Project Underwear India!!
Vijayawada, India, Year 2000.

As you can see from the photo, I am distributing a pair of underwear donated to me by many children and generous well-doers towards the Project Underwear campaign.

When I came upon this small girl shown in the photo, she was sitting on the dirty ground watching her mother clean the pots and dishes. Her skirt was up to her knees - exposing everything she had - and she wasn't wearing any underwear. She was a little scared of me at first, but then, like her mother, became very happy to receive a new pair of clean underwear. In fact, during every distribution to various homes and shelters, I noticed that all the children, as well as their parents, were very happy and grateful to receive this small gift of garment.

Thanks to the many people who I know, and who I don't know, my personal quest to make a large distribution of underwear in a Third World country was a success. I am only one person, but with the help of friends, family, and the Care & Share Charitable Trust, I was able to achieve my goal and take on the challenge. And best of all, something was given to these children who are really in dire need! They have nothing.

My experience in India was unique, wonderful, rewarding, and enlightening. I was especially impressed with the organization of the Care & Share Charitable Trust. In a nutshell, this non-profit organization, founded by American-Venetian Carol Faison, rescues children from the streets and ghettos in Vijayawada, India. The children are put in a home where they receive an upbringing and education that will eventually lead to independence. Many of these children are handicapped, abused, ill, malnourished, and are thrown out of the house because they become a "burden" to their families. The Care & Share steps in, rescuing these kids from a life of prostitution, crime, and filth. Thanks to sponsors who "adopt" these kids, the children are provided with a home, meals, water, school uniforms, books, medicine, training, etc. and if the kids are behaving well, then they sometimes get a treat - like a picnic near the beach or, more simply, a glass of soda pop. The children are not spoiled by any means. Whatever food you put in front of them, they will eat it. And they waste nothing. With the efforts of the Care & Share, its volunteers and sponsors, these children now have hopes and dreams, dignity, an education, and they now have a loving home.

I always wanted to see my name up in lights . . .  
and this welcome banner came very close. To my heart.
  

I discovered the Care & Share Charitable Trust through the Italian newspaper, Il Gazzettino. There was an article written about the organization featuring its founder, Carol Fasion, who just so happened to be an American living in Venice, just like me. I telephoned the journalist to gather more information on the Care & Share. We got to talking about volunteerism and before I knew it, I was asked for an interview to have my own story told . Eager for this publicity to launch the project, an article was written about me and Project Underwear in the Italian newspaper IL Gazzettino (Click here to read article). The headlines said (in Italian), "Nicole Anderson, an American in the Lagoon" and "Solidarity is also in a pair of underwear." Under the headlines was a photo of me in Tanzania.

The article was well written and gave me the publicity I needed in order to launch this project. Many Italians sent underwear and nice letters of encouragement. I was happy.

However, all too often, there are people out there who are quick to judge and criticize. Some remarks came back to me suggesting that I should be distributing "panini" and not "pannolini," which is a cruel play on words indicating that I should be distributing "bread" and not "diapers."

I understand that food, medicine, and vaccines are far more important than a simple pair of cotton underwear. But I am just a One-Man Show here. I do not have the power or qualifications to distribute and/or administer pharmaceutical meds and vaccines. And how can I distribute food? There are many other organizations, bigger and stronger than I, who are already feeding the poor and nursing the sick.

Yes, even the boys loved their new underwear!
Notice that some of these boys have swollen
tummies. This is caused by worms.

So, although I was hurt when many people scrutinized my project, I had no doubt that in God's eyes I was doing something good to benefit others, no matter how small the deed. Distributing underwear to the needy may be not be the most important world issue but, in its own simple way, it's getting down to basics and cutting the red tape. Unfortunately, there will always be someone out there who is quick to criticize and attack. In his eulogy to Princess Diana, The Earl Spencer said . . . "genuine goodness is threatening to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum." Now that's something I must remember.

Putting the criticism behind and putting God's plans for me ahead, I decided to depart for Vijayawada, India in January 2000 where The Care & Share Charitable Trust welcomed me as a "guest-volunteer" for 20 days in one of their homes. There I lived with 40 other young girls, each with their own dismal story to tell, each with their own sad history. With the help and cooperation of the Care & Share, I was able to distribute approximately 500 pairs of underwear to various homes, shelters, and schools.

Unyielding but affectionate Venetian volunteer,  
Maria Luisa, is adored by the children of the  
Care & Share. They all call her "Mummy."  

Nevertheless, even after this major distribution, I discovered that I had several pairs of infant underwear remaining. Maria Luisa, a Venetian woman who volunteers six months a year for the Care & Share, suggested that we go to the ghetto where we may find many infants. We could distribute the underwear there. We were accompanied by a driver and another member of the Trust, Ann Meyers, who is Indian and who speaks perfect English.

The ghetto, outside of Vijayawada, is a site for sore eyes. The area is low lying and surrounded by drainage water. It is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The area lacks minimum infrastructure like roads, electricity and drinking water. Most of the women and children suffer from many diseases due to malnutrition.

In a makeshift school (actually a dark and dreary shack) we found dozens of children sitting on the dirt ground. They were so excited and pleased to see us that they just went wild! We distributed all the underwear . . . . and the kids were going crazy with joy!

After distributing lots of underwear to school children of the ghetto, Maria Luisa and I were soon surrounded by all the mothers of the ghetto. Someone placed a small baby in Maria Luisa's arms.

"Look! Look!" Maria Luisa yelled to me. "Come here and look at this tiny newborn baby!" I walked over to see Maria Luisa with this tiny baby in her arms. The child had black kohl painted around her eyes. She was a beautiful newborn baby. She was rather fair in her complexion, unlike the other Indian children who were very dark. Nevertheless, the child was precious and adorable. "How old do you think she is?" Maria Luisa wondered aloud. "She couldn't be more than a few weeks old, no? She's so tiny!" And the baby was beautiful, no less.

We asked Ann Meyers to locate the mother of the child. Ann found the mother and so as we were pampering the tiny creature, we asked the age of her newborn baby. To our shock, the mother claimed that the baby was three months old! We couldn't believe it! Our mouths just dropped open. The mother calmly explained that her breasts don't produce any milk and, as a result, her daughter was dying of starvation. She also added that this wasn't the first time she lost a child to malnutrition or starvation. In fact, last year she lost a child the same way. "This will be my second child to die," she said acceptingly.

Me, Maria Luisa, and Ann Meyers, walked back to the jeep like zombies. We couldn't believe what we had just witnessed. (It was only until later that I learned that the loss of pigment is a sign of malnutrition, which explains why the baby was so light in complexion.) That poor baby was starving to death and here I was distributing underwear! I felt embarrassed and ashamed and kept thinking about those negative comments, criticizing my project and saying that I "should be distributing bread and not diapers." I never felt more discouraged.

The Care & Share organizes many projects: From sewing machines  
and calipers to surgeries and rickshaws. The rickshaw pictured here  
was sponsored in honor of Manuela - a young Venetian woman who recently  
died of breast cancer. For more information on these projects,  
contact careshare@libero.it
 

That afternoon, I took a rickshaw to an Internet Café and sent off an e-mail message to Carol Faison, Founder Trustee of the Care & Share. I explained to Carol that while distributing underwear in the ghetto, we came across a baby that was starving to death because her mother produced no milk. Carol - not one to take things lightly in regards to the welfare of the children - IMMEDIATELY started a Milk Project which distributes milk & cookies each day to the children of the ghetto.

At this time, there are approximately 300 children from the slum dwelling who receive milk & cookies each day, including Sundays. For a $30 donation one can feed all these children for one day. Click here for more details.

The lesson that I learned during my first distribution experience is that I cannot be dissuaded by the scrutinizing comments "by those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum." Although I am in no position to distribute food to hundreds of starving children, I can somehow witness certain events - being at the right place at the right time - and communicate these events to those who have the power to make a difference, like the Care & Share. So thanks to all those people who donated underwear, my distribution campaign found its way to a ghetto in India - when I "just so happened" to witness a three-month old who was starving to death. No, I cannot deliver bread, but I can deliver underwear and I can deliver the news of my experiences to those who are in a better position to help.

Even the babies of the ghetto knew  
it was a special day.  

I'd also like to add that The Care & Share Charitable Trust is a legitimate non-profit organization. They have built homes and schools for children who have been abandoned and thrown out of the house, for those who have no parents, for those who are handicapped and ill, etc. The Care & Share, through donations by sponsors, provides these children with a loving home, food, medical attention, clothing, education and job training. If it weren't for the Care & Share, hundreds of these children would be roaming the streets today. The children, by the way, love to stay in the homes of the Care & Share. Sure these kids are living in a group home and it's sad that most do not have parents but, from my experience living with the kids, they understand how "lucky" they are to have a roof over their heads. They have people who love and care for them, they have close playmates, they have food every day, they get to go to school (a luxury!), they have a few toys and games, they have clean water, and when they get sick, they have access to medicine. The children that I saw begging on the streets were not nearly as joyous, animated, energetic, and healthy as those who were adopted by the Care & Share. Thanks to sponsors and donations, the Care & Share is able to provide a decent and healthy life to these children who otherwise wouldn't stand a chance. The Care & Share Charitable Trust is an honest, genuine, practical, and legitimate non-profit organization. Should anyone want more information or desire to sponsor a child, I suggest they contact the Founder Trustee, Carol Faison at c.faison@libero.it.

Playing momentarily in a new, colorful rickshaw. These kids are happy and healthy!

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