FairMail India takes off with a blazing start!

After a year of planning FairMail India actually started functioning in febrauary 2009! 10 local teenagers are learning to become photographer to finance their own education needs. FairMail director Peter just came back from India and tells about what he saw with his own eyes: "It is amazing how quick and fluidly the starting up of FairMail India went. It seems as if there is a little angle on our shoulder."

Mid February Peter’s partner Janneke left for the Indian city of Varanasi. Together with Debby Ego from the local NGO “Duniya Foundation” who has already been active in the slum of Nagwa and two volunteers from Costa Rica and the Netherlands. During the first official meeting 24 teenagers where present with their parents to learn more about FairMail and to enroll themselves as interested to participate. From this group 10 teenagers where selected on the basis of their economical and social circumstances, their age and availibility after school hours.

Since then they are receiving photography lessons three times a week together with creativity training which gets no attention on the local schools the kids go to. Much to our surprise the teenagers are coming to every lesson and even on time. Except for one girl who has been replaced by a more motivated teenager.

In the beginning the lessons took place on the roof top of one of the neighbours. But by now FairMail has rented out its own office in the neighbourhood. The teenagers have already decorated the new office with a mural of their dreams. Dreams which hopefully will become reality with the income from their card sale. In the office there is room for two volunteers to stay if they want to get to know the teenagers and the neighbourhood from closeby.

The idea is that Janneke will stay in India untill mid May. Luckily FairMail has contracted a local manager since the first of April who will take over her work. Akshay helped since the beginning with the hindi translation. During that time he showed that he had a good understanding for FairMail's way of working. This combined with his good coaching character gave us the trust that he can make FairMail India grow further after Janneke's departure.

With motivated teenager, an office and a local manaager FairMail India seems to be all set. But "where are the cards?" you must be asking. Mid May the 12 best photographs will be selected to be printed as cards. From september these will be on sale. So keep an eye on the FairMail webshop.

During this occasion we would once more like to thank the 45 runners of the dam-tot-dam loop who got together the money necessary to set up FairMail India and we would like to thank Canon Europe for providing the digital camera's for the 10 teenagers.

more information on www.fairmail.info