Alice Project Newsletter: November 2009

Today the WHO (World Health Organization) considers suicide in South East Asia a major public health problem. Not only poor and sick people are caught in depression and sadness, but also some famous, rich and healthy people want to put an end to their suffering. This suffering is caused by a wrong perception of reality. Wrong or inadequate thoughts, breed wrong ideas, decisions and actions that bring about negative results for everyone concerned.

Our students learn to understand the connection between thinking and feeling. How we feel has to do with how we think. Unhappy people tend to have negative views, whereas happy people interpret the world more positively. By consciously working at being positive, we consciously generate an optimism to overcome the brain’s naturally negative position.

As an inter-religious school we teach the “secrets of happiness.”  From a religious point of view, suffering is caused by dualistic thought. We can overcome this by perceiving the world as dependent on God and by perceiving ourselves as dependent on others. In this way we shift from the being separate to one of unity. By putting the concept of  “I”, “me” and “mine” in perspective, we create the basis for developing ethos and confidence. This in turn helps our students to understand how they can improve their chances of experiencing happiness, good health, a sense of accomplishment and lasting solidarity. By fostering strengths such as integrity, valor and kindness helping others become natural and also helps us to manage our own emotions. There is no fighting, disruptive behaviour or bullying at ALICE PROJECT schools. We build strength by encouraging the students to discover, create and interact. The experience of positive emotions helps to promote good health, fulfilling relationships and build psychological reserves. May the happiness of our students inspire others!

Checking the temperature of our emotions

Checking the students' well being. By choosing a white, yellow or black bead they can indicate how they are feeling.

In our schools, the physical needs of the children come first. For this reason, we care for their health and primary needs (food, medicine). When the stomach is full and there is no pain in the body, we look after the children’s mind. Their first need here is not for knowledge (math, science…), but for love, assurance, and protection.

If a student is mentally disturbed, because he does not feel accepted or loved, it is wrong to start teaching grammar, science, sociology, etc. Steered by his negative emotions, he will only be able to follow his agitated mind. For this reason, the ALICE PROJECT schools start the day with a “ritual of emotion checking”.

By assessing the emotional state of his students, the teacher becomes the “nurse of the heart”. The students have three choices. There are three bowls filled with beads of different colours: white for happiness, black for sadness, and yellow for a neutral state (neither happy nor sad). Each student chooses a bead and puts it in a fourth bowl. In this way, the teacher can easily see the “temperature of emotions” in his class and act consequently. Only after “feeding” the children’s emotional needs of love and happiness, does the teacher start “feeding” their needs of conventional knowledge.

The Group of 17 students and teachers from 14 countries lived at the school for a week

An atmosphere full of love

The group from the MUWCI, Mahindra United World College of India,  stayed the ALICE PROJECT for a week.  Their aim was to learn about the complex of issues facing our school. They participated in the classes, organized an afternoon of art and games, and also spent a night at a student’s home.

 “The time at ALICE PROJECT was really important for me. Every day was an adventure of experiencing and learning things anew. The students and teachers showed me the significance of spiritual life and their great respect towards every religion. It was enriching to observe the classes and see the methods used to sustain the students’concentration and to give them stability – something that is lacking in conventional schools. Everyone was touched by deep relationships people establish at the ALICE PROJECT with its atmosphere full of kindness, love, and ubiquitous friendliness. We made really good friends. I hope that we will have a chance to meet once again.” -Bartosz (17, Poland)

Tara Temple, Alice Project, Sarnath

The inter-religious temple is also used for yoga and for Valentino's special classes.

Developing human qualities

 “I am very happy to see all you young students getting this education that integrates conventional book knowledge with spiritual wisdom. If you lead your life with spirituality, you will always be ready to do good for others. All you teachers have great responsibility. You are like potters shaping the clay on his wheel. Your work will decide what shape the pot will have, so you are responsible to not let them go on the wrong path. As you all have great discipline you should take a vow to  never give up making progress, and to always pass on your knowledge to your family, society and finally the nation. May you all have a bright future.” -Baba Visuddha Ram.

Baba Visuddha Ram, Baba Vishwanath Banaora Ashram, Raipur Chhattisgarh

“Just as we do at our ashram, this school trains you, to become a human being with good habits and the wish to help others. Whenever you are confronted with difficulties, my friend and I would request that you all persevere. Be brave! I pray to God that even if the conditions are bad, that you will live happily and with pride.” -Baba Viswanath

The local wrestlers train on the basketball court.This encourages our students to train, and furthers the integration with the locals.

Luigina de Biasi, Co-founder of ALICE PROJECT

Memory training is en vogue, and worldwide hundreds of games and courses are being offered to improve mental skills. For the past 20 years many of these techniques have been successfully taught by the ALICE PROJECT. Luigina de Biasi, co-founder of the school, did this exercise in a primary school class: She asked the students to sit up, close their eyes and visualize a white magic board. She told them to draw some elements such as a tree, chair, house, etc. After this, she selects a student to say the names of the things they visualized from the beginning to the end, then another one from the end to the beginning, and yet another one “what is between tree and house?” In the first day of a practice, they can easily memorize a row of 10 objects.“After a few months training,” Luigina says, “the students can remember a row of 52 numbers, which is harder than visualizing objects because it is abstract.” As every skill, memorizing demands an effort. At the beginning the children practice for 5 minutes, and later for about 45 minutes to memorize 52 elements.“If the kids have fun doing these exercises, mind training becomes a game that they enjoy, and learning happens organically.” Luigina adds: “These exercises train at least three abilities: concentration, visualization and memory, and this can be easily verified because they can not cheat. She concludes: “To have a good result mind and heart need to work together. But this process needs time, if you want to integrate the ALICE PROJECT teachings. 

120 students from the Bal Ashram school visited the ALICE PROJECT with their parents - an exciting but at times tiring adventure.

PARTNER SCHOOL

Both at the Hindu Bal Ashram, Varanasi, and at the Buddhist Tengur Monastery, Bodhgaya, three ALICE PROJECT teachers have introduced their special didactic methods with great success.The Bal Ashram school engages resident orphan and local children who might not otherwise have access to education. It is expanding to impact even more children’s lives.

TWO NEW ALICE PROJECT SCHOOLS

Parents and teachers at the opening of the five classrooms. This ALICE PROJECT School for Chakmas was financed and built by the villagers.

A CHAKMAS’ SCHOOL

The villagers at Bodhisatta, Arunachal Pradesh, opened the ALICE PROJECT School this July. 95 percent of the people in this remote, mountainous area are very poor, illiterate farmers (Chakmas, tribal caste). There are few roads, no telephone lines, electricity or a primary health centre. The land and building materials were donated by the villagers, who  also helped to build the school.

CHAKMAS

In 1964 some 30,000 Chakmas fled to India from East Pakistan (Bangladesh). As Buddhist refugees they were allotted land in Assam. However, until today the state government denied them and even their children – although born in India – citizenship, schooling, etc. Since hearing about the Chakmas’ plight in 2001, the ALICE PROJECT has provided 55 children with free education, food and lodging. All four teachers at the school were trained at the ALICE PROJECT.

Monks from the Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya, visit the ALICE PROJECT to get to know the basis of their inter-religious lessons.

Mingur Rinpoche recently established a school at the Tergar Monastery in Bodhgaya. The 130 children are from all parts the Himalayan region.  The course combines Buddhist teachings with an academic curriculum. Since June 2009 three ALICE PROJECT teachers have been teaching there, which is a good and challenging experience.“At first”, Sanjay remembers, “we thought the monks were so busy with their prayers, that it would take at least a year for them to adapt to our teaching methods.” However, when Nina returned to the monastery after four months absence, she remarked, “I am so happy to see the monks so lively and open. Congratulations for your good work!”

The Alice Project School in Sarnath has 660 students. Bodhgaya branch, which was closed in the past months is going to open again on December 09 with a Hostel Project for 22 Chakmas students of Class IX.

 A TWO ROOM SCHOOL

This ALICE PROJECT School was founded in Pauni, Jaunpur, a remote village about 1 1/2 hours drive from Sarnath. At present there are 15 students. It will grow class by class until five classes are reached.

THE ALICE PROJECT

ALICE PROJECT was founded in 1980 by Valentino Giacomin and Luigina de Biasi in Italy. It was introduced to India in 1994. The name refers to the dreamworld of “Alice in Wonderland”. Valentino has received  several awards for his teaching methods including a medal from the Italian President.Learning is only sustainable if the mind is present. To increase the students’ awareness, they are encouraged to explore the nature of their mind, emotions and perceptions. In conjunction with the regular curriculum, students are taught meditation, guided visualisation, self-inquiry, and yoga. Together with moral stories they can develop values and understanding. Achievements: in the past years 98% of the students passed X – XII class state exams.

FOR POOR FAMILIES

At its four inter-religious schools in Sarnath, Bodhgaya, Jaunpur and Arunachal Pradesh the ALICE PROJECT offers high-quality education, teaching solidarity and ways to understand oneself.  In Sarnath we offer education  from kindergarten to class twelve. A majority of the children are from very poor, illiterate families, so their schooling, course materials, uniforms and medicine are free. The other students pay fees ranging from 10 to 70 Rupees per month which covers about 3% of the school’s monthly expenses. The school is solely funded by private sponsors. Since 2005 it runs a Degree College with the Sanskrit University, Varanasi.

ALICE PROJECT NGO-AWAKENING SPECIAL

UNIVERSAL EDUCATION

REG. NO. 431/1994-95, 17.08.99

INCOME TAX REG No. 211/98-99

THE ITALIAN EMBASSY VISITS AND A NEW BOOK

Dr. Angela Trezza, Director, Italian Embassy Cultural Institute, New Delhi Student actors present Valentino’s new book “Ranjeet and his Stories”

Learning Italian helps the students to get to know another culture. It will also enable the students to work as certified guides for the many Italian tourists that visit India. Two courses, financed by the Italian Embassy, have been taught at the ALICE PROJECT since November 2008. Angela Trezza:  “Many of you are learning Italian, and I am very happy that you will soon be able to explain your culture, religions, habits, food etc. in our language. This will help to strengthen the ties between the Indian and the Italian people.” To coincide with Angela Trezza’s visit, Valentino Giacomin released his latest book “Ranjeet and his Stories”. This textbook allows Junior High School students to combine the learning of English with the wisdom of the mind and its nature. It shows ways to calm our minds, and more ambitiously, how to save the world. The 322 pages are fully illustrated, with many pictures of the ALICE PROJECT theatre group enacting the stories. The book can be ordered for EUR 30 plus postage:  valentino1@rediffmail.com

Niesa , a volunteer from Switzerland organised group painting.

YOU CAN HELP BY

• Sponsoring a student or class
• Sponsoring a young teacher’s training
• Sponsoring an orphan
• Working  with us as a volunteer
• Donating to the runnig costs

SOCIAL WORK

The ALICE PROJECT provides:

• Free Hostels in Bodhgaya and Sarnath for residential students (accommodation, meals and clothing are provided.)
• Health Care in emergency cases for students and poor villagers.
• Performance group participated in local events performing music and theatre to increase awarness of social issuse such as violence against women, pollution and Indian culture.
• Orphans Project to assist  under privileged children and orphans.

The ALICE PROJECT hopes to start further initiatives soon.

CONTACT

For any inquiries about us or making a donation plese send to Awakening Special Universal Education- Bank of India- Swith Code- BKIDINBBCOS – Fcra- BKIOOO4479 A.N. 447920100000010 – email valentino1@rediffmail.com , luigindebiasi@libero.it Ph. Sarnath +91(0)9973918773, 0542,2595063, +91(0)9648207853 Sarnath Varanasi, 221007, U.P. INDIA Bodhgaya Chakma School- Ph. +91-9097636799

www.aliceproject.org 

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