Honour

We were delighted and honoured to welcome in our midst yesterday Ms Mireille Fanon Mendes France, daughter of the celebrated writer and revolutionary activist Frantz Fanon. Mireille is an eminent human rights activist in Paris, France. Talimi Haq School's teacher-in-charge, Amina Khatoon, narrated to Mireille our work with children, young people and women. After that Mireille went for a short tour of Priya Manna Basti and spent some time visiting the homes of some of the people, meeting the families.

It was a most moving experience. On the way back to her hotel, Mireille asked, "If all the poor people of the world stand up, the world will be turned upside down. Do you think I will see that in my life time?" I replied, "Yes, we WILL see it in our life time, for we are now living in a time of transformations!"

That also reminded me of the women's song from Rajasthan:

Ek do ke chetba se kuch nahi hoyo
Do chaar ke chetba se kuch jhankar hoyo
Gaon ki saari behena cheti
To dharti palti khayo
Behena chet sakey to chet
Zamana aayo chetan ro

In translation:

If one or two become aware, nothing happens
If two or four become aware, there's some clinking.
If all the sisters in the village became aware,
The world's turned upside down!
Sisters, become aware if you can
The age of awakening has arrived!