GPM Welcomes Audrey Trachtman to the GPM Board of Directors

Gabriel Project Mumbai is excited to welcome Mrs. Audrey Axelrod Trachtman to the GPM Board of

Directors. Audrey is a known as a donor who uses her expertise in finance and strategic planning to further causes she believes in. She is a member of the executive Board of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist alliance where she has served as Treasurer. Vice President of Advocacy and Vice President of Programming. She was Conference Chair of the 2002 and 2008 International Conferences.

Audrey was Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning for Philip Morris and General Foods Latin America and recipient of the YWCA Women of Achievement Award. She is a CPA and received an MBA from the Wharton School.

Audrey is also a member of the Executive Board of Amit Children, an educational network in Israel that provides cutting edge academic programs to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. She currently serves as the Vice President of Strategic Planning.

Audrey has served on the Board of her local synagogue and is a founder of the Kol Echad partnership minyan in New Rochelle.

Audrey and her husband Dr Chaim Trachtman volunteered with GPM in early this year.

Love2Learn Village Education Program celebrates its first year anniversary

A thousand people gathered in April to celebrate the completion of the first year of the GPM Love2Learn village educational initiative. The festive “Annual Day” occasion, an inaugural celebration that was attended by teachers, students, families and dignitaries, included award presentation of four “Best Teacher” awards, recognition of local government educational support, a keynote address from Dr. Rathod, the Head of the District Government medical services, and performances by the children.
 
The GPM Love2Learn  educational initiative provides schooling to children in 20 villages in the Palghar district north of Mumbai. Love2Learn partners with local community resources in providing groundbreaking rural education, accessible health care and vital nutrition program to 500 children in 20 underserved villages. In the coming school year, the program will be expanding by 20% to serve 600 children.

"Children, you have a terrific opportunity with the Love2Learn program and GPM to expand your academic horizons, grow healthy and achieve many great things." Dr Rathod said, speaking directly to the children. "With the tools available to you now, you can acquire knowledge and contribute back to your village communities and the district".

Twenty different groups of children from the Adivasi  (Warli) Tribe, a historically neglected and marginalized sector, gave outstanding drama, dance, and musical performances.

“The performances were beautiful, and an incredible achievements for these wonderful children,” said GPM Love2Learn Director Thaiza Dias. “This was the first time that these tribal children performed on stage in front of their teachers and parents. The beautifully colorful and entertaining performances are indicative of the amazing progress the children and their dedicated teachers have achieved in only just one year. It was a very proud moment for all of us.” 

Residents of the Shilonda villages face many educational, medical, nutritional and financial challenges. This GPM initiative, in collaboration with Adavasi Vikas Kendra, Sundara and Humble Smile Foundation, helps bolster the children’s educational opportunities by offering them innovative development initiatives and progressive learning pedagogies. The program also offers advanced farming education for adult members of the community, small-holder farmers in the district.

Four teachers received “Best Teachers” award: Ms. Nita Dhangda and Mr. Anil Mahala  received “Teacher of Excellence in All round Performance”. Ms. Kamal Rayat and Ms Harshada Savar  received “Best teacher in Academics”. These local teachers have played an invaluable role in advancing the children’s success.

“We look forward to expanding the Love2Learn program to other undeserved villages” said GPM Founding Director  Jacob Sztokman. “We aim to deepen the impact ‬on the welfare of the children and the entire community next year and years to come.”

Love2Learn Annual Day banner

Some of the Love2Learn teachers singing to the children

A tribal dance performance

A skit by one of the classes about the environment

A great pic of some of the children and GPM staff

Everyone dance!

Unofficial 'after party'

Welcoming Dr. Chaim Trachtman to the GPM Advisory Board

We are excited to welcome Dr. Chaim Trachtman, to the GPM advisory board.

Dr. Trachtman is the Director of Pediatric Nephrology at New York University Langone Medical Center and a Professor of Pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine.  His professional memberships include the American Society of Nephrology and the Society for Pediatric Research and he serves as an ad hoc reviewer for many professional journals.  He is the recipient of research grant awards, the principal investigator in numerous NIDDK- and industry-sponsored clinical studies and the author of multiple articles, chapters and abstracts.  Dr. Trachtman serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the National Kidney Foundation serving Greater New York and is a Fellow of the National Kidney Foundation.

Dr. Trachtman and his wife Mrs. Audrey Axelrod Trachtman, a former Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning for Philip Morris and General Foods Latin America and current treasurer of AMIT children, visited Mumbai in February and participated in the volunteer work with the children. Dr. Trachtman contributed his medical expertise to the Shravan Health Clinic. Mrs. Trachtman worked with the women's economic cooperative and is now helping GPM prepare a cookbook of women's food, culture and life stories.

Dr Trachtman treating a child with her mother

Chaim and Audrey Trachtman with one of the classes

Doctors discussing medical issues

Doctors Trachtman and Gill discussing the Shravan Health Center

At the Shravan Health Center with a patient

Audery Trachtman and women from the GPM Nutrition Program

6000th patients received at the Shravan Health Center

The first week in March 2016 marked the 6000th patient treated at the Shravan Health Center! From its inauguration in August 2015 the Shravan Health Center, the only medical clinic operating in the Bhaskar Naghar slum neighborhood of 200,000 people has served 6000 patients.  This first six month period has achieved some amazing accomplishments:

• Patients included more than 4000 babies, toddlers and children between 5-12 years of age
• Illnesses treated included: Fever, respiratory infections, breathing problems, and skin infections (Scabies, fungal infections etc)
• The Shravan Health Center has become an official tuberculosis treatment facility (DOTS) in the Kalwa slums by the local municipal government. Dozens of TB cases are being treated at the Shravan Health Center.  Read more HERE
• Hundreds of women have received prenatal and antenatal care
• A robust outreach program has been established and 4 local women residents are being trained to take vital medical measurements during home visits in the community. As part of the outreach program a complex community mapping project is underway and findings are shared with the medical clinic and municipal bodies.
• SHC's in-house pharmacist Mr Price Ja has been busy distributing medicines and vaccinations at heavily discounted costs and for free for many of the basic treatments.
• The Center's hygiene partner, Sundara, has distributed hundreds of bars of quality recycled bars of soap and is launching a community run hygiene awareness class in the coming months.

Gabriel Project Mumbai is grateful for the hard work of our partner Doctors For You, in making the Shravan Health Center a source of accessible, affordable and quality health care for the residents of Bhaskar Naghar.

The SHC was made possible with the support of the American Jewish Distribution Committee, The Estelle Friedman Gervis Family Foundation, Altico Capital India, Awakening Women’s Institute, Modern Trousseau and Sundara Fund

GPM brings Humble Smiles and oral hygiene to underserved children in India

Hundreds of vulnerable children in communities around India received oral hygiene education for the first time in their lives through a new initiative of Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM) and Humble Smile Foundation. During an initial four-month pilot Oral Health Education  program, GPM and Humble Smile worked with 600 children –  500 from 20 rural villages and 100 children from urban slums – and provided training for 24 teachers using the education curriculum developed by Humble Smile.

Dental diseases, such as tooth decay, gum diseases, malocclusion of teeth and oral cancers, are major health problems for Indian children. In addition to physiological risks, these diseases can cause intense pain and psychological stress that prevent children from learning properly in school. However, research shows that these problems can be prevented and controlled to a large extent by public education towards fostering good habits.

Dr. Darren Weiss, dentist and President of Humble Smiles Foundation, conducted an initial survey of Indian children and found extreme problems among the children in the slums. Many children he found had completely rotting and falling-out teeth due to lack of basic oral care. Humble Smile Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Humble Brush Company, donates environment-friendly toothbrushes to children in the developing world, along with a uniquely developed curriculum aimed at changing children's habits. The approach, developed by Dr. Weiss and his team, is interactive and hands-on, making sure that the children practice their new skills every day in order to change long term habits and behavior.

"The children in [the village of] Shirsonpada have never used a toothbrush," said Sandip Bhoye, GPM Love2Learn teacher in Sukhadaba Shirsonpada. "They were so excited with this new Hmble Smile Oral Health Program that they wanted to take their toothbrushes home so that they can brush their teeth before going to bed as well as at school before eating their lunch. This program is really needed in this area."

"Through the Humble Smile pilot project, the children in our Love2Learn education program, have been given tools for changing the way they care for their teeth," said GPM Director Jacob Sztokman. "These are things that children in the west take for granted – such as brushing teeth regularly with a toothbrush and toothpaste. It is such a simple way to change the children's lives for the better."

Plans are now underway for expanding the pilot. For more information, or to sponsor this project, contact GPM. info@gabrielprojectmumbai.org

Darren Weiss, President of Humble Smile Foundation and a dentist talking about oral health in a REAP class in a Mumbai slum

A Love2Learn class in the village of Raipur brushing their teeth after lunch

Oral Health raining in the slums

Bendgaon village. 'Its cool to brush!'

The Love2Learn class in Bendgaon village

Teacher Kalpana with her class in the village of Chalni

A day out in nature with the children from Kalyan

Last week the GPM-JDC local Indian Jewish interns had a fantastic day with the children from distant slums in Kalyan. When the bus arrived at the Mumbai JCC, the interns along with the newly arrived GPM-JDC Entwine JSC cohort met the children with fun and educational games. The activities were well uniquely designed to boost the children's self-esteem & build confidence. This was followed by a fun drawing & coloring activity also revolving around the same theme.

The group took a short bus ride to the beautiful Mahim Nature Park where they ate a nutritious   Maharashtra lunch is  a midst the stunning scenery and the singing of birds. After lunch the children explored the nature around them – a very different setting to the polluted slum where they live.  There was a special designated tour guide who taught the children a fascinating introduction to the distinctive variety of flora &  fauna found in the park. The nature trek was an amazing experience for the children who were captivated with  the beauty of the tress, the insects & butterflies and hearing the birds chirping.  The tour was extremely interesting & very informative and the children were excited and engaged.

No one wanted the day to end but as the bus pulled out of the park the local interns and international fellows felt a strong bond to the children and the children left with new big dadas and didis (brothers and sisters) they were hoping to see again soon.

A big shout out to REAP and its teachers who escorted the children from Kalyan and for Maayan Shapurkar of the JDC India, Leya Elias from GPM and Eliana Phansapurkar for all their help on the day.

Running for Gabriel Project Mumbai

London native Victoria (Tori) Kahn volunteered at Gabriel Project Mumbai (GPM) in the Fall 2013 teaching non-formal education classes to children living in the slums. Tori is running the Paris Marathon on 3rd April to raise money to support GPM.

"There were numerous incredible experiences which made lasting impressions. In particular I grew

Tori and Shravan

close to Shravan an 8 year old boy, so keen to learn, with an infectious smile and loving nature," Tori explains. "Shravan sadly passed away a couple of months after I left India. He died of an undiagnosed illness, the kind that most Western children would recover from after a couple of days of treatment. One Friday morning GPM volunteers noticed that he wasn’t his usual vivacious self, and he said he had a headache and fever. That night he passed away.

GPM has set up a health clinic in Shravan’s name (Shravan Health Center) to prevent other children suffering in the way he did. If Shravan had accessibility to this kind of healthcare he might still be with us."

Tori is running to raise funds in support of life-saving medical treatment provided in the Shravan Health Center.

"I would love your support in helping me get through the tough 26.2 miles I have ahead of me. Any donation you would like to offer, no matter what size will be truly appreciated."

Gabriel Project Mumbai is a project supported by the UK charity Tzedek and donations made will be used to fund the health clinic.

Please support Tori on her marathon run: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/torikahn

Welcome to GPM Spring 2016 Session - JDC Entwine Global Jewish Service Corps fellows

Naomi
Naomi is a recent graduate from Yeshiva University where she studied Psychology and English. She is pursuing career in Forensic Psychology and currently works as a victim advocate and as a research assistant studying addiction and substance abuse. Naomi's long term goals are to work with children who are in the legal system. Naomi is a very passionate and creative person, she paints, dances, teaches yoga and is on various sports teams.
 

Avigayil
Avigayil, 23, is from Modiin Israel. She studied in the local 'Yachad' school with a mixture of religious ans non-religious student body that teaches the values of tolerance and pluralism. She matriculated with 5 units of Physics, Psychology and Arabic. As a teen she volunteered in the 'Noam' youth movement, counselling 3rd-6th graders and participated in the American day camp 'Ramah'. She took part in a mechina - gap year in the north of Israel 'in Emek Hamaayanot' where she was one of 50 pre-army recruits. After that Avigayil served as a commanding officer in the Intelligence Unit in the IDF for 3.5 years, supervising a team of soldiers. She loves travelling with friends, volunteering, sport, music and art, interesting books and a good cup of hot chocolate.

Layah 
Layah wants to live a life in which no stone is left unturned. Curious, empathetic, and spirited, she seeks experiences that deepen and widen her human understanding. Layah's love of writing and art led her to study English literature and art history at Lander College for Women, a small, private Jewish women's college in New York City. She is proud to have been an active student on campus, organizing Israel Advocacy events, National Poetry Month readings, and even founding her own club, "Ladies of the Round Table". In her senior year of college, she served as Vice President of student government and ran a month-long initiative called "Project Beautiful," to promote awareness of self-bullying. Simultaneously, she founded a grassroots online lit and culture magazine, interned at Writopia Lab, and attempted to study Latin. After graduating, she spent a semester in Israel beforereturning to NYC. She currently writes content, takes photographs, maintains social media pages and updates website information as the Web Coordinator and Online Content Writer at Lander College. She also works part time in sales at AuH2O Thriftique in the East Village.

GPM honoured with outstanding community volunteer award from the JDC India

Gabriel Project Mumbai was honored to receive an award for outstanding volunteering from the JDC and the Jewish Community of Mumbai at the Evelyn Peters Community Center on Feb 7, 2016. GPM director Jacob Sztokman received the award and GPM program coordinator Leya Elias,  accepted the award and certificate in his stead at a special annual ceremony.

One incredible project run jointly by GPM and JDC India is the GPM-JDC Internship Program for young Jewish Indian professionals and undergraduate students to work with the children of the Mumbai slums. Also, GPM's international participants join community events while in Mumbai and work with the Jewish community in many community run service projects.

More than 100 people attended the award  ceremony

Leya Elias receiving the award

Leya Elias receiving the award

Leya Elias giving an award acceptance speech