Thanks to Erika Norwood of IDEX Accelerator program, I was introduced to Anusha of Voice 4 Girls (http://www.voiceforgirls.org/). Voice is a nonprofit that holds camps for girls in India where girls learn about basic health, safety, rights, self awareness, and future planning. They also gain Life skills include: interpersonal skills, leadership, problem solving, independent and critical thinking ability. Anusha told me about her fundraising initiatives and about voice's funding structure. I will research the initiatives she suggested so I may come up with a suitable strategy to present to SankalpTaru as I continue creating a fundraising strategy. Anusha has invited me to work out of the voice office which I will surely do at least once a week once I return from Bangalore. Two months of working from home has reached its cap for me. It will be great to have some interaction with the women at voice and maybe even get to tag along to a school visit. Anusha also suggested a possible partnership that I will write a proposal for to see how it will be received and develop possible logistics. I admire the work she is doing because from what I understand about being an Indian woman, these girls are half of India's future. In light of feminism and women empowerment just seeking equal opportunities to boost a girls self confidence in a culture that can be oppressive to women. Oppressive in light of some woman being raised to obey their father and that obedience transfers to their husband who is chosen by her father. I am not knocking arranged marriages because some of my friends are happily married in unions arranged by their families. Like everything there is a good and bad side to it. The impact VOICE has on these young girls is amazing and I would like to meet some of these girls if it is at all possible.
I finally made it to QMart since the VOICE office is near. So I went in search of palm oil and scotch bonnet. I found neither item nor do I see the hype of the store. Due to it's distance to Chandanagar I hadn't ever visited the store but do remember going to Silk Route which is in the same complex during my first days in Hyderabad. QMart is the first supermarket where I was not the only foreigner. It is clean and neatly organized. The international section is majority American brands or TexMex. Some East Asian items could be found but the produce was standard for every Indian supermarket. From QMart it was back to Chandanagar where it was time to search for a travel agency. I did not find along the main road but I did find the more in Chandanagar and still determining if it is more or equal distance to Sujana, Vijetha and Heritage in Madinaguda that are on the main road.
It took a few stops to buy credit because the first store was unable to complete the transaction and two other stores that had Airtel signs up did not do credit top up. Finally found a place to buy credit then tried to find a travel agency while walking back in the direction of ICIC. I found my way to Pizza Hot and bought a pizza to walk back with. I was so hungry, tired and sweaty that I ate my pizza while walking. I ventured down PJR enclave in search of a travel agency that I saw on Google maps. I didn't find it at first and settled for buying juice that ended up being not so very pleasant. Lesson learned Minute Maid pulpy orange isn't real orange juice and cost more than I thought it would. On the walk back to Aparna I found the travel agency. The guy told me to come back at 5 which was in 2hrs. I was crushed because it took 30 minutes to walk back to Aparna. Completely drenched and exhausted from walking over 6km in 31C heat. Yes to some that isn't far or to hot but come on with my complexion I absorb heat and sweat easily. I am still contemplating if I am going back to see the guy in an hours time because I have a webinar at 7 that I've paid for and don't want to be late for.
