are not so fortunate?

I got an opportunity to visit junta school, a place for blind people. This school trains visually impaired people in several aspects of life be it technical or vocational. I was amazed to see how a blind student created a new folder on a desktop in no time. I had heard about such places where blind people are taught computers but seeing it myself gave me Goosebumps.  The students apart from this, were also taught to read and understand Braille. The way these students were sincerely reading and paying attention to whatever is being taught to them was something that touched me. Sometimes in life we tend to procrastinate believing that we will finish it tomorrow. But the dedication of these guys was so high that it seemed to me that they wanted to learn each and everything today itself for they might not know what may come tomorrow.

Fit physical body, resources, friends and family are some of the blessings that have been showered upon me. And still I feel that I have not achieved much in life. Whereas the people whom I interacted with today are true leaders who not only were making full use of whatever they were being taught, but were also more humble and polite then I am even when my achievements are nothing compared to what I witnessed today. 

I am reminded of lines by Allama Iqbal
“Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqdeer se pehle
Khuda bande se yeh pooche bata teri raza kya hai”

-Vipul Murarka

Quotes on Teachers

To help you prepare speeches etc. for Teachers Day, we have compiled and recorded Teachers Day quotes in English.

Here is the audio file.
 

The Blind DO get greeting cards - The Sri Ram School visit to Junta Blind School on Independence Day

One of the things i say when i talk about Esha and the need to sensitise the world is " and the blind never get greeting cards."

But I wont be able to say that any more. The students of Class 7 E of The Sri Ram School, and their teachers, have closed that chapter for me.

The teacher came up with the idea that we should carry something for the students they are going to meet at the Blind School. "Why not tactile greeting cards?"
"Why not, indeed?" The entire class jumped in. Each student had his/her own idea on how to make a card that can be touched instead of read or seen. The message of "Happy Independence Day" was inscribed in Braille using innovative materials.

And every student of the Junta Blind School in Gurgaon got a card that said "Happy Independence Day"

Days like this make Esha worthwhile. Days like this inspire us and keep us going. Days like this leave us speechless and full of gratitude. That is 30 young adults who will remember to design for EVERYone when they grow up. If thats not a blessing, i dont know what is.

Here is the rest of the story, in pictures:

Map of India - made using glue and colored sand filling.

 

A cross section of the tactile greeting cards. the children tried to indulge every sense in these cards. you can see them, touch them, smell them and also taste them! there was a toffee in most cards. If that is not amazing thinking, i dont know what is.

Happy Independence Day written in Braille using pulses.



 Happy Independence Day in Braille using sequins

The SOIL team with the team of teachers that inspired the 7th class students to do this amazing thing.

thats me with the teachers - completely awed and dumbfounded by the sheer brilliance of what lay on that table.

 

Pablo Neruda poetry to be added to the library today

Hellos! Am happy to report that this morning, i recorded 4 pieces of poetry by Pablo Neruda.

This time, there has been a really long gap. But things were very busy here at Esha and i expect the Read Fests to pick up again soon.

The poems have been added to the library!

The path is:
www.braillecards.org/audio.php

English > Poetry by Pablo Neruda

Enjoy maadi! This is the first time we have added Neruda to the content. Hope you enjoy it.