International Officer, Huw Jones and National Vice President Richard du Bois packed their bags immediately after Christmas to visit the Tsunami devastated region of southeast India on December 27. Leaving Heathrow at 9.40am their flight took some ten hours to cover the 5,100 miles landing at Chennai (formerly Madras) at 1.10am local time on December 28. Certainly a change in temperature was easily noticed on landing – a balmy 25 degrees - compared to the snow engulfed M25 and London that had been left behind.

The local Area Chairman, Sandeep Kumar, had stayed up to greet our weary travellers and he safely delivered them to the home of the National Secretariat - a voluntary position that manages RT House in Chennai. After a comfortable night’s sleep it was up bright and early to head back to the airport for an internal flight to Bangalore, known as silicon city in India, as this is where huge parts of India’s IT industry is housed. Manoj Nair, the National IRO and India’s Immediate Past President met Huw and Richard and joined them for the day to tour Bangalore. Attending a meeting of the local Table in the evening, they were surprised to meet Area 13 (North Scotland) Chairman, Colin Turnbull (Tufty) who had attended the recent RT India AGM and was enjoying a few days extra holiday.

The next morning a six-thirty train – certainly not comparable to a commuter trip in the UK – made the 100-mile trip taking three hours with fellow passengers hanging out of doors, windows and travelling on the roof to Mysore. On arrival a short safari was undertaken to see what local wildlife could be uncovered. Failing to spot tigers a plethora of elephants were seen and photographed in their natural habitat.

The following day Huw and Richard were able to see the tremendous work undertaken by Indian Tablers through the ‘Freedom for Education’ programme. Two schools have been built and fully equipped to cater for fifty children in each class. This compares to previous facilities that had eighty children in ramshackle huts. The local Tables undertake all of the ‘usual’ fundraising activities and retain responsibility for the physical management of the building work to its conclusion. The schools operate on a two-shift basis throughout the day providing some 1,500 children the opportunity to receive a formal education.

Once again the invitation to join an informal local Table meeting was accepted to enjoy a wide range of different Indian cuisine, local beer and great Table banter. Returning to Bangalore the following day an opportunity to see another school that had not only been built through Round Table funding but was still run on a daily basis by them… This school caters for 2,500 children that are taught, fed and exercised every day through Round Table’s efforts. Today is New Year’s Eve and so at eight o’clock our intrepid duo joined with over hundred and fifty fellow revellers at the top of a shopping precinct overlooking Bangalore city to welcome in 2006. Retiring to bed at four thirty in the morning they sent texts home to confused friends that still had five hours to wait for the New Year to be heralded in the UK!!!

Richard du Bois takes up the story…

A relaxing and recuperating day on New Year’s Day had our batteries charged and ready to head back to Chennai from where we had a further hour’s journey to see the first of the locations that had been struck by the Tsunami just twelve months previously. A fishing boat took us to a small island that had been overrun by the storm water. Hundreds of lives had been lost and the area had been decimated. Today we were able to see a school that was half built and to meet with the children and their teachers. Gathering information on needs and wants this was the first visit to one of the projects that is being entirely funded by the money from RTBI. Building work has been severely hampered by inclement weather; rainfall over the past year has been the heaviest on record. Through your efforts we will be able to fund the equipping of the school as outlined to us through our conversations.

Returning to Chennai in the evening we joined with India’s National Vice President for a formal Table meeting. The following morning a three-hour drive took us to Pondicherry – one of the worst hit regions. A visit to one specific island brought home the real impact of what had happened. The island had previously been home to three thousand people. Over six hundred people lost their lives in seconds when the Tsunami struck and now everybody has been re-housed inland and the island has been left exactly as it was – devastated and barren. A chilling environment that really brought home the real impact that nature can have…

The principle purpose of the trip, however, was to see how monies raised to support Tsunami victims by Tablers across Great Britain and Ireland has been used. RTBI has funded the building of sixteen schools so far with another four to be built. The schools are all in Tsunami-impacted villages and have been built to withstand a category four earthquake or even another similar Tsunami. Our first formal visit saw us trek down mud paths to a small village where we were treated as kings. Floral garlands were put around our necks and female villagers threw flowers over us, as we were welcomed. A huge sign welcomed us both and a massive granite plinth had been engraved with opening details including both Roundels. This was to be a feature of all of the schools that we were to see.

The local band and hundreds of villagers cheering and clapping accompanied a ribbon cutting ceremony. It was a wonderful festival atmosphere that humbled us in the light of the suffering and hardship that these people had undergone.

A further seven schools were opened in similar circumstances. Each time we were struck by the courage, humility and goodwill of the people. Their happy, smiling faces and the untold gratitude that they displayed were reward enough – it is important to realise that if RTBI had not funded these schools they would not have been built. There is no Government initiative or funding to rebuild at this level. It is entirely down to the generosity, hard work, creativity, and in some instances, barefaced innovation of Tablers and Circlers that we were able to raise the funds required. As a result of these schools being built some 10,000 children will receive a full education over the next five years, alone.

In conclusion, the trip was an incredible, and at times, humbling experience. That so much could be done with what we would consider relatively little is a testament to the Indian Tablers, their tenacity, commitment, diligence and hard work. The people that have benefited from your generosity are overwhelmingly grateful. In just twelve short months their devastated lives and surroundings have been or are being rebuilt. They carry on their lives in what for many of us would have been impossible circumstances and we will have many memories of some very special people whose lives – in desperation – we have been able to touch.