Create the Society You Wish To See
Today we visited C.E.D. Society, which is run by the monk Lama Tenzin. We met a group of kids who had all been rescued by Lama Tenzin at some point in their lives, and who were brought to live and get an education here in Dehradun. Lama Tenzin focuses specifically on rescuing and educating young girls, often from rural villages in the Himalayas. A big part of the program is giving the girls an excellent education and teaching them about womens’ health. The caste system has left damaging prejudices on not just the poor population in India, but specifically on women and those with disabilities. Girls, especially those in rural areas, are not looked at for anything other than a dowry and what can be gained from their arranged marriage, and therefore it is not considered worth it to educate them. They are not valued members of the family in the way that sons are. The majority of the kids we met at C.E.D. Society were girls, and some of them had been abandoned by fathers who wished for sons. Lama Tenzin explained that mothers who birth only daughters and no sons are shunned and seen as bad omens. We learned that those with disabilities are also seen as bad omens.
In the Hindu tradition, reincarnation is seen as a reflection of actions from past lives. Those born into low castes or with disabilities are taught to believe that they deserve their circumstances because of sins from past lives. This belief often keeps them from trying to improve their circumstances. I was inspired to hear Lama Tenzin talk about the changes he’d seen in the girls since they’d arrived. He described how they now believed in themselves and had confidence, whereas when they’d lived in the villages, they were taught to think they were worthless and only valuable as wives.
Lama Tenzin uses his power as a monk to change narratives and to reverse stigmas. There is stigma around being near those with disabilities, but it is also known that it is bad to not listen to a monk, so Lama Tenzin has power to shift these prejudices. Using this power, he convinced people to help him rescue girls in wheelchairs who needed help trekking out of the Himalayas, even though there is stigma around touching the disabled.
Meeting these kids, you honestly wouldn’t know that most of them were orphaned, abandoned, or abused. It was a striking experience to interact with people who have gone through things we couldn’t even imagine, and yet have the biggest smiles on their faces. Each child was simply happy to be there, happy to see us, and eager to take us by the hands and play, sing, dance, and talk together. I was surprised to see how much we all had in common.
We talked afterward about smiles and play being the universal language. We talked about how no matter how different the little things are, in the bigger picture, we are all so deeply human and painfully similar. We all formed close bonds immediately. We bonded over Ed Sheeran, table tennis, and Polaroid photos. What we didn’t already share, we introduced one another to. All expressions were of welcome and kindness and I felt my fear of meeting new people fading away. Throughout the day, I felt extremely humbled. Seeing the childrens capacity for pure joy and kindness even amidst hardship forced me to reflect on my life. I am deeply inspired by the children’s positivity, creativity, and zest for life. If these kids can be this happy no matter what has happened in their pasts, then I can shift my perspective and approach the challenges I face at home differently. They truly embodied the idea that happiness comes from within and we are the truly are the masters of our own suffering.
Think Pink (pads): Menstrual Activism
Today we went with Lama Tenzin to his Pink Pads facility. On the way, we had to get out of the bus and transfer to Lama Tenzin’s car because the bus is too big to climb the steep hill and manage the narrow curves up to the building. I thought it was very interesting how fast the lama would go through these winding roads, narrowly avoiding people, animals, and other objects. He was completely unbothered and remained so calm throughout his driving. It made a big impression on me.
Enough about this ride. Pink Pads is an organization that makes compostable, high quality menstrual pads and gives them away in remote villages in the Himalayas. Because menstruation is considered dirty and there is a stigma among the local people, Pink Pads also digs holes so that when the women are done after use they throw the biodegradable pads in the pit to compost. We got the incredible opportunity to take a tour of the facility for Pink Pads and it was a moving experience. Seeing how much Lama Tenzin has achieved and how much he does to help was inspiring, and he is just beginning the work. In the facility, there are many floors and he showed us what was on each one.
There are rooms for people to stay, study, and work; a manufacturing floor, offices, a sewing area, and even a helipad on the roof. What was really interesting is that he said that he would offer free lodging and food for anyone who stays there and also that he would give jobs to any woman who needs them. He plans to allow flexible schedules for his workers. When you get married in India, all the money usually goes to the husband. The women do not work because they are supposed to take care of things in the house. They can not work eight hours, which is what most companies require. I think Lama Tenzin’s understanding of the situation shows how good of a person he is and how much he really cares. He takes the time to understand peoples’ struggles, then looks for ways to help. I found the experience of meeting him and hearing about his work truly inspiring. I was amazed to be able to spend time with such an amazing person.
