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Friends of the Dharam Shala – Sharing in Selfless Service

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BY: ALYSSA MAHADEO

The word ‘seva’ in Sanskrit means “selfless service” to the sick, poor, destitute, vulnerable and oppressed members of our social structure. It is work performed without any thought of reward or repayment. In ancient India seva was believed to help one’s spiritual growth and at the same time contribute to the improvement of a community.

Since hearing about the declining conditions of the Dharam Shala in Berbice Guyana Paul Dhandhari has made it his personal mission to perform his seva so he can  help to bring the basic human comforts to their shelter.

The Dharam Shala is the longest existing humanitarian charity in Guyana, with one facility in Georgetown and one in Berbice. It serves as a ‘House of Benevolence’ for all races. It is a modest resting home for those who need it. Some residents were rejected by society, some by their families or others by the Guyanese justice system. The Dharam Shala accommodates both men and women of all ages and abilities, including those who are bedridden.

Over the years the facility has housed more residents than it can accommodate and no one is ever turned away. Its purpose is a great one, and yet the living conditions are no longer suitable to those that reside within its walls.

Last year in partnership with SEWA Canada International, Paul organized a charity fundraising gala to aid with renovations for the Dharam Shala in Berbice. Their first project was to fix one of their biggest concerns, building proper washroom facilities in the Dharam Shala. They raised $16,000 towards that cause, and the money was collected by Sewa Canada and invested into building washrooms on both the main level and second floor of the building.

“With the money that was raised last year, four washrooms were able to be built,” Paul explains. “Each washroom is equipped with showers for men and women, two on the main floor and two on the second floor. In addition a septic tank was installed to help with the new plumbing systems.”

Paul traveled to the Dharam Shala and spent Christmas with the residents at the end of last year. While visiting, he helped them prepare a feast of traditional Guyana food dishes for them to enjoy for the holiday.

“Many of them had never experienced food like that before,” Paul recalls. “Over the holidays nobody really has the time to prepare that for them and it was a treat for them to enjoy.”

The property in Berbice backs out onto a river, and during the rainy season, the water level rises causing the main level to flood. While visiting, Paul was shocked to discover that each time it rained the men’s sleeping quarters on the main floor was flooded with 2-3 inches of water.

“They didn’t have anywhere to go and so they were sleeping in 2-3 inches of water.” Paul says.

In hopes of rectifying this problem, Paul wants to dedicate the funds from this year’s fundraising gala to properly enclose the main floor area so that the residents can sleep comfortably and securely without the fear of being flooded out when it rains.

“Phase two is going to need a lot more donations, we are hoping to raise $20,000 over the weekend to dedicate to this project.” Paul explains. “We don’t just raise the money and send it to people and tell them to get the work done, we raise the money and go there ourselves to make sure the work is done.”

All of the money collected is channeled through SEWA Canada International Aid. SEWA Canada International Aid Inc. was started in 1991 as “Sewa Bharati ” Toronto Chapter by its founder Mrs. Asha Sehgal with the assistance of Mr. Sat Wadhwa and Mr. Rampuri. It was formally registered as a non-profit charitable organization in January, 1999. This organization operates in both Guyana and India and strives to find and support humanitarian programs that directly brings positive transformation to people irrespective of race, nationality, religion or sex. Their mission is to focus on the critical needs of the society while partnering with trusted individuals, groups and institutions into addressing common humanitarian concern while operating with accountability and transparency.

“This weekend our fundraising gala is to share with people about our mission, where the money is being spent and how they can continue to support our cause.” Paul says.

“The people who live in the Dhram Shala ended up there because they have nowhere else to go, many of them are sick, handicapped or suffering from mental health issues. Here in Canada we are so privileged to be able to talk openly about our mental health issues and the people that suffer from that at the Dhram Shala just want people to spend some time with them and listen.”

Paul is hopeful that through his continued efforts and the shared efforts of the community the Dharam Shala will be revitalized. His goal in the future is to recruit medical professionals willing to donate some of their time to visit the Dharm Shala to help educate the residents on mental illness, diabetes and other ailments they might potentially be suffering from.

Paul is thankful to the volunteers that have dedicated their time to help with renovations at the Dharam Shala. “Seva is not exclusively a Hindu thing, it is a humanity thing and it is all encompassing of all races and cultures.”

People who are interested in donating to the Dharam Shala, are encouraged to reach out to Paul who can be reached directly at 416-578-6500 or through email at dhandhari.p@gmail.com.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Jay Narain

    June 17, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    Does the funds collected by your organization goes exclusively to the Berbice site?

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Community News

Record entries for JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition

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Winner of the 2023 staging of the JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition ,Joel Miller, (third from left), shares a moment with representatives of the Jamaica Cultural |Development Commission (JCDC), organizers of the event. From left are Shaun Drysdale – Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist, Andrew Brodber – Director, Arts Development and Training and Executive Director, Lenford Salmon.

BY RUSHANE FERRON

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s FiWi Short Film Competition. Launched earlier this year, the competition drew an impressive 47 entries. Currently, 17 shortlisted films are available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with winners set to be announced on October 24th.

Executive Director of the JCDC, Mr. Lenford Salmon, expressed pride in the competition’s growing success, stating, “This record number of entries reflects how Jamaicans are embracing the programmes offered by the JCDC. While the Commission is well known for preserving and showcasing our culture, we also recognize the importance of using technology to engage, particularly with our youth. The FiWi Short Film Competition is a perfect example of how we can bring our culture to life in the digital age. The fact that it’s four years old and already experiencing this level of growth is a promising sign for the future.”

Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, Mr. Shaun Drysdale, attributes this year’s spike in entries to the increasing interest in filmmaking, fueled by the proliferation of social media platforms that support storytelling through visuals.

We are living in a digital age. Filmmaking is now in the hands of the average person on the street via his, or her cell phone. Add to that the inherent creativity of Jamaicans and you are left with a potent combination, which when given the correct environment, can reap tangible rewards. That is what we are experiencing at this time,” Mr. Drysdale said.

The JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition seeks to promote Jamaican culture through the production of films ranging from 3-5 minutes in duration. The films must be based on set criteria, and primarily centred around a Jamaican proverb.

This year’s proverbs are: “Sweet mout fly follow coffin go a hole”; “Puss nuh hab han, but him tek him foot wipe him face”; “Keep clear a ole house, les dem fall dung pon you”; “Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot”; and “Finger tink, yuh cyan cut eh trow ‘wey”.

In addition to the proverbs, participants were also given two special themes around which to build the treatment of their films, based on concepts provided by two sponsors. These are: “SEAS IN FOCUS: Uniting for marine managed areas”- National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) and “Need a passport quick, Get it with just a click”- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).

Mr. Drysdale further noted that this year’s shortlisted films represent a variety of the possible genres with eleven dramatic works, two animation films, one comedy, one documentary and two science fiction films. Three of the participants are from the youth category, which is for filmmakers between 12-18 years old and the remaining 14 from adult category.

In addition to viewing the short films online, the public will have an opportunity to view at a special screening to be held on National Heroes’ Day, Monday, October 21st, 2024, as a feature of JCDC National Heritage Fest and Family Fun Day being held on the south lawn at Devon House in St Andrew.

The FiWi Short Film Competition was started by the JCDC in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is the brainchild of the JCDC’s Drama and Theatre Arts Unit and encourages Jamaican amateur filmmakers to examine selected Jamaican proverbs and based on their interpretation create the treatment for a short film.

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York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement

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BY PAUL JUNOR

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments across Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), recently released the 2024 results. For many schools across the province, EQAO results are a snapshot of how students are doing compared to their peers in other schools at the same grade level.

The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has maintained a high level of consistency with respect to the outstanding performance of its students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In a media release on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, details were revealed about the positive achievements and exemplary accomplishments of its students.

EQAO results were released on September 26th, 2024. The focus was, “Mathematics Achievement Remains an Area of Focus but Sees Gradual Growth Over Time with Some School Boards Showing Significant Increases; Literacy Achievement Remains High but Shows Some Decline.” The data was based on the 2023-2024 school year during which over 570,000 students wrote the EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels on the English and French-language school systems.

For students who wrote the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 71% met the provincial standard in reading compared to 73% in 2022-2023, and 73% in 2021-2022.
  • 64% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 65% in 2022-2023 and 65% in 2021-2022.
  • 61% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 60% in 2022-2023 and 59% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:

  • 82% met the provincial standard in reading, compared to 84% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
  • 80% met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 84% in 2022-2023, and 84% in 2021-2022.
  • 50% met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 50% in 2022-2023 and 47 % in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics:

  • 54% met the provincial standard, compared to 54% in 2022-2023 and 52% in 2021-2022.

For students who wrote the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):

  • 85% of first-time eligible students were successful, compared to 85% in 2022-23 and 82% in 2021-2022.
  • 52% of previously eligible students were successful in 2023-2024, compared to 63% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.

John De Faveri, Interim Director of Education of the YCDSB writes, “We are always looking for ways to provide a better school experience, but today is a time to celebrate our students and staff for their excellent academic achievement. I want to particularly highlight the incredible work that is being done in mathematics, which we see in these results. Mathematical literacy is such an important life skill and we are happy to share a love of numbers with our students.”

Results from the Grade 3, 6 and 9 EQAO Mathematics results show improvement in Mathematics compared to 2023. In addition, with respect to reading and writing results for Grade 6 there has been a consistent steady upward rise in the performance of students as 89% and 90% of students met or exceeded provincial standards when compared to the province’s average of 82% and 89%.

Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees for YCDSB states, “EQAO results are just one of the ways we see how York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement. As a Catholic learning community, we want to see every child succeed and EQAO results help us measure our progress toward that noble goal.”

Overall, the percentage of students who participated from YCDSB in Grade 3 and 6 EQAO were 97% and 98%, respectively. For Grade 9 Math assessment there were 93% of eligible students and 97% in the OSSLT.

Any parents or guardians interested in learning about the 2024 EQAO and OSSLT results and individual school results for their children can check the EQAO’s website: https://www.eqao.com/results/.

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York Catholic District School Board plans open house for future high school students

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Credits: Pch.Vector

BY PAUL JUNOR

There is: planning, preparation, and organization that parents, guardians and caregivers must make in York Region as they prepare their children for high school. For those who chose to send them to a high school at the Catholic board, there are open houses planned to make this process easier to navigate.

In a press release on Thursday, October 10th, 2024, details were revealed about these open houses. It notes, “The open houses will highlight key aspects of each school, including administration, programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, school structure, student opportunities and more. In addition, information about the registration process, including registration dates, deadlines and documents needed to enroll, will be discussed.

The media release mentioned the seven regional programs, and ten Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs. They include:

Advanced Placement

Programs with an extended and enriched curriculum allow students to earn credits or advanced standing at most universities.

English as a Second Language

(ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)

English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development programs assist English language learners from diverse linguistic and education backgrounds in attaining English language proficiency.

French Immersion (FI)

Students who completed the Elementary French Immersion programs, or equivalent can continue with the immersion program to earn a French immersion certificate upon graduation.

High Performer Athlete (HPA)

An academic-based program for student-athletes participating in competitive-level athletics. Students benefit from a flexible timetable to help balance their academic and athletic commitments and earn high school credits for the work they put into their training.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

A rigorous and intellectually challenging pre-university course of study that allows students to earn an IB Diploma upon graduation, recognized in Canada and abroad.

Regional Arts (RAP)/Integrated Regional Arts Program(iRAP)

Students specialize in drama, dance, visual arts, digital media arts, instrumental music, or vocal music- while obtaining their high school diploma. In the iRAP, students experience their learning through an integrated model where the curriculum is explored in relation to the interconnectedness of the individual, the community, and the world.

STREAM Program

Students explore real-world challenges and use the design thinking process to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills, guided by the traditional Catholic social teachings. This academic program uses an interdisciplinary approach to inquiry and problem-based learning.

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Students can obtain a diploma with a specialist in either: Arts and Culture; Aviation and Aerospace; Business; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services, Manufacturing; or Non-Profit. Every YCDSB school offers a SHSM program.

Parents or guardians who live in York Region and are interested in any programs can check: Website: www.ycdsb.ca

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