Let go > anilEmage

With love from Austria

Photographed by Uschi

Let me rewind. Two years ago Laila met with an accident. She fell off her bike, a slightly fractured hand, badly bruised knee and a shaken experience to overcome. Our summer camp just started, Anne Frank was teeming with children and parents waiting to take admission for kids. Without Laila it was impossible to manage the centre. More than hundred children, age level ranging from nine to eighteen. Different batches, two centres and definitely I would have been in the soup…if not for Uschi. That eventful night, with a troubled mind, I entered a café. There I saw Uschi for the first time in my life. She smiled and I sat next to her.

“I am a teacher. “I told her.

“I am also a teacher. “She smiled.

“I am from Anne Frank Centre”

“I am from the land of Anne Frank” we laughed, sealing a lifelong relationship.

For those difficult days without Laila at the centre, Uschi came and helped me out. She sang for the children, taught them songs, managed the kids when I was conferring with the parents and above all she reiterated our belief in humanity. For me Uschi is nothing short of a miracle, an angel who happened, when we needed the most.
Uschi possessed a great mind filled with love, joy and a passion for music.She taught children songs of tracy Chapman and told them stories of Austria and Anne Frank.In the mornings I used to go for walks with Uschi in the woods, bordering our town.We wandered through tea estates and evenings visited Laila. There too uschi sang for Laila.

 Last week we got a letter from Uschi, with a couple of photographs.Here it goes:

Photographed by Uschi

My dear friends!

What a sweet surprise to get these nice greetings from you.

Some days before I was thinking of you, asking myself if you were still at the same place and still working in your school.

Every time when coughing I take some of the spices you gave me, you come in my mind.

I am still teaching and I am very busy working. Now it is winter and it is very cold, freezing and much snow.(look at the photos)

I hope that I will travel to India again, but now there is too much work at home.But when I come to India, I sure will visit you and I look forward to meet you again.I hope to receive some mails from you soon. Dear Laila and Anil, I wish you all the best.

With loving greeting, Uschi

A note

It was very sad for the children and all of us to say goodbye to Uschi. So as to keep thinking of her every day , we created a space for her at the centre. It is called Uschi`s Schtillestall (Uschi`s silent valley) At the corner we kept a bamboo bench, story books and magazines for children too are there. Any child, if she or he doesn’t feel good, needs to be away from everything and enjoy peaceful moments ,she/he has the freedom to leave the class room and can spend as much time needed there.With Uschi`s peace corner , silently we proclaim to the entire world that we need to treat children as individuals, and not as mechanical beings who should be fed forcibly. Learning after all is an enjoyable experience. It should be imparted with love and compassion. Thank you Uschi for the wonderful time we shared together.

Laila, Anil and the Children of Anne Frank Centre