How Baale Mane Shaped my Future

There is a wise old saying that the only time you should ever look back in life is to see just how far you've come. 

Earlier this year, some of our supporters joined us to celebrate 10 years since we moved to Gopalapura. Looking back since those early days, so much has changed at Baale Mane. With the help of our supporters around the world, a great team and a clear vision, we've enabled more than 100 girls to lead self-sustaining adult lives. 

In this series of posts we look back over our successes and challenges, and also share with you our dreams and ambitions for the future. 

For our second blog of the series, we asked Baale Mane’s first international volunteer, Bella Hodgkinson, some questions about her time at Baale Mane, the impact that it had on her and her hopes for the girls’ futures.

Introduction

How did you first hear about Baale, and what was your role was when you were there?

I first heard about the Baale through Dave Harrison who was a friend at university. I knew that I wanted to work in development and Dave told me that his father was involved with a charity called Baale Mane. Eventually he put me in touch with his father rather than continuing to try to answer the string of questions with which I was pestering him.

Tell us a bit about yourself, and what you are doing now?

Baale Mane was really the beginning for me in the type of work I am now doing. It gave me the impetus to start a long-distance masters and to continue working in development. Since Baale Mane, I have worked in Sri Lanka and Tanzania and am now in Chad with Concern Worldwide. I have worked in Chad for the last three years and am currently coordinating a consortium in the East of the country which aims to improve areas with high numbers of refugees and returnees through increasing access to social protection, income generating activities and work around social cohesion and conflict. Baale Mane taught me so much about the welfare of a child, the importance of holistic development and all the aspects required, this way of thinking hasn’t left me. Although the programme I work on now is much larger, recognising that each beneficiary is a person with needs and struggles and hopes is key to what we do and how we function. The rights of an individual always remain the focus.

Past

Describe one memory that sticks with you about your time at Baale?

One recurrent memory of the Baale is that often we would have visitors coming to see the Baale and meet the girls. You could feel their heaviness as they arrived, the anticipation, the expected unease they would feel because they were coming to a shelter where there was, inevitably, a certain history of sadness for each girl. However, by the time it was time to leave and they had met all the girls, they never wanted to go. They always understood that the Baale was a place of love and energy and not a place to feel sad about the past experiences of the girls. If the girls themselves weren’t dwelling on it, then they certainly shouldn’t be. Baale Mane has a great way of teaching you without ever being explicit.

What was the food like at Baale, and what was your favourite meal?

I remember that the girls started to eat really well at Baale Mane, endless vegetables and grains, fruits and egg and meat once a week. We even started a vegetable garden to supplement some of what we were buying. It was also a space where the girls would enjoy walking around. Initially I found eating a form of curry for breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner, quite challenging. However, I learnt to love it and still would eat this way given the option. My favourites (I cannot pick just one) were coconut and or peanut chutney with idly for breakfast, tomato bath and mosru (curd) for lunch and then egg curry that we would sometimes eat on a Sunday.

Present

What changes and improvements have you noticed about Baale recently?

I think the girls have more space which is important for them as they grow up to be individuals. I know that they continue to eat well and the focus on child rights continues. The fact that Baale is increasingly an institution with many different people and organisations supporting it and the girls is so reassuring. Of course, no one girl is the same as another so the more variety and diversity, the more exposure they can have, the more likely they are to find their own self-confidence and go on to live the lives they choose.

Tell us about any of the girls who were at Baale when you were there, and what they are doing now?

I know that many are married or working, and doing well in their lives. I’m in touch a little bit with Madhumala, Chaitra, Nandini and Vanitha, some of the Baale Mane alumni.

PREVIEW: Our next blog of the series will be a video made by our Baale Mane alumni, including Chaitra and Vanitha - keep an eye out for the next post!

Future

What key qualities would you like the Baale girls to show when they grow up?

I would like them to continue to show the acceptance and kindness to one another that was so overwhelming when I was there. The support they gave one another was stronger than I have seen in many families and friendship groups. Their courage, strength and love for dance and celebrations should be something we all have.

Both you and your family have been long term supporters of Baale. Tell us what you hope we can achieve with the help of our supporters around the world. What difference can we make?

I hope that the girls can continue developing into strong women and that they live lives where they feel safe. I want them to be able to find work that interests them and they feel equipped to manage.

I would like also for the Baale to remain a child focused and child right’s focused environment. I hope that it can continue to allow the girls to promote child rights in different areas around Bangalore and possibly further afield in India. I think this is another unique aspect of Baale Mane and one that also gave the girls from Baale a stronger voice and awareness of rights in general. I would also like to see Baale Mane act as a learning point for other organisations and other shelters for children. It could become a part of a network, pooling resources, learnings and experiences.