Tunde, PhD, Teacher in Reno, Nevada, USA
I had the privilege of working with Tiljala SHED in June, 2018. I experienced firsthand the remarkable work they are doing in Kolkata. Education, women empowerment, and work training for girls are only a few examples of their work. The enthusiasm of the staff is as it must have been in their first year as an NGO. Parveen and Sufia in the office not only explained the projects, but also introduced me to beneficiaries in the community. I also had the pleasure of working with the staff and the children in the library. Shazia and Anjum as well as Teacher Chanchal and other teachers take care of the needs of more than 30 boys daily and hundreds more monthly. In Topsia, I was impressed by the teachers who every day teach 34 or more students from the ages of 5 to 12 Hindi, English, and math using one tiny blackboard and her engaging teaching style. I wish I could have spent more time with all of them, from the willing students to the wonderful teachers and the excellent office personnel.
Category: Testimonials
Maria Faßnacht, diocese of Speyer, Germany
Maria Faßnacht, diocese of Speyer, Germany,
Chairperson of Catholic Council.
In November 2011, I travelled with a small delegation of the diocese of Speyer in Germany, to Calcutta in India. This trip took place in advance of the Lenten campaign of the Catholic relief organization “Misereor” which
was nationally launched in Speyer, in February 2012. The delegation included the Auxiliary Bishop of our diocese, full-time staff and volunteer people who are committed to global justice, and journalists. I participated in an honorary capacity as chairperson of the Catholic Council, the highest body of laity in our diocese. We were accompanied by representatives of Misereor. Read More
Sébastien Haye, Switzerland
I decided to discover India when I was 21 and I landed in Kolkata with eyes and ears wide open. I was welcomed by TSHED staff, who took me with them in their daily work and showed me the reality of millions of underprivileged childen, women and men thriving in Kolkata’s slums. It is hard to believe life can be so hard when you come from a well off family in a rich country. But what amazed me most was not the misrey they lived in, or death or diseases. What strikes you in Kolkata is the power of life, it is the energy TSHED staff and their beneficiaries are spending every day to improve this reality and help the next man.
Their countless efforts, stamina and motivation taught me the most important lesson of my life: there is always hope and there can always be a smile, even in the dullest places. It takes some courage and determination, probably beyond what most Europeans are able to deploy, but it works. These weeks I spent watching TSHED changed my life forever and I can never be grateful enough for the enrichment they brought into my existence. TSHED staff and all social workers in India and abroad deserve our praises and admiration.
Sébastien Haye, Switzerland. January-February 2003
Managing Consultant, E4Tech