BEGINNINGS THE HOPE PROJECT

The Hope Project is situated in Nizamuddin Bast, Delhi India,
around the tombs or dargahs of the inspirational Sufi mystics. There,
I saw the conditions of women living with urban poverty and cultural/religious barriers, and was inspired to work with them

HOPE GIRLS
In the beginning, I worked with the girls at the Hope Project. After a few weeks of trying different things based on my Artist in Residence work in the U.S. and longtime study of dance movement, I realized that the basti or neighborhood of 20,000 was for the most part, Muslim, and parents did not want the girls learning dance. And so I changed what I was teaching by creating a series of Self Care movement exercises I call TAKE A MINUTE®. I gave surveys to the girls and put everything in writing. Their answers were surprisingly positive, “when I do these exercises I have good energy for the whole day,” and many more.

I was told that the parents met with the religious leaders of the basti, who were shown the written responses of the girls. It was decided by all present that the exercises were in fact beneficial, and that the exercises and girls should continue. Some years later I began teaching these same religious leaders the exercises when they studied computers and complained of back pains!

COMMUNITY
Later, with the help of Asha Malik, who is now a consultant and an advisor for TSP trainings at Hope, I began visiting the homes of the mothers of the girls. Often I would teach standing on a bed, while 10 mothers stood around in a small room, exercising and laughing.

These simple practices have gone on to help and educate women in unexplainable places. Many of you reading this may be those who have helped this to happen. We all thank you!

Today, we have TSP trained Facilitators who work in the communities, medical clinic, classrooms and assemblies, vocational trainings, in women’s Self-Help Groups, totaling around several hundred children and 1000 women, and more in the areas outside of Delhi.

With the help of Hope Director, Samiur Rahman, facilitators are tracking the enthusiastic response through quarterly reports. It turns out, enlivenment is important. We are continually working for long-term project sustainability with the people in these community partnerships, with whom we have formed a deep and lasting connection

—ZULEIKHA
©2024

Photo Credit: © Swan Lake Publishing LLC