First Impression, June 2009
Mr. Ahsan Dharani


I came to India two weeks ago as a Non-Resident Indian from Singapore, with the hope of reconnecting myself with the culture of my forefathers. My first experience at the Guest House was dinner with Govind and some other volunteers. I must say that the food that night was rather excellent and Govind and his family's hospitality had only increased my excitement to work in Sambhali Trust. The first day of work involved meeting the girls and an overview of what was expected of me during my tenure at the organization. I was told that I would be required to work on the proposal for a microfinance project in Setrawa, a village some 100 kilometers away from Jodhpur. Since that day, I have routinely met up with the girls at the school up stairs and helped out with classes, along with having my lunch with them, and have worked on the proposal with two other volunteers.

I has been an interesting first week, having met many people in the microfinance industry, and also the other guests and volunteers staying at the guest house. The weather has been crazy; the heat, the sandstorms, and the rain following the sandstorms have made this trip all the more riveting. I look forward to conducting a class of my own with the girls, and finishing this proposal to the best of my ability.