REPORT THREE: Planning the Community Center

I just got up at 6:30 as usual. This morning, I am feeling a little better than the last few days. There have been some major developments. The house building project is on hold due to the Indian Government proposing to build 1200 homes in Great Nicobar, including 200 for tribal and 500 for non-tribal people near Campbell Bay, 300 home in Gobind Naggar (located 3km from Campbell Bay) and 200 homes in Jogindar Naggar (located 13 km from Campbell Bay) for non-tribal people. Major Santokh saw this document proposing these efforts from the Urban Development Corporation of India Sent to New Delhi. So our idea of providing pre-fabricated homes would not be necessary at this time. I feel a little disappointed that we will not build homes as planned, but I have an idea that may make an even greater impact for generations to come. We turn our efforts to building a Community Center for Great Nicobar.

VISION FOR THE CENTER

We plan to build a Community Center with a computer learning lab. The Center would provide a meeting place for the community... This building would be the first of its kind here.

We plan to build a Community Center with a computer learning lab. The Center would provide a meeting place for the community. There would be a daycare section, a section for older people, a full kitchen with modern conveniences, a place for kid with games, and most importantly, we would install a computer learning center at one end.

The computer lab would be amazing for the kids here. I feel in order to make a long term impact of good, we need to concentrate on the youth. Computers would go a long ways in exposing these kids to outside technologies and presenting opportunities for their future. They would learn English, Punjabi/Gurmukhi, and Computer Science. They are not getting proper education in any of these subjects, and they need this education. I will put my own money directly into computers. I hope the people who donated will understand that the immediate needs of the people here have been met and we are looking long-term in improving the lives of the people through education.

Through the children, the adults will also benefit. We will have a video conferencing center and run classes online. Navneet thinks there should also be seminars for adults where they could ask questions and find answers on the internet. For example, one could ask what is the best fertilization schedule for growing coconuts or how can we find new markets for our produce. This information source could bring this island into the 21st century. I am very excited about this. I hope all the people back home who have helped and given so much will like this idea and support it. I feel it could make a real difference in the future of the children here. This project will help generations to come have access to modern technology.

The project would have two-phases: (1) temporary computer learning lab, and then (2) permanent Community Center with the computer lab. We would like to build the permanent Community Center of about 3000 square feet using a prefabricated building from mainland India. Right now, I’m working on setting up a temporary location where we could get up and running the computer learning lab ASAP. One good possibility is just across and upstairs from where we are staying. Davindar Singh could rent it out to us; it has the right wiring to get internet access. Then later, once it becomes well-established, we can build the permanent center. I plan to install sit-down toilets, running hot water, soap dispensers, a place to keep snacks and milk, air conditioners, and screens on windows so mosquitoes don’t come in. They have absolutely none of these things on the island. This building would be the first of its kind here.

NEED COMPUTERS-- URGENT

We need ten computers as soon as possible to start the computer lab... Anyone can donate.

We need ten computers as soon as possible to start the computer lab. We need companies and individuals to donate both used and new computers Pentium III or better. Anyone can donate. Donors can send their computers to our house, and we will provide the shipping to the island. Computers can be sent to:

Judge Singh Brar (Computer Lab)
2779 Bullard Ave
Clovis, CA 93611

I need these computers ASAP. If we have to buy new ones ourselves, it would be better to buy an Indian brand so they could be serviced here. They would cost RS 35,000. The exchange is 40 to 1. So less than $1,000 each. But if we get the computers at little or no cost, it will give us that much more money to use for teachers and building rental costs. Eventually, the computer learning lab will have video-conferencing cameras, laser printers, and more technologies, but we need ten computers to get started.

SCOUTING FOR LAND

If this view site was in any other place in the world, it would be worth millions... I just wish I could get some pictures out so you could see for yourself the beauty of this land.

While we set up the temporary computer learning lab, we are looking for land for the permanent Community Center. The permanent center would be a prefabricated building, 3000 square feet at 20 X 150 feet. I would like to locate it among the jungle forest to provide a serene and quite setting. The jungle here is extremely thick and lush. We have seen some awesome building sites. Now the question is how to secure one close to town.

I took a ride on the motorcycle one evening to a highpoint in the coast road that runs along and above the air field the military uses. Navneet went with me and we looked for the best sites for a building. At about 3 km from town we came to a stretch of the road where there was a 180 degree view of Campbell Bay and the harbor. If this view site was in any other place in the world, it would be worth millions. With the jungle all around the view is through some tall trees and onto the ocean. I hope we can secure some of this prime view property for the future. Some day it will be some of the most prime property on the island. The people here can’t see this yet. Why would anyone want a piece of land in the jungle on a slope that needs to be cleared and leveled just for the view? I just wish I could get some pictures out so you could see for yourself the beauty of this land.

This land may be too far from town. Yesterday a Congressman from Delhi by the name of Charan Singh Supra came and had a meeting here at Campbell Bay. I was able to meet him and record the meeting. There was a good discussion on the needs of the Punjabi farmers. He liked the idea of the Community Center and promised he would try to provide land for it. So this seems to be the direction we are going. What I’m afraid of is that the time it will take to get the land will be too long. I have been in India for over three weeks now. And time is going fast. I don’t want to start something that I can’t finish in the time I have. I had the impression that we would hit the ground running. That the equipment was on the way. Well, it couldn’t have been further from reality here. No saw mill has shown up yet. Land is still not available to build from the government. Of course there is no control over that. This is why I will direct my immediate energy to setting up the temporary computer learning lab in the space we have.

FINDING STAFF

We have become friends with John Robert, a native of Great Nicobar, who runs the government satellite communication center, where I write emails. Navneet and I talked to him until 1 am this morning about our idea to establish a computer lab. It seems that he is our man. If anyone can help us, he can. John has taught computers to children here on the island before and had run side business until the tsunami wiped it out. He is licensed to give upper-division computer course certificates valid in the mainland. He has bought into a franchise, so we need to buy or pro-rate it from him to provide these kids a certificate. John is very interested and seems sincere. John said that we just need approval from the Governor and we can tie our lab into the dish at this Communication Center via hard wire. We are in with Governor Barnala Singh, because the boys (Navneet and the American Sikhs) spent a day with him in Chennai before flying to Port Blair.

SPONSORING CHILDREN

We’re making 15 second video clips of each child telling about himself and asking for sponsorship for his/her education.

We have videotaped all the children who wish to have a better education and whose parents are willing to let them go out of here. We’re looking for sponsors to send these kids to better schools on the mainland. We’re making 15 second video clips of each child telling about himself and asking for sponsorship for his/her education. Then we would place a profile with information on age, parents’ education, personal interests, and other things of interest to sponsors. We would place all the information on a website to seek sponsors.

SPORTS DAY

Josh led a group in organizing a day of sack races, running races, and food and drinks with french fries... The kids loved it.

On Saturday, we organized a Sports Day for the children. This is a day that we have all looked forward to. Josh led a group in organizing a day of sack races, running races, and food and drinks with french fries (Josh calls them chips). The school agreed to let us use the field and serve refreshments. We had such a great time. The kids loved it. Josh led the event with a typical English sports enthusiasm. He led cheers and got all the kids into an excited mood. We even had a soccer (football) game between teachers and United Sikhs. We donated all the sports gear that UNITED SIKHS and Pingal Wara sent from the mainland to the school. I gave away the toys that my wife Dolly bought to the kids as prizes. She even got a big hand from all the kids when I hade the teacher tell them the prizes were from her in the USA. Got it on tape.

Unfortunately some of the adults did not like the carefree and child-like nature of the event that they were not used to. There were some party poopers, like the president of the school and parents thought that we adults were acting like children. They have no clue. They have never seen the kids so engrossed and well behaved, all watching. It was conducted in much the way school rallies are. I thought it was great and someone told me they had never seen the kid so involved and attentive. After the Sports Day, we were heroes. All the kids were rallying around us. Everyone recognizes us now. Kids run up to us and people on bicycles yell hello: “Satsriakal, Judge Sahib!” It’s a small island and everyone knows us now. It’s a neat feeling. I’ve had a really good last few days.

STORIES OF SURVIVORS

A 22-year old Nicobari woman was just discovered after 51 days in the jungle. This hasn’t made national news yet.

There’s a man here by the name of Jab Singh. His son was paralyzed from the waist-down because of the tsunami. The organization Pingal Wara in Amritsar, Punjab has agreed to take care of him but they require his parents need to deliver him to Amritsar. His parents cannot make the journey. So UNITED SIKHS has offered to take him there.

A 22-year old Nicobari woman was just discovered after 51 days in the jungle. This hasn’t made national news yet. She is in the hospital. She survived on pigs and coconuts. She walked out on her own; no one saved her. I hope to talk to her.

GOVERNMENT PROMISES

The Home Minister of India, Raj Patel, promised to give 100,000 rupees to all the ex-servicemen. His speech was amazing, but no one believed him. There were chanting and yelling. A riot scene broke.

The Chief Minister of Punjab came and gave each ex-serviceman 300 laks of money. Yesterday the Home Minister of India, Raj Patel promised to give 100,000 rupees to all the ex-servicemen. I got some good footage of the speech and the following reactions from the crowd. Mr. Patel said that the Indian Government promised 3,000 kror for the Nicobar Islands over the next two years. They promised temporary shelters before the rain season. They promised to build 10,000 homes among all the islands and over 400 km of roads. He also said that those that want to leave will be compensated with similar property on the mainland, but this property would have to be acquired by the government from private owners.

His speech was amazing, but no one believed him. There were chanting and yelling. A riot scene broke. I got it on tape. Everyone thought that I was a reporter and tried to give me their comments.

Despite the skepticism of the villagers, the Indian Government plans to do a lot here. Our building any homes would not be the best thing right now, because if we do it, it will diminish what they get from the government. So we shift gears and turn to the Community Center.

HIGH TIDE

Much of the town of Campbell Bay is now useless due to the high tide. We had the highest tide yesterday and saw how much land it really affects. It was amazing. The town has a lot of low laying ground that were never covered at high tide but yesterday were under two feet of water. The place is in bad condition. People are trying to make the best of it by washing out their shops and houses and working with the time between extra high tides. Something will need to be done soon.

HEALTH

I began teaching the kids how to swim. Can you believe they live on an island and they don’t know how to swim! I taught them how to back float... For a moment, I forgot where I was and all that has happened here and was lost in the embrace of the ocean.

I have been a little under the weather the last few days but I feel better today. I think it was the dust created in the cleaning process at the Gurdwara. There is still a lot of politics going on, and no one wants to make a decision as to what they want or need. We have been eating langar at the Gurdwara and it is quite good. The food is from the supplies from UNITED SIKHS. Most of the group will be leaving soon including Navneet. I will miss them all; we have shared some good experiences and some rough ones.

I had felt very frustrated with the progress we’ve made. Although we have helped the people with their immediate needs, such as typing up document to the government and getting them langar (open kitchen) supplies, we had not accomplished our long-term goals. It seems that just as we have an idea to do something, like the houses were going to build, it gets stopped by new developments. But this idea of building the Community Center has given me new hope and energy. I believe it will make a real difference for these children and for generations to come.

We went swimming yesterday. They had been doing but this was the first time I joined them. The water is wonderful. It’s a paradise. The water’s warm and the little kids came out. I began teaching the kids how to swim. Can you believe they live on an island and they don’t know how to swim! I taught them how to back float. For a moment, I forgot where I was. Palm trees swaying, perfect sand. It is warm enough to stay in for hours if you want. I forgot where I was and all that has happened here and was lost in the embrace of the ocean. I loved it so much I would like to make it a daily ritual if I can find time. I hope that some day we can all come here and enjoy the beauty and serenity of this land together.

-- Email and Phone Transcription from February 11-14