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Kirsty is a paramedic in the UK and will be helping us long term. She has spent a month with us, and after a short return trip to England will be back again to help with raising the level of health in the slums.

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Children Walking Tall is my second placement within a charity. I have found C.W.T. very determined to make a difference in the children's lives and are continually striving to improve, health education and living standards of the children they come in contact with. All here show a great deal of compassion and enthusiasm for their task ahead but are not set in their ways and welcome new ideas and methods. I look forward to working more with them when I return in February

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Volker found out about us through a friend and stayed with us for a month. He was great at the school due to having been a teachers assistant in the UK.

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I grew up in a developing country and I used to be quite skeptical about charities, you know, a bunch of foreigners coming and wanting to tell you how to run your country and getting it all wrong anyway.

But at CWT, one look at the children I worked with completely changed my mind! The enthusiasm and energy they have is amazing, they are so much fun to work with and so eager to learn anything you can teach them. I think the kids are more than enough to show anyone that CWT is doing amazing work here in Goa!

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Nick was only able to stay for a short time but gave his all till his last day when he stayed late to make mosquito nets for Mango house. He's said he will return, hopefully the house will be full of children when he does.

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My time with CWT was hard but great. After 11 months in Europe, working in the slums was an eye-opening introduction to poverty in India. At the Mango House I gained considerable expertise painting between lines - today tigger stands as a testament to artistic genius. But the highlight by far was the school. Smiles and shouts accompanied our arrivals and departures. From Abc to Simon says I had as much fun as the children. Though I only had time to teach only thrice I won't forget them.

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Lynn wanted to be a volunteer for a long time and was searching for an organisation in South America. Her friend Louise, who had been working with Shermina and Rob in another charity, told her about Children Walking Tall. Lynn changed her mind and bought a ticket to India instead South America and luckily she doesn't regret it!

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When I first landed in Mumbai and saw all these poor people and children asking for money, I felt really bad. The world is a tough place to live and not everybody is lucky to have had a safe and happy childhood as I did. To volunteer for a few months in your life is a small thing to do for humanity.

Children Walking Tall is an excellent charity, a house full of good energy and humour, and I really like all the people that work here. Since I came here I have been painting a lot and teaching in the slums. Its fun and will be even better when the house opens. The kids are wonderful and learn quickly and fast.

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Claudia volunteered at the same charity that both Shermina and Robert volunteered for before starting Children Walking Tall. She has been a great help and is now our volunteer coordinator which is an enormous help to us. Thank you Claudia! She is also responsible for the German translation of our website German Version.

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I'm really enjoying working for CWT it's a great experience. When I arrived Rob and Shermina asked me to set up a new school project in one of the slums. I was really nervous and not sure if I could do it, but since the first day there with all these great kids I forgot all my worries. To be with them everyday and to see their progress in learning, gives my time here in India some sense.

It's never boring, always exciting, sometimes really tiring, but most of all it's great fun.

Working together with the other volunteers and especially Rob and Shermina gives me the feeling of being part of a 'family' here.

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Kimberley was traveling through Africa and India. She stopped off in Goa and asked to volunteer for CWT for a month. She helped us in the Mango house doing the paintings and also helped teach at the school in Karaswada.

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Children Walking Tall is not the place that I had intended to end up, I was meant to be in Pune, but coming here and not there was the best decision I made during my travels in India. I really enjoyed my time here and got to see the charity go from a small amount of volunteers to the largest amount that they have had to date. The work in the slums is rewarding and the children are great always ready to greet you with a smile and a handshake. If you ever find yourself in Goa and have some time to spare I strongly recommend a visit to CWT, its worth it just to see the walls...they are great! (not that I am being biased). If you have longer then I recommend volunteering, you will feel like you have done something worthwhile and the children will love meeting a new person.

I loved my time here, it made Goa for me, unfortunately for CWT that means that they will have to put up with me again when I next come back.

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Stuart came over on holiday for just two weeks but offered to help. He is into football and coaches children in the UK. Unfortunately the airline 'lost' one of his bags that had footballs in so he never got to play with the children.

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I felt very welcome as soon as I arrived and quickly learnt that Rob will try and work you like a dog unless you can say 'No' at the end of the day. It was a lot better than I first expected, the children were amazing and the other volunteers friendly and open and some very talkative (Kimberley?). It was an excellent experience and I hope to come back very soon and play cricket with the kids. I've still got a lot to learn. Thanks

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Anna started volunteering for Children Walking Tall at the end of July 2005. She is a student that is just starting her first year of university and hopes to become a social worker.

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Wow! What a month - a very moving experience. Exciting, tiring, good fun, and hard work! The looks on the children's faces make it all worthwhile though. I will never forget the last 6 weeks, my only regret is that I'm leaving! Memorable moments - Giving out fruit in the slums, Riding the moped! Helping Shermina persuade Rob to adopt kittens for the Mango house while attempting to persuade international animal rescue to go down a 25 metre well in the garden to rescue a chicken! Worst moments - an unfortunate incident with a cockroach on my foot.

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Until now the words "Emma" and "sanding" would never have found themselves in the same sentence. However, I can honestly say our days spent at the house covered in dirt, singing along to Rob's CD mixes have been some of the most fun, worthwhile days we have yet to spend whilst in India. Already I simply can't wait to return to Goa and visit 'The Mango House' in full swing!!!

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Until now the words "Emma" and "sanding" would never have found themselves in the same sentence. However, I can honestly say our days spent at the house covered in dirt, singing along to Rob's CD mixes have been some of the most fun, worthwhile days we have yet to spend whilst in India. Already I simply can't wait to return to Goa and visit 'The Mango House' in full swing!!!

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Catherine started volunteering for Children Walking Tall on the 1st June 2005. She is a student and decided to take a year out before starting University in September. Catherine has been travelling around India for the past four months.

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What a perfect end to a perfect trip. After travelling around India for the past four months it's a complete relief to settle somewhere for a while. And it's been such an engaging end to the most extreme and exciting year of my life to be involved in such a fantastically worthwhile project.

Its a great experience spending this month in Goa and nurturing 'The Mango House' into life with all the sanding, varnishing and general TLC whilst coping with the sporadic bursts of the monsoon. If there's one thing I will never forget about this place it'll be those bus rides into work - a Hindi mosh pit on wheels! Long live 'The Mango House'.

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Joanne started volunteering for Children Walking Tall on the 11th May 2005. She is a student at Bradford College starting her final year, studying to become a primary school teacher.

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Jointly Written (Jo and Ruby) - Can't believe it's already been two weeks. Classes are going well - only rarely interrupted by the chickens!! Learning so much from the children and we're the teachers!! Children are friendly and willing to learn as are the mum's, dad's, uncle's, auntie's and everyone else passing (cows included). Lessons vary between written work, oral work, singing and dancing!!!! Although the children don't always fully understand what we're saying or doing, they're always willing to participate, even if its just to laugh at our expense. 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' now a firm favourite as is the 'Hokey Kokey'. Though not amongst the boys, who prefer to stand out and proceed to laugh their heads off.

Next week we hope to help some of the older boys with their love letter writing skills!!!

Entry 2
I can't believe how fast our time here is going. School is fantastic and everyday is different. We had our first school trip on Friday (03 June) when we took 17 children to the beach. We introduced them to the joys of pass the parcel and played various games. An ice lolly and cold drink finished the afternoon off nicely.
All the hard work on the house is starting to show results. We have been sanding and painting windows, trying to get them finished before the rain comes.

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Ruby started volunteering for Children Walking Tall on the 11th May 2005. She is a student at Bradford College starting her final year, studying to become a primary school teacher.

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Jointly Written (Jo and Ruby) - Can't believe it's already been two weeks. Classes are going well - only rarely interupted by the chickens!! Learning so much from the children and we're the teachers!! Children are friendly and willing to learn as are the mum's, dad's, uncle's, auntie's and everyone else passing (cows included). Lessons vary between written work, oral work, singing and dancing!!!! Although the children don't always fully understand what we're saying or doing, they're always willing to participate, even if its just to laugh atour expense. 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' now a firm favourite as is the 'Hokey Kokey'. Though not amongst the boys, who prefer to stand out and proceed to laugh their heads off.

Next week we hope to help some of the older boys with their love letter writing skills!!!

Entry 2
I can't believe how fast our time here is going. School is fantastic and everyday is different. We had our first school trip on Friday (03 June) when we took 17 children to the beach. We introduced them to the joys of pass the parcel and played various games. An ice lolly and cold drink finished the afternoon off nicely.
All the hard work on the house is starting to show results. We have been sanding and painting windows, trying to get them finished before the rain comes.