“A completely different world”: young woman from Wackersberg visits social projects in India
Created: 05/25/2022, 19:00
By: Melina Staar
Group photo with some students: Luisa Gambs (left), a member of the Sister Modesta Hilfe association from Wackersberg, attended the convent school in northern India.
© private
Luisa Gambs (21) recently undertook a very special journey.
The woman from Wackersberg visited social projects in India that are supported by the Friends of Sister Modesta Hilfe.
Wackersberg – The trip came about “rather spontaneously” for her, reports Luisa Gambs, who is currently studying in Augsburg.
She has already been to India twice with the association, in 2015 and 2017. When a former school friend was to fly to India with her university for a project and wanted Gambs tips for the trip, "I thought I'd come." just join us,” says the young woman, laughing.
300 new students
First she flew alone to Shahpur, where she finally met her friend and her group from the university.
Together with the group, they visited the Taj Mahal and drove to Delhi before the two young women spent a week visiting the monastery, which the association supports.
The two young women also spent the night there.
A lot has changed since her last visit, Gambs reports.
"There is now a new school extension and 300 more students." A total of 2000 students are taught at the monastery school.
She also had a different look herself: "I've grown up now, at 13 you see some things even more naively."
Difficult communication
Communication was in English, at least with the older students who have already learned the language.
“We were allowed to go to history class in a tenth grade.
They were just learning European history.” Really in-depth conversations didn't come about with the students, however.
“Because everyone really only wants to be photographed with one person.
You don't often see people with light skin." It's a strange feeling to be something special.
"My brother, who has also been to India, once said that you felt like a rock star," says Gambs with a laugh.
Karate course for girls for more self-confidence
In addition to visiting the monastery, the two young women also visited the sewing centers where women are to be given the opportunity to become self-employed.
Sister Modesta, a woman from Wackersberg, who provided development aid in India from 1938 until her death in 2001, initiated many of these projects.
Many other projects came later.
A new project in the coming months is a karate course for girls from the villages.
"We met the karate teacher there," says Gambs.
In the future, she will train the girls from the village schools so that they feel more secure and gain self-confidence.
Also visited other cities
Safety was also a big issue for Luisa Gambs and her friend as they traveled to other parts of India before and after visiting the monastery.
They made sure, for example, that they took a train ride with the young men from the university.
“In the convent we stayed with the sisters, who also put us in contact with other people.
Otherwise we were in tourist places where there was a lot going on.”
also read
Judgment in Bad Tölz for drug trafficking: "Even if you present us today with the ignorant cleaner"
"A Punch and Judy show": Kochler municipal council discusses the budget again
Consumption questioned
The fascinating thing about India is the “completely different world” that you immerse yourself in.
"I've also been in Peru for three months, but that's a lot more like us than India." But the impressions of the completely different reality of life, compared to life in Europe, remain with her.
“People find it ridiculous what we spend money on.
There you run a village school for 15 euros, we pay 100 euros for a toothbrush.” When you go to the villages, you rethink your world view.
"You can see that life isn't bad just because you don't have a Playstation 4." A next visit to India is not yet planned, because the law student is now going to the USA for two semesters.
Donations: Anyone who would like to support the work of the Sister Modesta-Hilfe association can do so under the donation account: Sister Modesta-Hilfe association Sparkasse Bad Tölz, IBAN: DE05700543060011436599.
Further information on the association is available at www.modesta-hilfe.de.
You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.
