This was my third visit to VOICE and I continue to be amazed with the dedication of Bansiwars. However this time I noticed a distinct trace of disillusionment - most likely due to the frustrations of dealing with a number of recurring problems.
Gayatri (formerly with Asha-NYC/NJ who has now moved to Bombay) and I (formerly with Asha-NYC/NJ now moved to Bangalore) had decided to visit Rajashri and Victor. After a brief wait at the Andheri station Gayatri joined me and Rajashri. After introductions we made our way to the new center that VOICE has opened in Andheri West. It is in the Mahakali area where they have been given a room by a local music academy. The place is lovely - with trees and a big clear ground - right in the middle of Andheri - a crowded suburb otherwise.
This center is meant for the kids from the Swadhar program. Most of these are in their middle teens and are hoping to graduate from VOICE in 2 years. They don't attend any formal school and are learning various vocational courses. All of them have picked up recorder the musical instrument quite well. They performed a few songs for us.
Space continues to be a problem with VOICE. Even this space in Andheri is not on a long-term basis. The gentleman who has extended the invitation is already facing queries from the management. Bansiwars are hoping that it will be available to them for the whole year at least.
VOICE today has 350 children and the staff is at 20. I had heard that VOICE doesn't pay its teachers well. When questioned about that and the fact that why they have not been able to expand to more than 350 children, Rajhashri said that they are always looking for a full-time help but people are not willing to take up the job. They can't afford to pay too much. So I suggested going back to her and Victor's alma mater (Nirmal Niketan) and see if any of the graduating students are willing to work. The new graduates are typically looking for a good 1-2 year experience and are more reliable in terms of staying their term. Rajashri said that she would look into it.
Bansiwars told us that BMC (Bombay Municipal Corporation) evicted a number of children in Dadar under the name of "clean up operation" As a result many of them have no place to stay and have spread out. This has affected the Dadar center of VOICE adversely. On top of that BMC hiked the rent and has presented voice with a bill of 1.5 lakh! VOICE hopes to appeal to the commissioner.
I enquired about the current level of funding. Rajashri said that half the funding is done by TDH and the remaining is by Asha. There is some local support but not significant. I asked them to give me a budget for a place that they can rent for a year and I will work with some of my friends to get them the funds. That way they needn't worry about the children getting evicted from Mahakali. They have promised to get back to me with the budget. Gayatri also volunteered to enquire at her father's work if there is any spare space. And she will get back to Rajashri.
We didn't take too much time away from the kids and Bansiwars. Rajashri dropped us at the Andheri station. Gayatri and I walked to the platform where we saw the VOICE class in progress. 2-3 teachers were trying to engage a few kids who were either beggars or boot-polishers. There was enthusiasm amongst the children and the teachers but I left the platform feeling a bit worried about the future of VOICE.