We have come to the end of our Saphara journey with purpose and we have all had a wonderful time. Here are some of our final reflections on a fantastic trip.

Colin – Seeing the poverty with my own eyes has definitely opened them to the need for change in the world and has helped change my mentality for the better.

 Claire – An amazing adventure and a life-changing experience.

 Dermot – I’ve seen so many things in India, some challenging like the poverty, some amazing like the children, and others inspiring like Dr. Reeta, Surender and Jeet, Christine and others.

 Holly – A life changing journey that has opened my eyes to the rest of the world.

 Kyle – It’s good to know that for all the misery and suffering in the world, there exist truly amazing individuals willing to help.

 Katie – A challenging but life enriching experience – one which will never be forgotten.

 Ben – It has been incredible. The children in the schools were so enthusiastic and friendly. The people involved in helping those in poverty are truly living out their vocation.

 Elizabeth – Meeting so many inspirational people has been really life changing. It showed me how even the smallest acts can make such a difference.

 Becca – Life changing doesn’t begin to explain it – from the kids to the poverty and the team. I don’t think I will complain about things or be able to moan anymore after visiting the slum community.  

 Peter Stewart – Good people exist in the world. In its simplest form, Saphara’s purpose is to show us this.

 Peter M – Changing the world one child at a time is a concept I now fully understand. The impact that this trip has had on the children we met and on my life as well has proved that it makes a real difference.

 Eimear – It has been amazing to put a face and a name to the poverty we have been sent to help in India.

 Matthew – Truly inspirational. Loved every second.

 Lee – We had come to be the teachers, but it has been us who have been taught. It has taught us so much about people: from the happy grateful children we were teaching to the inspiring role models. We have learned to appreciate that happiness is not material and have found out more about even ourselves.

 Lucy – India has been a life changing experience that has transformed my outlook on life in a positive manner that will no doubt affect my life in the future.

Ciara –An absolutely amazing experience. The kids were so enthusiastic and made a lasting impression and I got to meet inspirational people. I have learnt and witnessed so much and I am really grateful for the experience. I will never forget it.

 Charlotte – Saphara has taught me an incredible amount about India, and an unexpected amount about myself. This trip has been a genuinely unforgettable experience, and one that has changed my outlook on life.

 John – Saphara has given me the opportunity to look at the world from a new perspective and see it for what it really is, and the opportunity to understand cultures very different to what I am used to. I know that my time in India has been much more than I ever expected. I had never realized how much one opportunity could change my life so dramatically. It has been an experience like nothing else I’ve ever done before, an experience which has created memories which have really touched my heart and will last with me for the rest of my life.

Belfast team visits the Irish Embassy to meet Deputy Ambassador Ms
Lavina Collins.

The last day of SNEHA has arrived. After a rushed exit from the hotel, we made our way through the busy streets to SNEHA. Sadly we taught our last few lessons focused on sound and space. The third and final group went to the marginalized community and experienced it in a very different way due to the monsoon rain. There was an emotional farewell to the pupils and teachers we had worked with including many photo shoots with the children. We watched an exciting display of Indian culture, including singing, dancing and a religious comedy sketch performed by the SNEHA pupils. This was followed by “energetic” songs from the Belfast and student teams featuring, “Don’t stop believing” and, “I tell me Ma”. No one can believe the end is so close, farewell Dehra Dun, hello 6 hour train journey to Dehli!

Ciara, Lucy and Dermot.

The people that missed the assembly yesterday went early today to see yet another spectacular display of traditional prayer and celebration. An extremely hot day resulted in a lot of tanning for the gingers. The kids of SNEHA were as enthusiastic as always and all the lessons went well.

Today the second group visited the marginalized community with Jeet who guided them through a maze of lanes and narrow alleys, showing the extreme living conditions, allowing the group to see where the children of SNEHA live. It was heartwarming to see the community centre which provided a range of courses and support for the local people, such as sewing and Henna design which provides a source of income for the families.

Back to the hotel for some lunch, a short siesta to take some time out from the heat of the day and then down to the intensive preparation for the farewell assembly tomorrow. The day ended with a traditional Indian dinner, setting us up for our last days teaching before heading back to Delhi.

Claire and Eimear

Today was the second day of teaching at SNEHA. We left the hotel at 8.20am to witness the school assembly. It commenced with the singing of the Indian National Anthem followed by a hymn. The assembly then ended with the pupils returning to class to the beat of a large drum.

Today the lessons were focused around taste, impressive English was shown by the pupils and control was maintained even in the classes with numbers as high as 55. During the lunch break members of the team; Colin, Ben, Dermot, Matthew, Holly and Eimear visited the marginalized community close to SNEHA. Although some of the members of the team found the experience emotionally demanding, the visit was definitely beneficial as it allowed us to see where many of the pupils of SNEHA lived. We were also able to see the good work SNEHA is doing to improve living conditions for the community. After some classic monsoon rain we made a trip to Dominos for a pizza dinner.

Colin and Ben

After a good sleep, most people woke up refreshed but nervous about the teaching that was to come! Stepping out into the heat of Dehradun was a shock to most people after the pleasant temperature of Mussoorie, also the sun was out for many to attempt to work on their tan! An early breakfast meant we were on our way to SNEHA at quarter to 9 in the hustle and bustle of the city. Arriving at the school everyone was impressed at how big and grand it was and how many children there were – though this made us even more anxious about the big classes! However we quickly got stuck in – lesson plans at the ready, tackling the subject of smell, by lunchtime everyone had experienced two classes and were feeling more comfortable with the contrast to Kaplani, also surprised by the good levels of English. We then met Dr Reeta who explained all about how the school came about and work she does – we all found her story fascinating and inspirational. Refueled by some coke and biscuits provided by Dr Reeta, we set off to our last classes. Exhausted we returned to the hotel for a reviving lunch of McDonalds and Baskin Robbins ice cream, recharging the batteries with a siesta in the afternoon, to be followed by a great Chinese meal in the evening.

Holly, Elizabeth and Lucy.