Intrepid fundraising cyclist Gary Kamaal – who, by day, is Viva’s Senior Network Consultant in India – reflects on how he was spurred on by what he saw whilst riding for over 1,000 km from Delhi to Kathmandu in support of Viva’s girls’ anti-trafficking programme. As we left the hustle and bustle of Agra and […]
Tag: India
Christmas Parties: come as you are
BY ANDREW DUBOCK There were no exclusive, red-carpet gatherings. Or invitation-only events with strict dress codes. They weren’t about celebrating celebrities or those at the top of the social ladder. No, these parties were much more special than that. They welcomed those usually forgotten about, left behind and pushed away from the spotlight. They were […]
Beauty for ashes
Named after an inspirational women’s leader from the past, a slum in the Indian city of Patna is home today to a new band of girls who are being empowered by Viva to change their futures, as Fran Hall writes. Dalit Noun: A member of the lowest caste in the traditional Indian caste system. Literal […]
Increasing quality and credibility
BY ANNA BARKER “Not all church leaders are trained about how to manage organisations. We work on a programme called QIS where we go right through the entire organisation – their sustainability, governance, registration and compliance – so that they don’t have any gaps and are absolutely compliant with the laws of the country.” (Gary […]
Time to talk
BY SANTA SYLVIA Viva is actively promoting child protection training in schools in six cities across India. Teachers, counsellors and administrative staff learn how to recognise and respond to child abuse, and attain recognised standards. Children are taught how to protect themselves by taking part in ‘Good Touch, Bad Touch’ workshops. Santa Sylvia (pictured below), […]
Lent 2018: ‘Forgive Us Our Sins’
BY HANNAH BARR Do you ever read something and think ‘Can I really say that?’ That’s how I often feel when I come to the line ‘forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.’ It’s a two-fold challenge: to accept that I am forgiven and to forgive others. When we don’t […]
“I feel confident and believe I lack nothing.”
Join Devesh Lal on a journey to a slum in India’s poorest state to discover how Viva’s partner network is helping vulnerable girls to seek self-dignity and success, and to choose the course of their lives. Kamla Nehru Nagar is one of numerous slums in Patna, in the heart of the city – the capital […]
One global family
Anna Cox writes about one of Viva’s added values: how our family approach enables cross-cultural learning and increases expertise – and ultimately change children’s situations for the better. We’re really excited about how children’s lives are being changed by the work of our partner networks in local communities around the world – these stories are evidence that […]
Firm foundations
BY ANDREW DUBOCK Viva is equipping children’s leaders in India through a Sunday School programme that last year reached 59 churches in five partner networks across the country. As the Church grows in India, and new congregations emerge, the training provides teachers with a curriculum that is well-structured, Bible-based and which aims to help children […]
Light in dark places
BY ANNA COX Understanding and action: How Viva’s partner network in Patna is developing girls as rights advocates Every 18 months, we gather together with our colleagues from around the world to share experiences, develop strategy and build relationships. During our most recent international team meetings, I had the privilege of interviewing Devesh Lal […]