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www.newsguardian.co.uk
News Guardian, Thursday, October 21, 2010
Ever wondered what happens to the money that you pop into collection boxes while out shopping? The
No time for daydreaming in colourful land of hustle and bustle
News Guardian reporter Tegan Chapman in a traditional Indian sari.
THE Rotary Club of Monkseaton Centenary support charity projects at home and abroad. Reporter TEGAN CHAPMAN went to India with the club to see how money raised by people in North Tyneside is being spent. THE first thing that strikes you about India is the sheer volume of people you are sharing your space with. Nothing in England comes remotely close to the bustle of life in India, a country with more than 18 times the population of the UK. The population of the state I am in – Andhra Pradesh – is higher than that of the whole of the UK. A full-on attack of the senses, India is like nothing I have ever seen before. A rainbow of colours greets you at every turn – in the beautiful saris, the fruit and spice stalls, even the continuous stream of yellow auto-rickshaws careering dangerously along overcrowded streets. Thanks to soaring temperatures and up to 60 per cent humidity on some days, it is as hot as it is chaotic. The air is thick with a powerful blend of aromatic spices and petrol fumes, that combine to make my first impression of India truly breathtaking in every sense of the world. The traffic itself is insane. They say in India that daydreaming is dangerous, and it’s clear to see why. Cars, rickshaws, buses, lorries and
motorbikes all weave in and out of each other, horns blaring, only stopping to let buffalo cross the road. We survive three crashes in as many days, and it’s a wonder there aren’t more. I’ve travelled to different countries and experienced different cultures, but this is my first time in India, and nothing could have prepared me for the sights and sounds that this enchanting country has to offer. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew this was going to be an experience like no other, the chance of a lifetime. I haven’t come to the tourist-heavy Agra to sit on Princess Di’s seat in front of the Taj Mahal, and I haven’t come to experience the Golden Triangle. No Delhi, no Agra, no Jaipur.
I am setting foot where few Westerners go – a little off the beaten track to the jewel in southern India’s crown – Hyderabad. The capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad and its twin city Secunderabad – the Indian equivalent of Newcastle and Gateshead – is south India’s answer to the splendour of Agra and Delhi. Affectionately known as Cyberbad, the city has become the heart of the IT industry in India, but the town itself is simply beautiful. It is a busy, bustling and sprawling complex where new multi-storey buildings and wide roads contrast with narrow lanes and back streets. India is a country of contrasts. It is state of the art but timelessly traditional, it is both heartbreaking yet inspirational,
Will the ‘O’ Word Become the New ‘C’ WORD? “The Southern way (USA) for women is to be the caretaker. That’s what we do. Well guess what? You gotta take care of yourself first. You take care of yourself first and you got a lot more to give to your family.” – Liz, Biggest Loser USA This quote was a contestants epiphany as she looked back at her journey to gaining weight – all the excuses and where it led her – to be angry, and where she is now – loving herself. She realized that as an overweight unhappy person she couldn’t be the person she wanted to for her family and if she kept going she wouldn’t be there for her family. What does this have to do with breast cancer? Everything. An avalanche of recent research links obesity and excess weight with an increased risk for many types of cancers—including breast cancer. Research has shown that exercise can reduce cancer risk by 60%! Although being overweight is one of the biggest cancer risks after smoking, 97% of the population seem unaware of this fact. In fact, more than 70,000 new cases of cancer a year are attributed to excess body weight – the most common types being endometrial, post menopausal, breast cancer, and colorectoral cancers. When you understand that only 5-10% of breast cancers are hereditary and 30% of all breast cancer can be related to lack of exercise and poor diet, you’ll see that we have much more control over our cancer risk than previously thought. This means we have to take responsibility for our own health. By managing weight, eating a diet low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables, and exercising regularly, at least 30 minutes three times a week—we can significantly reduce cancer risk. There are 46,000 new cases of breast cancer in the UK every year. The cost to the NHS of cancer was 18 billion, the cost of obesity related diseases was 5 billion. In America the cost of cancer was 90 billion and obesity was 147 billion (higher than cancer)! Stop the obesity epidemic by realizing it is just as life threatening as cancer but 100% preventable. Curves is committed to strengthening women through creating awareness of the risks of obesity, providing health education, and helping women exercise good breast health. Curves have also been a long-committed partner in the fight against cancer, raising millions of dollars annually for research. We hope to see you take part of this special offer and take charge of your health.
News Guardian, Thursday, October 21, 2010
www.newsguardian.co.uk
News Guardian has been to India to find out what some of it is spent on ...
Club’s cash goes to centre for disabled and elderly
India’s roads are as congested as they are dangerous. it is a country caught between the old world and the new one. Peppered with architectural gems like the imposing Charminar, and the Buddah statue in the centre of the Hussain Sagar Lake, everywhere you turn in Hyderabad there is a something to offer a treat for the eyes. But I am not here for a holiday. I’m here to see the projects that money raised by people in North Tyneside goes towards, and the people it helps. When members of the Rotary Club of Monkseaton Centenary carry out their can collections in the borough, some of the money they raise goes towards international projects. Over the next few weeks, I will take a look at some of those projects and see where the money you donate goes and the difference it makes.
Youngsters at Anuraag Human Services.
A SCHEME to help vulnerable and disabled people is among those paid for with cash given by North Tynesiders. Anuraag Human Services, based in Hyderabad, offers a whole host of programmes for the disabled and elderly. Among the programmes provided are special education, speech therapy, physiotherapy, counselling, vocational training for the disabled, and a shelter for the elderly. It also runs outreach programmes in villages to enable early detection and intervention for young disabled people. Consultant psychologist and counsellor Madhavudu Thoota set up the centre in 1990. He said: “We started with just three mentallychallenged children, and now we take care of 130 aged five to 29, and we have another 45 on a waiting list. “There are several stages that we have – pre-primary where they need to learn basic daily living skills, primary, and
of Andhra Pradesh often cast aside by families no longer able to care for them. There are currently 25 elderly people at the centre, with a further 36 on a waiting list. “In spite of the limited financial resources of our organisation, we run a home for the aged where we provide medical, psychological, occupational and recreational rehabilitation services for the aged,” said Madhavudu. “We need the support and assistance of people in cash or kind to help us to rehabilitate more disabled and aged people.” Money raised by the Rotary Club of Monkseaton Centenary pays for all meals at the centre for one day every week. The club’s aim is to double that commitment over the next two years and help to establish a permanent foundation to nourish Anuraag’s beneficiaries. Visit www. anuraaghumanservices. org for more details.
Anuraag Human Services cares for young and old alike. secondary. After they have reached secondary, they can learn vocational skills, and are taught in the trades of making candles, which they then sell to raise money for the centre, bookbinding, tailoring, and screenprinting techniques. “This helps to provide earning opportunities to become independent, productive individuals of the society.” The centre also offers a home for elderly residents
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Age Concern North Tyneside The Bradbury Centre, 13 Saville Street West, North Shields, NE29 6QP Date: 28th October 2010, 10am - 3pm Telephone: 0191 2808484
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